Play in differential

[YJEric]

How much turn should I get out of the front driveshaft before the front axle turns. 1991 XLT with 3.55 gears (open) I get more than a 1/4 turn on the driveshaft before the axle turns, is this normal? I think I may have damaged my front diff in a rough mountain recovery trip last weekend, I KNOW I spun my auto hubs badly. I dont want to do the manual conversion of the hubs if I need to fix the diff first.

 

[Infragate]

1/4 turn Yeah that is bad, something has let go for sure. When i turn my driveshaft back and forth there is almost no backlash like that. The gears are set with .008" backlash between the pinion and ring so that should help you see what kind of problems you have. Its hard to say what might have let go. You will have to rip it apart and find the surprize waiting for you. Good luck, let us know what it was, i am interested to hear about it.
Dan

 

[YJEric]

Thanks, I thought it was bad

Yeah I didn't think there should be that much play, may account for the horrible clunking noise I get in 4 wheel drive after the trip. On the bright side I did survive a 4.5 rated trail on the recovery trip in a stock explorer (That says something about these trucks) and got home alive. A Kia Sorento and a Chevy pickup did not make it. The Chevy is still out there, no one had the power to pull a full size truck up the 600 yard 30% grade hill with boulders and waterfalls. The Kia sheared a crankshaft bolt! but we drilled and tapped out the crank and put a new bolt in.
Pics from trip: http://community.webshots.com/album/384707099DAoloU

 

[Creager]

quarter inch of play when? you turn the front drive shaft and the axle shafts move?

you should hear a lil *tink* when you initially turn the axle shaft, thats the backlash.

if it were a worn gear set, it would be accompanied by bunches of noise. High pitched signifies a problem with the pinion or pinion bearings. Clattering, low pitched whirring would be the carrier or carrier bearings.

if there isnt a lot of noise with a lot of play then the Spider gears/limited could possibly be worn.

 

[Doug]

If you're not hearing any bad noises your front diff is fine. There is always going to be some play in the driveline, what you're experiencing is normal, my truck is the same way.

 

[YJEric]

More than 1/4"

If you're not hearing any bad noises your front diff is fine. There is always going to be some play in the driveline, what you're experiencing is normal, my truck is the same way.

Actually it's a quarter TURN of the driveshaft or more. The front end makes a horrible clunking noise when in 4 wheel drive, not speed related and random, usually when I am climbing something or the front tires have to do some pulling.

 

[YJEric]

1/4 turn Yeah that is bad, something has let go for sure. When i turn my driveshaft back and forth there is almost no backlash like that. The gears are set with .008" backlash between the pinion and ring so that should help you see what kind of problems you have. Its hard to say what might have let go. You will have to rip it apart and find the surprize waiting for you. Good luck, let us know what it was, i am interested to hear about it.
Dan

I HATE suprises! lol

 

[RangerX]

The front end makes a horrible clunking noise when in 4 wheel drive, not speed related and random, usually when I am climbing something or the front tires have to do some pulling.

This is a very good description of a bad auto hub.

 

[YJEric]

Oh yeah

This is a very good description of a bad auto hub.

I know for sure I spun the auto hubs, but I am more worried about the play in the diff, I was going to order the manual conversion parts for the hubs next week but dont want to spend the money if the diff needs work. Still would not be able to use 4x4 if my diff is shot. Maybe I should not do inspections after wheeling, just freaks me out, is there such a thing as a 4x4condriac? So far one person has said 1/4 turn of driveshaft play is normal and one has said it is bad. I am confused.

 

[Infragate]

Well, i just got out from under my truck, granted i have manual hubs right now and they are unlocked, but i spun my drive shaft, clockwise and counter clockwise and the only play i have between my driveshaft and axle shafts is the backlash setting between the ring and pinion and that is it. So i would say no the play you have in your diff is not good at all. I know what you mean when you say a 1/4 turn, 4/4 being 1 complete driveshaft rotation, or 1 u-joint cap to the next would be 1/4 turn. If that is the case then rip it apart cause it need some attention. When you rotate the driveshaft back and forth slightly, can you hear the tick of the ring and pinion? If so then it is possibly the spiders that have had something happen.
This is what i think has happened but granted, i cannot see your vehicle and can only give my thoughts via descriptions, but i hope that has helped a bit. Good luck with the repair, let us know how it goes.
Dan

 

[YJEric]

Well, i just got out from under my truck, granted i have manual hubs right now and they are unlocked, but i spun my drive shaft, clockwise and counter clockwise and the only play i have between my driveshaft and axle shafts is the backlash setting between the ring and pinion and that is it. So i would say no the play you have in your diff is not good at all. I know what you mean when you say a 1/4 turn, 4/4 being 1 complete driveshaft rotation, or 1 u-joint cap to the next would be 1/4 turn. If that is the case then rip it apart cause it need some attention. When you rotate the driveshaft back and forth slightly, can you hear the tick of the ring and pinion? If so then it is possibly the spiders that have had something happen.
This is what i think has happened but granted, i cannot see your vehicle and can only give my thoughts via descriptions, but i hope that has helped a bit. Good luck with the repair, let us know how it goes.
Dan

Very cool, thank you for getting under your truck and doing that. I will take this as the definitive answer to my question. You are correct I was speaking about a 1 U joint cap rotation or 1/4 of a full turn of the driveshaft. Now if i could just get someone to answer my no voltage thread with the same coherent response I could at least get her back on the road in 2 wheel drive! Did so much damage on that trip I am suprised I got home at all!

 

[Creager]

When your drive in 4wd, what happends?

Does the truck make a loud BANG as the front axle seem to give out for a second? probably every few feet?

if so its a hub,

Or are you getting a Whirring sounds? Low or high pitched whinding noises that kind of sound like a dentist drill?

If so then thats the differential, or u-joints or wheel bearings (but you said its not speed related? definatly HUBS)

a quarter turn of the driveshaft isnt normal. You might have old/worn out front u-joints and bad auto hubs. is the pinion flange turning the same 1/4 turn with the driveshaft?

If your diffy was on its way out it wouldnt make random Bangs (gotta be autohubs), unless its the Spider gears usually, which if thats the case just replace them with a lunchbox locker

 

[YJEric]

Aussie

Ordered my aussie today is that a good "lunchbox" locker? Ordered the manual hub and conversion kit also

 

[Creager]

Ordered my aussie today is that a good "lunchbox" locker? Ordered the manual hub and conversion kit also

ive heard good things about 'em. never had one personally.

 

[Infragate]

Yeah, i have heard good things about em too, but i too have never owned one. I plan on locking the rear when i do the gears but probably not the front as it may be hard to control her in the winter time. I know a few people here that ran em and took them out because of this.

 

[YJEric]

Winter time

Don't have to worry to much about that here in Arizona, Winter just means it drops below 100 degrees F at night lol

 

[billinjah]

i get the load bang from the rear like Creager mentioned, in my 99 v6 explorer could this be a rear hub?

 

[upandover]

Me Too

Hey guys,
I just recentlly got 5.13's install on the dana 35-Installed it with new u-joints on the axles.Put it in gear and same thing from forward to reverse is like 1/4 turn on the driveshaft.
Mad- I take it all apart bring the diff back to the shop, he checks backlash while im watching him - it was good checks the spiders they are good.Tried 2 diff hubs on the drivers side and still get the odd pop when shifting back and forth.
He tells me because there is some play in all of the above mentioned items thats where the play is coming from.
He also said that because it is geared so low the the driveshaft has to turn that much for everything else to catch up??

 

[upandover]

Ttt

 

[Vanquish502]

Sounds like a bearing problem, or someone didn't set the backlash properly. Either way, it's gotta come totally apart.

It could possibly be a wrong bearing on the pinion.