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Another pinion bearing question

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Old Mar 29, 2019 | 03:46 PM
  #1  
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Default Another pinion bearing question

When i put my 106" Evo together I put the digital caliper on the new pinion shaft and it said 1.250". When mated to the S&S case that said the pinion bearing race was 1.751" I bought the Blue bearing. When i was putting everything together that bearing didnt slide into the race. I had to actually rotate the crankshaft with gravity pulling down on the crank so every rotation would settle the crank a bit more, then it stopped and the case halves were mated. I just figured a new bearing with a new race would be snug and time would loosen things up.

Now that ive torn the engine apart it was still snug. I had to do that same gravity spin thing to get the crank to settle in the right case half again to size up adding my piston oilers.

When i look in my service manual i see a blue bearing, and a white one (and a couple other colors). From the looks of things, the white one has rollers a couple ten-thousandths smaller than the blue, as indicated by the little chart saying if my pinion shaft race is a tenth of a thousandth or so larger than 1.250" to go with the white bearing. Since i dont have a micrometer in the 1"-2" range to read with such accuracy, can i assume a white bearing will be just a bit smaller than a blue one?
 
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Old Mar 29, 2019 | 06:08 PM
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Buy a micrometer and do it correctly.
 
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Old Mar 29, 2019 | 08:01 PM
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Hey, thanks for not helping at all. At least my compression releases work normally.

Anyway, diving into this tonight I noticed something when I was working the crank back out of the right case half:





Now that I recall, Darkhorse didn't put this bearing in because they didn't do the crankcase too. Oh well, at least I learned something. Fortunately I found the only white bearing in the whole state of Florida only about an hour away. The fella here in Tampa said nobody local has it and it's obsolete so they can't even order it.
 
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Old Mar 29, 2019 | 08:07 PM
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Stevie Wonder could have seen that paint mark. Did you assemble it at night while wearing your sunglasses? Is your real name Corey Hart?


 

Last edited by Ed Ramberger; Mar 29, 2019 at 08:23 PM.
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Old Mar 30, 2019 | 05:27 AM
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If it's too tight upon assembly it will get tighter hot. As suggested, get a micrometer and do it right. Can you post a pic of the race?
 
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Old Mar 30, 2019 | 08:31 AM
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You used the wrong measuring instrument, a caliper is for measuring the thickness of sheet metal, a micrometer is for measuring the outer diameter or a round object.

Get a micrometer and measure the race, then figure out what you need, don`t just guess.

Forget about those instruments with a digital readout, they are for people who can`t understand how to read a vernier scale.
 

Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Mar 30, 2019 at 08:47 AM.
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Old Mar 30, 2019 | 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan89FLSTC
You used the wrong measuring instrument, a caliper is for measuring the thickness of sheet metal, a micrometer is for measuring the outer diameter or a round object.

Get a micrometer and measure the race, then figure out what you need, don`t just guess.

Forget about those instruments with a digital readout, they are for people who can`t understand how to read a vernier scale.
Yup, I got it. I've got a 0-1" and a 3-4" micrometer now, and a 1-2" and 2-3" on order.

FWIW, I brought my 0-1" to the dealership today to pick up my White bearing and the rollers are 2-3 tenths smaller than the blue.
 
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Old Mar 2, 2024 | 12:21 PM
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I am currently rebuilding my 1996 evo with a new S&S crank. I had a Jim's pinion race installed in the right side casing. I have found the race measures 1.743 when it should measure 1.751 approximately. It doesn't even fit the smalllest pinion bearing ( white I believe) . Is there a smaller pinion bearing than .250? Do I need to get this new race bored out to 1.751? I am kinda stuck here
 
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Old Mar 2, 2024 | 07:05 PM
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Well 1.743 seems a little small but I would think it could possibly be a little under finished size in order to allow for line lapping of the bearing. I would have expected it to be something more like 1.750 so that only a little lapping was required. Find a shop that does the work and ask them. Maybe someone else here knows..
 
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Old Mar 3, 2024 | 06:16 PM
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You will have to take it to good machine shop.. What they'll do is measure the difference between the shaft and the race and then fit the new cage with new diameter cylindrical bearings.. I don't think anybody's going to touch the race they'll end up ruining it.. What does S&S provide for opinion bearing race to be pressed into the case?
Technically it should always be measured and refit with new bearings.. I believe the max clearance there is .0015".. It's been a few years since I did one..
You should post a new thread in the Evo Section..
 

Last edited by 98hotrodfatboy; Mar 3, 2024 at 06:20 PM.
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