Crush Sleeve Eliminator

[Kansan]

Hey all, I have a leaky pinion seal on my cuda and am thinking about using the crush sleeve eliminator when I go back together.

Mopar 8 3/4" (8.75) 489 Case Crush Sleeve Eliminator

Mopar 8 3/4" 489 Case Crush Sleeve Eliminator

www.doctordiff.com

I don't have much experience with rearends, so I wonder if it is a complicated process to change out. Also, anything else I need to look at in the sure-grip when I take it out?

Thanks,

Kansan

 

[Kevineng]

I just installed a crush elimintor, and its the first rear end I've torn apart. Its not too bad, plenty of you tube videos out there to help. Just remember to ADD shims to loosen the rotational torque,and to remove shims to tighten. Took me quite a few attempts to get it set just right, so be prepared to install, take apart, reinstall and take apart, etc unitl you get it right. Take a measurement of the old crush sleeve to get a ball park dimension, and set up the crush elimintor with shims to same dimension for a starting point. Also, according the manual, if you are using the same inner bearings (although everything i read said to replace the outer bearing no matter what, and I did), to get a rotational torque before disassembly and get a rotational torque 10in lbs above that......i did not do that, so I had to guess. New bearings in both positions require something like 20-35 according to manual.
I removed everything from my case, so today's project will be setting the backlash on the pinion/Drive gear set. You might have to do the same.

 

[Daves69]

This may be helpful if you plan on a complete teardown....
How To Recondition a Sure Grip Cone

 

[Steve340]

If you are prepared or intending to strip the diff head they are a good idea.

 

[540HemiCuda]

If you use Timken bearings, you can take your old one and have the ID opened up to where it will just slip on and off rather than need to be pressed. You will probably need a machine shop to do it. That should get you very close if not correct. Then when you press your new bearing on, you can check to see just how close you are. You might be good to go. But even if it isn't, it should be very close and will still save time and effort.

Used to, the Timkens were consistent enough that that new ones would measure the same as the old ones. I don't know about today. I haven't set one up for several years.

 

[ScotiaCuda]

I credit Ehrenberg and Eslick for pointers on pinion seal change on my 489 that can work without getting deeper into things like the crush sleeve and gear mesh settings. It seemed worth a try and indeed it worked for me.

Before removing the pinion nut, measure the rotational torque with axles in but brake drums off. (I bought a mini beam-scale torque wrench graduated in inch-pounds. Mark the position of the pinion nut against the case. (I scribed the metal, rather than use paint/Sharpie.) Count the turns to remove it. On reassembly, apply red loctite to the pinion threads. Match the turn count to carefully sneak up on the scribed marks, checking the torque as you go. When I reached the index marks I found that the pinion rotation torque was a bit less than original. I went a few degrees beyond the marks to reach the index torque value. I also noted that tightening to that point had required only 50 foot-pounds of torque on the pinion nut. Therefore, for added security I spiked the pinion nut/thread interface with a punch - just enough to act as a mechanical stop to loosening, but not enough disruption to prevent later disassembly.

Any gear noise/whine would tell you this method did not work correctly, thus indicating the need of doing the full FSM procedure.

Two years later, all remains well with mine.

J