The NeverEnding Story III: 2001 1500 4x4 9.25 Rear Axle: Gear Contact Pattern
#1
The NeverEnding Story III: 2001 1500 4x4 9.25 Rear Axle: Gear Contact Pattern
Continuing the saga of
The NeverEnding Story: 2001 1500 4x4 9.25 Rear Axle: Pinion Seal & Bearings
The NeverEnding Story II: 2001 1500 4x4 9.25 Rear Axle: Pinion Nut
...
Old pinion & carrier.
New bearings on both.
Old pinion spacer/shim.
I installed the pinion with new crush sleeve so that it has no front/back play, and torqued the rotation to ~22 (+/- a few) in-lbs each way (specs say 15-35 in-lbs for new bearings).
I installed the carrier and - after much weeping & gnashing of teeth - got the backlash within spec, the bearing cap bolts & bearing adjuster nuts torqued, and the adjuster locks installed.
Next (according to service manual) is gear contact pattern, so I painted both sides of 4 ring gear teeth, wrapped a shop towel as best I could around the pinion yoke for resistance, and rotated the ring gear in both directions.
Wowzers is it way off!
Results:
I thought I was doing well to get to this point without (seemingly) majorly screwing anything up, and to be honest I was quite deflated when I saw my pattern. So I haven't touched it in a few weeks. But I need to get back to it and need some direction from folks who have been there before.
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Drive side - focused on painted teeth
Drive side - focused on non-painted teeth that got paint on them
Coast side
The NeverEnding Story: 2001 1500 4x4 9.25 Rear Axle: Pinion Seal & Bearings
The NeverEnding Story II: 2001 1500 4x4 9.25 Rear Axle: Pinion Nut
...
Old pinion & carrier.
New bearings on both.
Old pinion spacer/shim.
I installed the pinion with new crush sleeve so that it has no front/back play, and torqued the rotation to ~22 (+/- a few) in-lbs each way (specs say 15-35 in-lbs for new bearings).
I installed the carrier and - after much weeping & gnashing of teeth - got the backlash within spec, the bearing cap bolts & bearing adjuster nuts torqued, and the adjuster locks installed.
Next (according to service manual) is gear contact pattern, so I painted both sides of 4 ring gear teeth, wrapped a shop towel as best I could around the pinion yoke for resistance, and rotated the ring gear in both directions.
Wowzers is it way off!
Results:
- I could find no discernible pattern on the drive side, but can see some paint on the drive side of teeth that I had not painted just on the very inside edge [see pics below]. I don't know, though, from which direction of rotation that paint got put on there.
- The pattern on the coast side is way outside [see pics below].
- Would new bearings on old pinion & carrier with the old shim really be that far off of pattern?
- If not, any clues as to what I did wrong?
- If so, does that mean I need to redo all of this using a different thickness pinion shim?
Originally Posted by 2001 Dodge Ram Service Manual (page 3-88)
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Drive side - focused on painted teeth
Drive side - focused on non-painted teeth that got paint on them
Coast side
#2
#3
Heel to toe doesn't really matter, you're just looking for crown to root. I'm not seeing much with your pattern. Cut your marking compound w gear oil - just mix it on some cardboard or in a small dish like you would JB weld.
You may need to spin the pinion some more, too. I know you said you provided resistance which is good.
If you truly put everything back together exactly as it came off then, no, I can't see your pattern being THAT far out. Worst case I might just run it and see if it's quiet -- again, assuming all shims were placed back in original locations.
You may need to spin the pinion some more, too. I know you said you provided resistance which is good.
If you truly put everything back together exactly as it came off then, no, I can't see your pattern being THAT far out. Worst case I might just run it and see if it's quiet -- again, assuming all shims were placed back in original locations.
#4
#5
I think this is a large part of the problem right here. Need to use the pinion to turn things, to get an accurate pattern.
#6
That's what I get for following the destructions:
I'll do it the way y'all suggest the next chance I have to go out and work on her.
Thanks again!
Originally Posted by 2001 Dodge Ram Service Manual (page 3-87)
(3) With a boxed end wrench on a ring gear bolt,
rotate the differential case one complete revolution in
both directions while a load is being applied from
shop towel.
rotate the differential case one complete revolution in
both directions while a load is being applied from
shop towel.
Thanks again!
#7
Other times values (or at least tolerance ranges) are almost ignored as guys have learned that a certain diff prefers minimal backlash or pinion bearing preload at the high end or low end.
Regardless, you've gotta try for a better pattern so there's information to draw a conclusion. There are FB groups just for gear setup where you can post your pattern and questions, too. It's at least 50% art and 50% science
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#8
UPDATE
I wiped off the old compound, cut some with gear oil and applied, added some resistance to the ring gear with a rubber mallet (I'm not sure the best way to provide drag without damaging the ring), and turned the pinion companion flange (by hand). The pattern looks the same as I posted above.
I think at this point, since The Boss has told me that I have to have it moved by this weekend for a yard sale, and I have to work for a living so can't take all week to work on it, I'm going to do as Keith mentioned and just put the rest back together today (axle shafts, diff center pin; new wheel bearings & seals), fill it with gear oil, give it a test run, and see what happens.... Wish me luck!
I wiped off the old compound, cut some with gear oil and applied, added some resistance to the ring gear with a rubber mallet (I'm not sure the best way to provide drag without damaging the ring), and turned the pinion companion flange (by hand). The pattern looks the same as I posted above.
I think at this point, since The Boss has told me that I have to have it moved by this weekend for a yard sale, and I have to work for a living so can't take all week to work on it, I'm going to do as Keith mentioned and just put the rest back together today (axle shafts, diff center pin; new wheel bearings & seals), fill it with gear oil, give it a test run, and see what happens.... Wish me luck!
#9
#10
That is what seemed logical to me, too; but - as I stated initially - seeing as this is my first time I had to watch videos. Everybody who put new bearings on old pinion & carrier re-used the shim (which I also did), and either had no problem getting a pattern, didn't show it & didn't talk about it, or didn't even do a pattern check.
So to re-ask a question: Would new bearings on old pinion & carrier with the old shim really be that far off of pattern?
So to re-ask a question: Would new bearings on old pinion & carrier with the old shim really be that far off of pattern?