[Teracis]

So I installed my 6.5's yesterday, and I got the bearing install kit with the gears as well as a twisted TT kit to go with it.

TT kit was easy as to install, only thing to work out/get your head around is the TT kit instructions and the Gear Install kit instructions are working on different parts of the case. The TT instructions have you remove the rear case and work on the centre as you disassemble, and the Gear instructions have you remove the front and centre and work on the rear case as you disassemble.

As I had all new bearings, I thought I should replace ALL the bearings.

NOW FOR THE WARNING: The tiny little cage bearing in the end of the rear output shaft. IT IS HARD TO REMOVE, so unless you have the means to do it easily (nfi how) DON'T do it. I thought I'd get it out with a screwdriver with a hook on the end, this didn't work and because I'd had a go at it, I thought well I can't tell if I've done damage so I better get it out now... So I thought, cut the side out with a cold chisel and peel the rest out with pliers, no dice, in the end I destroyed it enough with the chisel and punches that I could get the dremel in. It took a while but eventually I got it back to the original shaft metal, but as you can imagine, bearing races don't give up easily.
New one went in fine, tapped in with a socket and all seems well.


IN SHORT, IF IT AINT BROKE, DON't FIX IT!


The other thing to note is that in the gear install instructions, as you install the low range gear onto the output shaft, it tells you to reinstall the cage bearing, the picture shows them greasing the bearing but doesn't say it in the instructions, I only picked it up later on when they were saying to grease the other cage bearings but I was already finished pressing the bearings and speedo gear onto the shaft. As I was using a hammer and tube, I didn't want to risk damage removing and reinstalling so I left it, the bearings get oil anyway and there was no grease on the old ones (obviously worn off over time and replaced with oil).

Anyhow, Good luck, once you have a case apart you will have a far better understanding of how it all works when you start shifting gears! It isn't taking long for the new gears whine to die down so hopefully that comes good by the 1000km oil change. Also, I'm running 235/75/15's and it's about 3800rpm for 100km/h which is bloody good and takes bugger all pedal to hold that speed. I'll let you all know how the fuel economy goes, looks like it'll be better than before!

[Rusho]

It's a terd to get out. Murphy's law though, if you don't replace it, it will cause you pain later. Internal bearing puller is your friend. Unfortunately they are a specialized expensive tool to have for a bearing that small. I was fortunate enough to have a bloke who has access to a tool shed with just about everything in it(Mr.fat and Charlie)

Good to hear that you got there in the end mate.

[Teracis]

Rusho wrote:

It's a terd to get out. Murphy's law though, if you don't replace it, it will cause you pain later. Internal bearing puller is your friend. Unfortunately they are a specialized expensive tool to have for a bearing that small. I was fortunate enough to have a bloke who has access to a tool shed with just about everything in it(Mr.fat and Charlie)

Good to hear that you got there in the end mate.

Cheers dude, I started at about 0820 and took her for a spin at about 2300, that included picking up the Mrs from work which took the better part of an hour around 1630 and watching some of the news when my mate called so there's another half hour gone. Ideally I'd have done it quicker, but I wanted it done right and I ran into the problem with the little cage bearing!

The main problem was that little cage bearing, I reckon I lost around 4 hours to that... at least it's all working well though, low 1 is insanely low, I have a brick wall out the front that I used to have to put a rock infront of to climb a wheel up because I didn't want to wreck the clutch, now I can just climb straight up in Low 1!, no effort required!

[Rusho]

It took us 2 hours to get that bearing out. 1 hour 58mins of that was driving to get the bearing puller though

[shane1992]

Rusho wrote:

It took us 2 hours to get that bearing out. 1 hour 58mins of that was driving to get the bearing puller though

Sounds like my story!!

[Teracis]

Well when I decided I'd take it out because I'd had a try with the screwdriver and didn't want to put it back in just in case I'd damaged it, I hit it with the cold chisel, and immediately had that oh shit feeling...

Also, I got by on my MacGyver skills and luck, I didn't even know if I had a bit of pipe to use to press the bearings back on when I started, in the end I cut the end off a piece that I had laying around and it fit (coz it was a clean end, the other was all burred) Oh and make sure you have something to bolt to the flanges to get them off, I only had a tiny little vice and it was hard going!

Surely there is an easier/cheaper way than needing some crazy small bearing puller? It'd be hard to fab something up to do the job though.

[31zook]

I grabbed an old screw driver, ground the end to a sharp knife blade edge, then belted it down 2 sides and wiggled it out with a pair of plyiers... I guess be careful but the shaft is extremely hard to damage....

[Teracis]

31zook wrote:

I grabbed an old screw driver, ground the end to a sharp knife blade edge, then belted it down 2 sides and wiggled it out with a pair of plyiers... I guess be careful but the shaft is extremely hard to damage....

Good idea, mine was basically welded to the shaft it seemed though, even when I ground most of it out with the dremel, the rest still wouldn't let go...

Now I know how to do it next time though!