Excessive slop in spider gears? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Excessive slop in spider gears?

gavin

Explorer Addict
Joined
September 27, 2002
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City, State
Anchorage, Alaska
Year, Model & Trim Level
'97 Explorer XLT AWD 5.0L
Trying to figure this issue out... had some bad vibrations that started getting worse.
Last week or so, got under the truck and rotated the driveshaft at the rear pinion by hand. It seemed to have excessive slop and it seemed to turn a lot more than what should be allowed with 010 backlash.
I figured I screwed something up again when I installed the 4.56 gears, and backlash was way off.
Well tore it apart... without the axles in, everything felt good. I do think the inner pinion bearing was bad, or going bad; at the very least, when I smacked the pinion out the bearing cage was loose enough that half the roller bearings.
So got new bearing installed properly this time, everything is good. Replaced both pinion bearings and races. Checked backlash at 3 spots, and it's at .010 which is within spec. Pinion bearing preload is around 22-23 in-lbs. Gear pattern looks good.
Slid the axles in, but didn't c-clip, and sat the tires on to get some weight.



Best video I could get. Is that anything to be concerned with? It appears that there may be some slop between the 2 sets of spider gears. But maybe that's normal and I'm just paranoid.

Can the (most likely, as they are OEM) toasted LSD clutch packs cause any of these issues?
 



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Only thing I can think to check is to remove the pin and the spider gears and check the clutch plates and look for wear on the small gear shims or the housing itself. From the video it appears that the slop is between the spider gears teeth, if you have enough wear to cause the spider gears to move away from each other the clearance between the teeth becomes greater. Replacing the LSD clutches is what I think it needs

I wouldn't think this is the cause of the vibration you are chasing, hopefully it was that bearing that came apart or maybe a bent or out of balance drive shaft / u joint.
 






Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better. I do know the clutch packs need replaced. 220k'ish miles, I doubt they're doing much.
I know it's not a u-joint or driveshaft. I have 2 shafts and both have new u-joints. Same issue is experienced with each.

Been contemplating between rebuilding the LSD and a selectable locker.
 






Here's a better video that shows my concern.
Obviously the first clunk is the gears meshing.
Second clunk/rough patch is due to slop from the spider gears, it would seem.



Outside of maybe some clunking when switching in to drive, reverse, or between drive and reverse (or vice versa), are there any real concerns?
Could this possibly be the cause of some occasional-to-frequent clunking?
If I burp the gas just right when doing ~40-50, I would occasionally get a clunk.
In some instances when going a certain speed and the right angle on a right-hand turn, I would get a clunk. I have (so far) only experienced this in the parking garage at work.
 






You can see the play in the spider gears. I'm going to agree with JK. Probably the clutch packs have worn too much and created too much gap. Rebuilding the clutch packs will probably correct the issue.
 






You can see the play in the spider gears. I'm going to agree with JK. Probably the clutch packs have worn too much and created too much gap. Rebuilding the clutch packs will probably correct the issue.

3 votes for the same thing.
 






Thanks for the confirmation that it shouldn't be too worrisome.
 












IMP,

Marksville, LA doing a Gear Box.

Now in Miami finishing an overhaul from last year.
 






Trying to figure this issue out... had some bad vibrations that started getting worse.
Last week or so, got under the truck and rotated the driveshaft at the rear pinion by hand. It seemed to have excessive slop and it seemed to turn a lot more than what should be allowed with 010 backlash.
I figured I screwed something up again when I installed the 4.56 gears, and backlash was way off.
Well tore it apart... without the axles in, everything felt good. I do think the inner pinion bearing was bad, or going bad; at the very least, when I smacked the pinion out the bearing cage was loose enough that half the roller bearings.
So got new bearing installed properly this time, everything is good. Replaced both pinion bearings and races. Checked backlash at 3 spots, and it's at .010 which is within spec. Pinion bearing preload is around 22-23 in-lbs. Gear pattern looks good.
Slid the axles in, but didn't c-clip, and sat the tires on to get some weight.



Best video I could get. Is that anything to be concerned with? It appears that there may be some slop between the 2 sets of spider gears. But maybe that's normal and I'm just paranoid.

Can the (most likely, as they are OEM) toasted LSD clutch packs cause any of these issues?

I have the same problem. Was it the spider gears? what exactly did you do to fix it.

Thank you..
 






IMP,

Marksville, LA doing a Gear Box.

Now in Miami finishing an overhaul from last year.
Been so long your daughter is out of college by now? Have a nice holiday with her! imp
 






I have the same problem. Was it the spider gears? what exactly did you do to fix it.

Thank you..

I haven't fixed it! General consensus has been that it's not a huge deal.
 






😱 I thaught they all did that, I'll have to take a video of mine it has like that exact amount of play.
 






😱 I thaught they all did that, I'll have to take a video of mine it has like that exact amount of play.
Most "open" differentials exhibit what is felt as a "lot of play" between the two axle shafts, if one is twisted while holding the other. This comes from clearances "adding up" between axle splines, differential gear splines, and gear tooth clearances between spider and diff gears. I've felt one wheel rotate about 1/8 turn either way while holding the other stationary. Normal clearances.
 






O okay had it up on jackstands a couple weeks ago... I'm like omg not another differential I just put a newer one in and didn't notice that before I installed it everything looked brand new.. Nothing to worry about I suppose but I was thinking about the limited slip being gone...
 






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