I just purchase some Nitro Axle Sleeves and plan on installing them when the come in the mail hopefully, if I have the courage. So far from what I have read they are either really easy to install or really difficult.

Some tips I have picked up from reading the forums are:
It's good to freeze them before install
It's a must to clean the axle housing before
Wd40 the area where the sleeve will enter
You don't need to drain your diff fluid

I have seen some tools to help, which is the handle grip metal housing thing that you place in line with the sleeve and hit it with a big hammer, I don't think I will be able to get my hands of something like that.

Does anyone have any suggestions to what I could use? If you tried just hitting it with the hammer would you run into the risk of damaging the sleeve? Maybe hold a square piece of metal on the sleeve but who ever would be holding that would need some serious gloves. It would hurt!

I am looking for any advice, tips, errors, and people's stories on the install.

Thanks

 

Some guys from the forum put together an awesome video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOnQ8uLnTOw
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-s...-tools-220366/

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modi...-axles-210214/

 

I did this install not too long ago. I used a bearing race tool i got from the local auto parts store and a 16lbs sledge. Passenger side went in easy, driver side not so much. I cleaned everything well and oiled the sleeves as i hammered, it seemed to me that maybe there was some slag in the tube where the it was welded to the housing or something because the sleeve had about 3/4 of an inch left to go and would not budge. I beat hell out of it with no avail, and i am pretty strong guy, ruined the bearing race and mushroomed the the tip of the sleeve so i just cut the sleeve off flush and called it good. Wheeled a few times since then and put about 1k miles on it with not problems. All in all took 3hours from start to finish ( dismounting the tires- to remounting the tires). Good luck

 

Perfect, I never thought if it didn't go in all the way to just cut it. Good call! I'm going to study those videos to build up my confidence.

When cutting the end off your most likely cutting the end with the groves does that effect anything?

Would everyone suggest using a race bearing tool?

 

Yeah you cut some of the grooves off the end but the fitment between the sleeve and the axle tube is so precise that the sleeves arent going anywhere. I was dreading doing the install because i thought it would be a pita but even with the trouble with getting the driver side sleeve in it wasn't bad.

 

Perfect, I'm really hoping my install goes smoothly, I'm hoping to do front and rear lca skids and c gussets at the same time.

What held the race driver in place?

I really wish I had that tool in those videos. It looks like you could really hit at it.

 

Have you seen this..... These two make it look like a piece of cake

http://youtu.be/GUIterZlbPM

 

My girlfriend with a pair of long handled pliers.

 

I saw that video but they said it took 8 hrs to install, that's insane!

 

I'm getting excited to install these!!

Has anyone ran into any problems when doing the install?