Is this forum just slow? Is there any other one more active somewhere?
For those interested, after several testings, the nut finally made its way and now screw in & out easily. Pinion thread is intact.
I still have this concern about the sleeves.
Hopefully I will get a reply from Yukon soon.

 

For those that may be interested , from Yukon :The long crush sleeve is for an OEM ring and pinion, the short version fits on the aftermarket ring and pinions.
The nut is designed to have 100% thread depth for max clamp load. This forces it to fit the threads tight compared to the common nuts that only offer 70-80% thread engagement.

 

I honestly meant to reply but haven't been home long enough (except to sleep) to view this thread. Glad you got the answer you needed though!

 

Thank you MK
I know somebody's concern is not necessarily other peoples concerns and it's sometime frustrating. I am on another forum (Ford) where you can get extremely accurate replies within hours on any subject, this probably develop some bad habits !
In any case thank you for showing interest to my problems.

Anyway, yes I am making slow progresses. I now understood that I got the wrong Ratech sleeve. I will probably go and try the long crush sleeve that came in the kit.
Do you know f the washer behind the pinion nut is anything special. I made one about .10" thick but I saw on a video one that was much thicker like 1/4".
(the original one and nut are lost, or securely placed somewhere but I can't remember !)

Also I got quite good patterns with nice shark fins with original .030" shim. Tried .025" with same result, .020" and .015" are more like 90-100% contact and .010" has a shark fin on the other way.
I am just wondering now if any of .015-.020 will do fine or if we need to try .013" .017 .022?
And is it just too much and a ball park of 15-20 just fine? Or if we should be better closer with .020 or further away with 0.015.

 

Installing the Yukon LSD, we are using old parts, same parts that were on the same differential and housing. Only part changed are bearings and LSD.
We checked for gear pattern and pinion is too close with the original .030” shim. It looks like we get better results on coast side with a .015 - .020 (instructions said to disregards other side)
I heard that since we are using original gears, everything should be installed as it was, disregarding pinion position and leaving it as is.
What can you say?Just one small detail then. I don’t have a washer to use behind the pinion nut. I saw on videos those washers are rather thick. Do we need it to be thick or just a normal washer will do?

 

I know the washer behind the pinion on my Dana 44 was at least 3/16 or thicker. I would try and get something as close to what you remember original being. It's not critical, but you need one thick enough to not deform from the amount of torque being applied with crushing the sleeve, otherwise you may get false readings.

If you are reusing the original gears and carrier you shouldn't have to mess with pinion depth. But since you changed the carrier, you may have to play with it a little. Now is the time to get everything right.

 

The problem is that I securely placed the washer and nut but can't remember where (in short : lost) so I will have to cut a new thick washer.
In the meantime I understood that the washer is used to push the yoke and crush the washer so it needs to be thick enough for sure. I thought at first that it was just resting against a flat surface so can't see why it needs ot be that thick...

As for the gear pattern, both Yukon and QuickPerformlance told me to check for OEM gear pattern and backlash using old parts. Then install new parts, shims, duplicate same backlash and I should end with same pattern.
I did that and I come to same pattern. Which makes sense as gears are broke in and settled in this way, any change in their positions would lead to accelerated gear wear and noise.
Just like you I thought at first that it was time to get everything right, a friend which is a mecanic thought same. But this "settled in" condition also makes sense...

 

As long as you're pattern looks good, your pinion and carrier preloads are good and backlash is within manufactures specs, I would not fret over any thing else.

 

Concern was that pattern is NOT good...
Now the tests so far has been made with original modified bearings that may have been bent while pulling them off. If the pinion bearing is bent, it may prevent the pinion to slide down all the way and give a false reading.
I installed the new final bearing over the OEM .030" shim and will have a final check with OEM carrier and gear and see if it's changing anything.

Then new LSD and new bearings, final check, final removal of pinion to install crush sleeve and then ... will see if I can crush correctly a crush sleeve at first try.
Too bad I misread summit racing website and did not saw the Ratech smart sleeve fits only aftermarket pinions.
Also found hidden somewhere on Ratech's website that they do not make a smart sleeve for my set up, only crush sleeve.

 

Well it's been too tricky to duplicate original backlash and pinion height using the old parts. Pinion seem to be too close, backlash is art .004 with specs asking for .006-.010.
I am not sure I can get good measurements with old parts in place so after discussion with Yukon, I am going to replace pinion and gear set.
Now, the OEM rear axle is 3.08. QuickPerformance offer a 3.08 with an additional 20$ (3.36 and 3.55 with extra $) and 3.73 with no extra. I asked them and they say 3.73 is their best seller hence the lower price.
Now should I go or should I stay? I mean does it makes sense to got to 3.73. Seems like I will run 55mph @2189rpm with 3.08 Vs 2.651 for 3.73 (3.300 Vs 4.000 at 82mph)
For now I tend to stay with 3.08...
Any advise?