We have a few differential experts here. I'm about to go through my differential. I see a lot of people going with crush sleeve eliminators. Any thoughts on these vs regular crush sleeves?

 

1) They are easier because you won't have to worry about tightening them too much. You can't untighten a crush sleeve.
2) If your pinion depth is wrong you can just take it apart and add or subtract a shim or change sizes.

They sound easier to me

 

So you set pinion depth, put in the spacer/shims, torque to x ft/lbs. The add or subtract shims until correct preload is set, keeping the pinion nut at the same torque?

 

IF you change your depth shim for the pinion YOU must also change the shim for the pre-load again too.

To get the pre-load correct using solid shims takes a lot MORE TIME for sure. You have to keep swapping them in and out till you get the absolute correct pre-load. Sometimes you have to compromise that pre-load if you do not have the exact shim you need... If you are not a shop with tons of thicknesses to choose from.
The only good thing about a solid sleeve is you can excessively tight the nut when you have that pre-load dead on. easier way is ....When all you really need to do is crush the sleeve and stake the nut to the thread in a couple of spots. The nut will then not back off. If you pre-load the pinion bearings correctly the sleeve can not and will not crush any further.
BEARINGs WILL AND DO WEAR AND THIS WILL CAUSE CHANGE IN PRELOAD...BUT THAT WILL ALSO HAPPEN WITH BOTH SYSTEMS...HARD driving will always require more maintenance to keep parts in spec. NO WAY AROUND THAT - EVER.
We drag race with crush sleeves and have not had any issues with a 10.50 car 1.39 60 foot
You can use a solid if you want it will not HURT ...All I am saying is it is entirely NOT necessary and is NOT the cause of pinion bearing failure etc.

Most all cases of ring and pinion problems are from pinion nut backing off from nut expanding under heat and quick twist load (IE burn outs and race track launches)

Back to the changing pinion depth - you can reuse a crush sleeve depends on which way your going with the shim replacement also.
If you need more shim under the pinion to make the pinion engage deeper you will need to add a pinion crush sleeve shim or new crush sleeve. (which you will have to do with the solid spacer too)
If you are removing shim or less pinion to ring engagement, then it will just crush the sleeve more. (solid crush sleeve you will need to remove shim stock)
AND since it is 2:30 AM It might be backwards on that previous statement of deeper and shallower etc. . I am tired...lol.

Hope this gives more points of view again on the subject. Take care,
Jim
J D

 

Yes you will need to keep changing shims till you get your desired pre-load of the pinion.
20-25 inch pounds NEw bearings (rotational )
15 inch pound used bearings (rotational)

you should be able to torque the crap out of the pinion nut and not have any affect on the pinion preload.

Good luck.

 

Monzaz...
Thanks! Great to hear the voice of experience.