I'm trying to set preload on my sterling 10.25 pinion bearings. I couldn't get the pinion tight enough to establish any preload I tried using my impact after my breaker bar couldn't do it then that didn't work so I tried my 2.5 foot jack handle on the end of the 2 foot breaker bar and it wouldn't budge! So I counted how many threads were exposed took it all out and put it back together with the same amount of threads exposed and the crush sleeve and bearing aren't making contact but the yoke is bottomed out on the splines on the pinion. Is there supposed to be a spacer between the yoke and bearing other than the slinger?

 

Crush sleeve. ...

 

The crush sleeve goes between the pinion bearings my problem is between the outer bearing and yoke

 

The crush sleeve goes between the pinion gear flange,outer bearing, oil slinger and yoke.

Denoted as "Spacer 4662" in the diagram below

 

The diagram shows it positioned on the opposite side of the bearing cone from the yoke which is where I have it

 

That is why I like pictures!

So it appears you have the crush sleeve in the correct position. Perhaps it's not the correct one?

Do you have a pinion shim between the pinion and the rear pinion gear?

 

It is a very good diagram I have everything where it should be by the diagram. I have it shimmed to proper pinion depth, the crush sleeve was new out of the master install kit and i measured it when I took it out to compare it to the old one and it was only .011" bigger and the old one didn't look crushed just severely worn on the ends like the previous owner had the same problem

 

Was there any shims between the pinon race and housing, I have had to add shims before the crush collar, just to get the pinon tight in the housing and then crush the collar to get the proper preload. Havn't had on grenade yet.

 

The outer bearing race isn't shimmed out any because my kit didn't come with shims to move the crush sleeve out

 

Is this a new pinion/ring gear install? I think there is a difference in the pinion length for early model versus later models. 1992-1993 is the break point IIRC.

 

They are old gears new bearings I checked the spline is 1.25" the long pinion has 1.75" I also checked the yokes length to make sure it was the right one

 

Nice +1, yup I thought sure you had hit on the problem with that tid bit.

Wondering if maybe the yoke isn't the problem, if attempting to reuse the same one it had on it before?, it had been tightened down by the PO in attempt to tighten things up down there to point its stretched out?

Say even if by chance was missing a shim or even two, a couple of thin shims wouldn't ever be enough to make the difference preventing yoke from bottoming out on splines and if it did the yoke wouldn't be tight on the pinion shaft after had been on it that far. Shouldn't really be able to get the yoke down bottomed out on the splines to start with nothing on the shaft but the yoke, should be tight fit and well before getting to that point. Well could but would be rendered useless after doing so.

How much "space" left over are ya talking anyway? Large as in could measure it with a tape? or talking about just a very small fraction... say couple few thousands of an inch?

 

It was leaving it loose enough that I had about an eighth inch of play. When I started this job the pinion was loose like the nut had backed off which is common from what I've read so I ordered the master install kit off rockauto and inner and outer hub bearings and seals on both sides every single bearing was cooked due to a bad seal. The pinion had about a 1/4 inch of play

 

I would say the race has spun in the housing and machined itself a little deeper giving you the excess play

 

That seems to be the only option left. We made a spacer for it today at work hopefully it doesn't push the yoke out to far and in turn increase stress on the bearing