Nitro Sleeve install....

Rivertoys

New member
Finally tackled the Nitro sleeve install this weekend. I was not really looking forward to it, as I've read many horror stories. It went VERY well....

I cleaned the tube by hand with only a paint roller on a long threaded rod. I butchered a cheap roller for this use. I used to the axle shaft to mark the threaded rod for depth. My fender washer was a little too small so I also used a small self tapping screw to keep the roller from sliding off. I sprayed the roller with brake cleaner, and ran it in and out several times. I also ran it through with engine degreaser, then back to brake clean until the roller was coming out clean. Wasn't a long or hard process. Used two rollers total. I was expecting worse from my 4 year old axle.

I froze the sleeves about two days in standard home freezers (house fridge for the small, and chest freezer for the long). I knew the trick was to get them from the feezer to the axle fast, and without heating them. I used my wife and son (on Mothers Day) to get this done. My wife wore gloves so her skin wouldn't heat sleeve at the touch points. A couple hours before we did it, I put two damp shop towels in the freezer. We used the frozen towels to hold the sleeves. They went from the freezer to the axle in about 15 seconds, and slide in by hand all the way to just into the knurling. 2-3 light/moderate taps on the custom driver, and it was done. No lubrication was needed or used.

A clean tube and fast from the freezer and I would call this an easy project.

sleeve_1.jpg


Can't really tell, but the rod is marked with a sharpie for depth.
sleeve_2.jpg


In the photo below the short sleeve is in and my son is holding the custom driver we made. The driver end is machined aluminum, and was was frozen also, so it wouldn't put any heat into the knurled end of the sleeve.
sleeve_3.jpg


I also installed Solid diff covers front and rear while I was at it this weekend. I love the look of them!!!
 
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Thanks. Preparation (including the custom tools) was the key for sure. I wasn't going to post anything about this project, which is why I only took a couple of phone pics. Then when it went so easy, I wanted to say something, because I have read a number of horror stories about these things.
 
Mine wasn't that easy. I got mine in half way then had to point in the rest.

However, I would call this project moderately hard at worst. Just takes two people and a good bearing driver and sledge.

Glad to see someone else dispelling the myth that this is a hard upgrade.
 
i was dreading it before i did the install too, just from reading other peoples bad experiences with the install. I had it done in no time only had a small hang up with the drivers side not wanting to go in the last inch.
 
Nitro Sleeve (Piece of Cake)

I just installed the Nitro Sleeves over the weekend and it was one of the easiest mods I have done to date. Likewise I read horror stories and saw pics of others having to cut the mushroomed end of the sleeve off and so forth. In my case I froze them as everyone suggested and thoroughly cleaned the axle housing with Emory cloth and a paint roller soaked in acetone. I did slightly "dremel sand" the area where some factory welding was done. I could feel some deformation on the inside of the axle housing where the "C's" were welded on. Overall I think if you do your due diligence up front and try to mitigate any foreseeable issues everything will go perfect. I am now going to install the EVO front axle truss to prevent any bending at the diff as the weakest point of the axle is where the tubes enter the differential. Good luck with your mods.
 
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