Rear gears
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
Have patience, lots and lots of patience.
You have the right tools? Dial indicator, dial caliper, and a flexible torque wrench that can measure rotational torque in inch-lbs?
Don't forget to measure the total thickness of all your original carrier shims together when you take everything apart to make sure that the carrier is pre-loaded properly with the new arrangement of carrier shims.
Torque the pinion nut slowly, if you over torque it and the rotational torque of the pinion gear is too high, you have to throw out the crush collar and start over again with a new one.
This is a tough job laying on your back on your garage floor. I've done it successfully, but it took lots of time and patience. Pinion pre-load and gear lash are very important, take your time and make sure you get them as close to perfect as you can.
You have the right tools? Dial indicator, dial caliper, and a flexible torque wrench that can measure rotational torque in inch-lbs?
Don't forget to measure the total thickness of all your original carrier shims together when you take everything apart to make sure that the carrier is pre-loaded properly with the new arrangement of carrier shims.
Torque the pinion nut slowly, if you over torque it and the rotational torque of the pinion gear is too high, you have to throw out the crush collar and start over again with a new one.
This is a tough job laying on your back on your garage floor. I've done it successfully, but it took lots of time and patience. Pinion pre-load and gear lash are very important, take your time and make sure you get them as close to perfect as you can.
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
Then I used a steel pipe and 3lb sledge hammer to push the new ones on. The pipe just has to be the right diameter so that it pushes on the inner race instead of the cage. They slide on fairly easily, I didn't have to hit them very hard at all.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,145
Likes: 61
From: Little Rock, AR
I'm guessing to get the old pinion/carrier bearings off and on? I rented a puller to get the old ones off, damaged them a bit but it didn't matter since I wasn't reusing them. Atleast one of the old bearings I couldn't get the puller behind, so I had to cut the inner race off with a dremel (being careful not to mark up the carrier surface).
Then I used a steel pipe and 3lb sledge hammer to push the new ones on. The pipe just has to be the right diameter so that it pushes on the inner race instead of the cage. They slide on fairly easily, I didn't have to hit them very hard at all.
Then I used a steel pipe and 3lb sledge hammer to push the new ones on. The pipe just has to be the right diameter so that it pushes on the inner race instead of the cage. They slide on fairly easily, I didn't have to hit them very hard at all.
I did this job a few years ago and it was a pain. I had a hard time getting the old pinion bearing races out/new ones in. I must have done a decent job though since they haven't failed and aren't noisy. I will take it to a shop if I ever decide to change gears again.
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TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
I read up on our differentials and found out that GM basically used the same pinion shim for almost all of them. I think it was around 0.030", but its been a few years since I've done the job and I don't remember exactly what it was.
I just reused the old pinion shim, and after I set my lash I put some white lith grease on the gears and made my pattern, came out perfect. Not that its gonna be the same for everyone, it should be for most though.
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I re use the old shims on the new set-up, set it all up the run my pattern. most times i dont even need to add any shims unless the carrier itself has been replaced.
always buy a few extra crush sleaves, more times than not the pinion needs a new shim and this causes the sleave to need replaced for the new shim.
always buy a few extra crush sleaves, more times than not the pinion needs a new shim and this causes the sleave to need replaced for the new shim.
