Oh yeah, all buttoned up!

 

Looks great, maybe you can start doing installs for forum members. W/ all that you learned it's a waste that you can't do it more often, although I'm sure you don't feel that way.

 

I've thought about that ... for about 1/10 of a second!

Driving it around today, I still have a little noise, like I think, it's from prior "bad" installs, but the difference is, is that I'm not thinking "oh, what's wrong with it." Now I'm thinking, "oh, well, I know the install is perfect so I'll just ride it." Dreaming me hopes the noise will go away, but we'll have to see. It's definitely within a much smaller range (44-48MPH) and is most resonating right at 46MPH during cruise. I'm measuring temps after each trip and sitting around 130*F to 145*F after driving around town, hit 160*F when I took it for a longer drive (20-25 miles). I'll keep an eye on it. I suspect these rears tend to get hot thus requiring full synthetic gear oil. After a couple of weeks, I'll compare temps and see if they drop once the gears wear in the RIGHT way.

 

Excellent pics as usual bro. Great job.

 

Thanks, Weedahoe. Man, I wish I had pics of torquing the pinion nut to crush the sleeve to the proper pinion preload. That was F-U-N! Setting pinion preload is critical, not only because it needs to be set (duh), but if it's too low, it's difficult to obtain proper backlash readings as the pinion is more apt to move while you're turning the carrier back and forth to measure backlash. This could be one of the reasons why the backlash was too tight - thinking it was in range, if the pinion moves, will be misleading and you'll measure higher than what the backlash really is.

I still don't claim to be an expert, but now that I've done it (a few times actually) - I definitely feel confident enough to do it again. If there is one thing that may be the slightest questionable, is that the preload is set a little higher than I wanted it (was aiming for 20-22 in/lbs.) It's set to 29 in/lbs - still within spec for new bearings (15-35 in/lbs.) When setting preload, man, they weren't kidding when they say to be careful because it'll sneak up on you quick. I may have turned it 1/12th of a turn and it jumped from <4.5 in/lbs to 29 in/lbs. I'm glad I stopped when I did! It feels snug, but it turns smooth. And after working with it a little more, it "felt" like it got a little easier to turn.

Wow, enough, I need to save the energy to write something up. First I have to catch up on my life. Dang truck kept eating up my weekends!

 

Went on a little "camping" trip to a friend's place for Prez Day Weekend extravaganza - it was 10 miles away. Yes I was nervous ...



But the truck did very well. It made it!



AND, it made it back. Aside the noise I'm having, the 4.56 gears really helps tow this thing. I was in OD at 50 MPH with enough oomph to maintain speed comfortably well - yes, it was on a flat road, but still, I couldn't do that even at 60 with the 3.92's.

Gear noise is all about gone except for noise I hear at 44 to 48 only at maintaining speeds. Hardly any noise accelerating or decelerating any more. I've read that that's due to too close to toe gear mesh, but I'm also hearing bearings or incorrect preload. I've seen the gear pattern and it's just about perfect, but will try to check it out again this weekend. I'm still monitoring temps after most trips and haven't seen anything over 141.8*F now. Some say that's still a little high, though.

 

What's the air temp. where you are? I think mine was running around those temps after 20 mins. on the highway w/ 4.10's.

 

I'd say mid 70's to mid/high 80's later on in the day lately. It hardly goes on the highway, but when it does, I've measured near 160*F. Stop and go on my way to work probably gives it ample time to cool a little.

 

All of my bearings, races, my seal a solid spacer (ratech 4109) and pinion nut came in this week. Ready to give it another go. Wish me luck!

 

I may have found a problem. with the axles out, it takes about 55 in./lbs just to get the assembly turning and from there it's 10. It's hard to start turning everything with the ring gear. I would suspect a binding bearing. I'm taking it all apart and see if I may have overheated something.