Broken Needle Bearing (ECGS)

Need a little advice. I broke my needle bearing inserting the ECGS bearing puller. I had to lightly tap in in to fit behind the bearing and didn't notice it was broken until I was almost done. I repulled the axle and drained the fluid (20$ of fresh fluid)but still couldn't find the little piece with a magnet. Filled it back up and reassembled to drive and didnt notice anything. Will that little piece cause any long term damage ??
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Will that little piece cause any long term damage ??
Could it ..Yes. Will it depends on if it finds its way into the works. Maybe its heavy enough not to be pulled up when this diff is active and the lube is circulating.
If it was me i would drain the gear lube and insert one of the economical boroscope things in there and look around for it. Some of these even had an optional magnetic tip you can attach to not only locate but drag things out as well.

 

Sounds like you're about to find out.
With any luck it pulled back out with the bearing.
I would say yes, it could potentially lead to a costly repair if it gets in the wrong spot.
Or it could do nothing.
Too bad you didn't notice before putting it back together.
Did you look good all over the floor, too? bottom of your shoe?

 

If you are lucky the magnetic drain plug will catch it quick.

 

Ya i looked everywhere after the fact. I will try the drain pan with a magnet. I was hoping the bottom magnet got it but it was clean. I did feel and clean with a shop towel and didnt feel anything. I fear I shoved it in with the axle. I've got a bore scope and two more quarts on the way. Good idea babylon5! I knew I needed one of those for something.

 

Mine broke too.
But I had a plastic bag jammed in tight right behind the bearing.
I was able to get my pieces out easy, as they were laying right in front of the bag.

As for damage, you'd know it fairly quick.
The spider gears right after the bushing/bearing.
And your front axles turn all the time. You'd likely know it by now.

Best case, the drain plug catches it.
Other wise, it's probably in the bottom of the differential. (Where it will hopeful stay)

 

I thought I read the removal tool being to long was fixed. I didn't exactly have to beat it in, more like lightly tap, but enough to break the little piece.

 

Me too. I only tapped mine.
The race has to be super hard/brittle. One would think it would "bend" the lip of the race. But nope, it breaks off.

 

I just realized it probably came out with the plastic bag!! I'll look again. Thanks!

 

My guess too. If the piece was broke on the pull, and not the insert of the puller, then maybe that chip is outside of the truck somewheres on the floor of the garage. If the piece was broke on the insert of the puller as it was being seated with a sharp blow in an effort to get it behind the bearing, then maybe that chip is inside the diff. Hard to say. I would scour the floor of the garage, if that came up with nothing then I would, well, I don't know. I would get the front wheels up off the ground, put it in 4wheel high, and let the wheels turn for a short time, really short maybe, and if I had a helper he or i could listen for a little grinding. I think a chunk of metal that big would find its way to the bottom of the diff, and if not, would get ground up into dust by the gears if it got in there.

Oh, you mentioned that. Yeah, maybe it is inside. Okay, don't turn on 4wheel drive for a few weeks, let that chunk settle to the bottom, then turn it on and listen for a grinding and squealing.

 

Ironic. My son decides to take the trash at the wrong time. But ,I am leaning toward that it went with the plastic bag because I finger cleaned the surface before install and didn't feel anything. On the plus side it did cure my vibes from an Eibach 1.6 inch lift. Thanks community.. I'll report any other findings..

 

Could it have fallen behind the seal, in front of the bushing on its way out? If so, I would think it would stay captured there.

 

Installing my ECGS bearing tonight. Now I'm shitting bricks....time to be extra, extra careful! Glad to hear it fixed your vibes though.

 

If you bevel one end of the removal tool you won't run into problems trying to get it in.
You shouldn't have to pound the removal tool in.
Like so.....



^ That guy did both sides. 1 side will do.

 

Vibes were immediate after lift and all gone now. The old bearing looked fine though. Weird. Just take your time. It went really well with minimal disassembly besides that little hiccup. Dont forget to put it in the freezer. I've drove about 20 miles so far(probably 5 in 4high) and haven't noticed anything but will still bore scope when it gets here. Good luck!

 

How much of a lift did it take to get vibes. Bought 3rd gen biilsteins that most say gives you an inch lift. I currently have 185000 miles and never had vibrations with original shocks. Really don't want to have to do ecgr bushing money is real tight..I wonder how many people who uses 3rd gen shocks on 2 gen get the vibrations after installation.

 

You really won't know until you try it but with just an inch, I would THINK you'd be ok.

 

I did 1.6 plus 1/4 spacer on driver side. 3rd notch on eibachs. Vibes were immediate. I also added hd general leafs. All fine with 235,000 miles. You may be fine.

 

That's good to hear it resolved the vibe. I installed OME 884s and 5100s and initially gained well over 2" of lift. The noise was immediately noticeable and went away in 4WD. Thanks for the freezer tip! Oh, and I'm betting that the fragment was wadded up in the plastic bag.