Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
OK you front dif experts. I think I may have made a mistake. Installing my yoke for the Gilbert I think I overtightened the nut. I think that because there is an exposed thread between the mark on the pinion and the mark on the nut that I made before removal. That being said the pinon doesn't turn any "harder" than it did before. See excuse below.
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Truck hasn't been driven. Still completing winter mods/repairs.

Considering these options:

1) Run it and see if the dif gets hot (bearings are to tight). Risky but will do it on jack stands so I can keep a close watch.

2) Reinstall the stock flange and see where my nut ends up. Easy to do, unknown result if compression sleeve is compressed further than original.

3) Buy a new compression sleeve and see if it can be replaced by removing the bearing cone, re-tighten the new sleeve using the original flange to the original position then reinstall the Gilbert yoke. In theory, since I'm not replacing any bearings, this will put me back to "stock." May not work, need expert advice. Can this even be done?

Excuse: I've done this before (not on a Sy) to replace pinion seals. I guess I just had the torque on the impact gun set to high. Regardless, right now I'm embarrassed to make this post.

TIA
 
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dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

My vote is #1

I would just drive it, if you ruin it you can buy another one. If you worried about originality you can rebuild your original or rebuild it later date.
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

dgoodhue said:
My vote is #1

I would just drive it, if you ruin it you can buy another one. If you worried about originality you can rebuild your original or rebuild it later date.

Ya, kinda the way I'm leaning. Not worried about originality exactly, just don't want to ruin a perfectly good dif if I don't have to.

Thanks for the link, Gary :tup:
 

big gear head

axle builder
Re: Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

I don't bother counting threads or marking the nut. That isn't a very accurate way of doing it when you are reusing the original yoke, buch less when you change the yoke. The original and new yoke are almost always going to be a different thickness, so counting threads is out the window.

I haven't had a chance to test the 7.2 IFS yet, but I have tested the 12 bolt, and it takes 200 foot pounds of torque on the nut to begin to increase the bearing preload when replacing the yoke. To be safe I would use a torque wrench and torque the nut to about 100 or 125 foot pounds and use red Locktite on the threads. Then don't worry about it.

If it isn't any harder to turn now than it was before then you have not gone too far with it yet. If you went even the slightest bit too far you would be able to feel it in the bearings.
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

An answer with real info. Often wondered about the thickness thing. Thanks Gear Head. I'll check the torque tomorrow and go from there.
 

motorhead

New member
Re: Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

you squashed the crush collar too far obviously,no turning back or quick fix there.take it apart and do it right while its still winter.if you roast the outer pinion races in the housing you will never get them out.
 

George Blake

DONATING MEMBER
Re: Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

I talked to Bruce about this situation yesterday. You'll have to pull the front diff and put a new crush washer in there. Alcohol and working on your truck doesn't mix:( 95 to 100 foot pounds is it. If your impact is like mine, it can go up to 400 foot pounds. Your pretty much screwed. It was pretty stand up of you to make the point. There are a LOT of people out there that would've said the product was a POS and never admitted that they did something wrong.:tup:
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: Bite lip, hang head. Front dif expert needed.

George Blake said:
I talked to Bruce about this situation yesterday. You'll have to pull the front diff and put a new crush washer in there. Alcohol and working on your truck doesn't mix:( 95 to 100 foot pounds is it. If your impact is like mine, it can go up to 400 foot pounds. Your pretty much screwed. It was pretty stand up of you to make the point. There are a LOT of people out there that would've said the product was a POS and never admitted that they did something wrong.:tup:

Thanks George. No alcohol involved just yur basic screw-up. Certainly wasn't the yokes fault.:rotf:
 
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