Ecountering trouble with powertrax install!!!

[Vozar]

Yeah the Pt tech guys are pretty helpful. I did my tests with the tires off, u just have to put some uuuummmmphhhhhh! in it.Ive never heard of anyone putting a powertrax in a street setup. Do u like it? I like whipping it around corners and barking the tires!

 

[spindlecone]

Matt I love it, am a streeter only, run 3.73s for what I feel is better High speed MPG and perhaps a little less wear and tear on componants at high, highway speeds, I got stuck on a patch of muddy grass, pass tire in the mud, driverside on dry pavement, had to be pulled out by a chevy, at that point I said never again, is a small learning curve to getting used to the PT in a 4x2 but well worth it IMO

 

[IZwack]

Im waking this thread up because I'm thinking of putting the PowerTrax NoSlip on my 8.8 rear but I have one question.

I downloaded and read the instructions on how to install the NoSlip and one of the first steps is to remove the pinion shaft. This is where I will probably have problems because - I am running 4.56s right now and a few months ago, I replaced the outer axle seals because one was leaking and, at the time, I could not pull the pinion shaft out all the way because it was running into the ring gear. (I was able to push the axles towards the center to remove the C-clips by turning the pinion shaft so that the "cut" faced the axle that I wanted to remove - which allowed the axles to be pushed in just far enough to pull the C-clip out.)

So for those who have installed the NoSlip *after* installing 4.56 gears (or higher), how do you get the pinion shaft out?

 

[Jefe]

So for those who have installed the NoSlip *after* installing 4.56 gears (or higher), how do you get the pinion shaft out?

You will have to remove the carrier and then remove the ring gear from it before pulling the pinion shaft.

 

[JDraper]

What Jefe said. Also DO NOT grind the pinion shaft end to get it past the gear. This WILL mess up your install. I've seen it done in several instances, even where a shop did it. It will make the powertrax work improperly.

 

[IZwack]

... remove the carrier and then remove the ring gear from it...

And to remove the carrier - you remove both shafts and then remove the bearring caps right? The entire carrier assembly slides out after that? If this is correct, is it important that the ring gear and carrier is put back in EXACTLY as it was before it came out (ring gear position/rotation, etc...) ? Any other tips?

What's the torque spec on these cap bolts? They look like they're holding down the bearing caps as if it were a matter of life or death!

 

[spindlecone]

Call me stupid, what am I missing here,I installed a PT no slip in my 8.8, was no need to remove the R&P, nor the carrier, am cornfused

 

[IZwack]

spindlecone - youre probably running gears smaller than 4.56. Ring gears 4.56 and higher are thicker than gears of lower ratios. This increase in thickness is what prevents the pinion shaft from sliding out. The higher ratios also require a pinion shaft thats slotted in the middle - as this is the only way to get the C-clips off since the pinion shaft can't slide out.

 

[spindlecone]

You may be right, whatever, but the R&P and carrier do not need to be removed am pretty sure to install a no slip, just the spyders and side gears.
From what I know about gears, ratios are determined by tooth count, cannot imagine a 4.56 ratio being thicker, but am always willing to learn

 

[IZwack]

spindlecone - you're right, the ring and pinion, and the carrier do not need to be removed to install a No-Slip system. And in fact, the installation manual doesnt even mention the removal of these parts. But one part that must be removed is the pinion shaft - as illustrated in the manual.

Removing the pinion shaft is easy for those who run with one of the stock ratios (4.10 and smaller) because the pinion bolt does slide right out. But for those who run 4.56s and higher, this is not the case - the pinion bolt does not just come out. As I've said before, it does not come out because the ring gear is thicker than the ring gears of stock ratios (4.10 and below). But why is the ring gear thicker? Well let us explore the wonderful world of ratios and the concept of a "ring and pinion" gear setup:

First off, keep in mind of the fact that the ring gear is at a fixed position on the carrier (we can't slide it left/right - relative to the chassis of the car) and the fact that the pinion gear is at a fixed position on the differential housing (we cant slide it left/right - relative to the chassis either). Also, keep in mind that, by definition, a ring and pinion gear setup faces both gears perpendicular to each other.

As you've stated, ratios are determind by the number of teeth on the gears. We can simplify this even further by saying that ratios are determind by the diameters of the gears. So... in order to get a higher ratio on the ring and pinion set, we must decrease the diameter of the pinion gear and/or increase the diameter of the ring gear. But remember that the two gears are facing perpendicular to each other. So if the pinion gear's diameter is decreased in order to get a higher ring gear ratio, but the ring gear's thickness is not increased to compensate for the pinion's smaller diameter, the two gears will no longer be touching each other.

 

[spindlecone]

Makes sense to me

 

[Jefe]

And to remove the carrier - you remove both shafts and then remove the bearring caps right? The entire carrier assembly slides out after that? If this is correct, is it important that the ring gear and carrier is put back in EXACTLY as it was before it came out (ring gear position/rotation, etc...) ? Any other tips?

What's the torque spec on these cap bolts? They look like they're holding down the bearing caps as if it were a matter of life or death!

Yes, those steps are correct. Mark the ring gear and carrier before removing so that it all goes together like before.

Both Ring Gear and Carrier Cap bolts are to be at about 70-85 ft-lbs (though it varies depending on where you look)

 

[IZwack]

The man with a coil-over SAS, 700r4, atlas Tcase, etc... has spoken to me - God i feel like screaming like a little school girl right now. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[Jefe]

The man with a coil-over SAS, 700r4, atlas Tcase, etc... has spoken to me - God i feel like screaming like a little school girl right now. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

You don't have to make a big deal about it every time I respond to a post. LOL

I'm just a normal guy who likes to modify his explorer. There are a lot of them around here. I just happen to have the money and skills to make it happen.

 

[Bronco638]

Jeff,
Are the bearing cap torque specs the same for the IFS D35 front (70-85 lbs./ft.)?

Thanks, Dave.

 

[Jefe]

Are the bearing cap torque specs the same for the IFS D35 front (70-85 lbs./ft.)?

I'm gonna guess it'll be quite a bit less with the aluminum case.

Here's the first thing Google brought up:
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/ring_pinion_setup.htm
You can google a bit more to see if those numbers line up with others.

 

[Bronco638]

Thanks Jeff.

Interestingly, that shows 55 lbs./ft. for the Dana 35 and 60 lbs./ft. for the Ford 8.8.

I think I'm gonna drill those cap bolts and safety wire them, too.

I'll Google some more!

D.