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.
Can't really tell, but the rod is marked with a sharpie for depth.
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.
I also installed Solid diff covers front and rear while I was at it this weekend. I love the look of them!!!
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.
Can't really tell, but the rod is marked with a sharpie for depth.
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.
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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