GM 14 Bolt 10.5 Master Overhaul Kit for 1988 and Older

This is the USA Standard Gear ZK GM14T-A master overhaul kit for the GM 10.5-inch 14-bolt full-floating rear axle used under 1988-and-older Chevrolet and GMC 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks, vans and Suburbans. It carries every wear part you replace when the center section comes apart: carrier bearings and races, inner and outer pinion bearings and races, the pinion pilot bearing, pinion seal, a complete shim kit, pinion nut, crush sleeve, cover gasket, thread locker, and gear marking compound with a brush.

The A-suffix kit is for the early axle. Later 14-bolts (roughly 1989 and up) take a different pinion bearing and seal package, so if you are working on a newer truck use the GM14T-C kit instead. Ring and pinion gears are not included; this is the bearing and hardware side of the job.

Typical reasons to open one up: a howl or whine that changes on and off throttle, clunk from excess backlash, a pinion seal that keeps weeping gear oil, or a re-gear to put bigger tires under the truck. With the carrier out, press the old bearings off, drive in the new races, set pinion depth with the shims, and set pinion bearing preload before you torque the nut. Paint the ring gear with the marking compound and read the pattern before you button it up. If the old pinion bearings were rough, check the gear teeth for pitting; bearings alone will not quiet chewed-up gears.