Originally Posted by allan5oh

You cannot check the bull gear through the power steering pump. There's an extra gear between the power steering pump/air compressor and the bull gear. You need to take off the accessory drive to check the bull gear. I'm willing to bet if that was done there would've been signs the bull gear needs to be done.

Well the shop had the whole front cover off, the accessory drive gear, had access to the bull gear right in front of them. not sure on the exact specifics, cause I never saw the truck until I picked it up, but he said the movement or lack thereof of the bull gear shown no wear to worry about. everything checked out fine until he took bearing out & saw race, but no test would of revealed what was going on except taken bearing out to see & inspect race. I remember him saying when he turned the gear,it was smooth, no roar, or indication of any wear. I have the bearings also & they look perfect. from what I understand, this could not be detected unless looking at the race, other methods would give false impressions in this case.

I think you're absolutely right. I did inspect mine using the accessory drive method. It seemed perfectly fine, but that's no gaurantee.

Originally Posted by allan5oh

I think you're absolutely right. I did inspect mine using the accessory drive method. It seemed perfectly fine, but that's no gaurantee.

Yeah well the bearing is inside the bull gear, & if it is bad, you would hear it or feel the play. but if the damage is in the race, there is no way to tell unless you take bearing out & look at the race. my bearing look like they have a few thousand miles on them. no way the look like they have 1.4 mil miles. I have talked to dozens of folks, a lot in person in my area, & all that have or had detroits, tell about the bull gear going out.I think it's really the bearing that goes & take the gear with it. I know of a guy who owns a shop in Birmingham AL that told me he keeps a shelf full of bull gear & bearing. I had 5 neighbors with detroits, who had same problem, all shops around here are familiar with the bull gear going out, the only difference is it is always with the 12.7 never a problem with the 11.1 the 11.1 will go over 1 mil miles, but the 12.7 will not usually go that far, without you having to replace the bearing & or gear. this is what I have heard for the last 12 years.