2001 14 Bolt rear needs new pinion seal

[chessy56]

Guys-
Anyone familiar with the 2001 14 Bolt rear end (3.73:1, 10 1/2" ring gear, K2500HD, single wheels)? My pinion seal is shot and the rear end does not resemble my earlier model maintenance manuals (where the pinion gear was bolted to the front end of the housing.

Does this rear end use a "crush collar" on the pinion? If I'm just replacing the seal, can I mark the pinion/nut and retighten/Lock-Tite the nut to the same position? I don't recall the 14 bolt rear using a crush collar, but then again my axle appears to be different than any of my repair manuals depict.

Any suggestions would be a help. (Any GM Techs out there that can advise?)

thanks-
chessy56

[DmaxMaverick]

Because it's a 2001, you need to verify which axle it has. The 10.5" 14 bolt was used on 2500HD's with the 6.0L gasser engine. If it has a Duramax engine, 8.1L gas engine, an Allison 5 speed auto or ZF 6 speed manual, it should be the AAM 11.5" axle.

If the pinion does not bolt to the front of the housing, it is a 11.5" axle.

Both 2001 FF axles have 14 bolt covers (can't use that anymore for identification)

I haven't been inside the late model 10.5" axle, but it appears to use shim(s) instead of the crush sleeve. This according to the 2001 10.5" FF axle drawing.