Gears & Axles - Pinion play front to back before crushing sleeve

I am trying to finish my ring and pinion install today, but I came across a snag. In trying to crush the pinion sleeve, I get the nut down real tight but there's still front-to-back play in the pinion. I don't want to attempt to crush the sleeve if something is not seated right, because when I checked the patterns on the gears there was no play at all. The inner bearing is new, I chose to reuse the outer.

Any ideas?

You have play because you haven't started to compress the crush sleeve. Keep tightening the pinion nut while checking the pinion drag. FYI you should get a new outer bearing too, why put old parts back in.

I just picked up the outer bearing to put in. The place I got the inner from didn't have the outer in stock so I figured I'd try the old one first. I'll let you know if I can get it to crush properly.

Yep, there will be tons of play until the sleeve is crushed.

It's going to tighten like a bitch too! Once you get it crushed be aware of how much resistance it takes to spin the pinion, it doesn't take much to overload the bearings. Be sure to use some red loctite on the nut too.

Sleeve is crushed! No more play, got everything buttoned up on the rear, now I just need to put the brakes, driveshaft, exhaust and panhard bar back in and it's good for a test drive.

Now I know why people don't like to do this themselves. I had to buy a 3/4 Jumbo ratchet with a jack handle extension to tighten that thing down.

Anyway, thanks for the advice! This was the first rear end work I've done, so we'll find out how good I did with the test drive and race on Sunday!

It's going to tighten like a bitch too! Once you get it crushed be aware of how much resistance it takes to spin the pinion, it doesn't take much to overload the bearings. Be sure to use some red loctite on the nut too.

They are lock nuts, they don't require lock-tite.

If you installed a new ring and pinion make sure to break it in properly before wailing on it.
http://www.ringpinion.com/TechnicalHelp/ContentFrame.aspx?FilePath=%7e%2fContent%2fParts%2 fRingAndPinions%2f%2fNew_Gear_Break-In.inc

They are lock nuts, they don't require lock-tite.
I'm aware of that, but they can still loosen up. A little red loctite and a couple prick punches to the nut will not hurt anything. It's cheaper than buying a new set of gears.

I agree, though I've never seen one loosen. Plus, they have a physical deformity punched into the threads so they can't move. Its not like they are the nuts with the little plastic ring inside them. And, I've never used loctite that I can recall and its never been an issue, and I've built a bunch of rear ends.

My threads came pre-staked, but I used a little loctite anyway. I'm currently in the process of breaking it in, the first 100 mile stuff is out of the way and the diff stayed cool through it so I'm gonna try and rack up some miles tonight before my race tomorrow. Woodward cruise is tonight, but unfortunately I need to drive the car, not sit in that parking lot of a cruise. Would have liked to go, but things just didn't work out.