cyberkill

My backlash is currently 0.009" (which is in the range of 0.005"-0.009"). Are these good patterns? I noticed that, especially the drive side, is pretty light. I can hardly make out a pattern. Does that just mean I need to put more load on the diff as I turn it?

cyberkill

Also, maybe a stupid question, but when everything is good, and I'm ready to close everything up. Do you just simply wipe the gear clean of the marking compound, or do you have to be thorough in cleaning it out? After you do marking compound, the pinion in the back would be all marked up too, wouldn't it?

cyberkill

I put a little more resistance on it, and this is my drive side. It's a little better.
Help! I'm trying to make the tail end of Hot Rod Power Tour, but need to finish this stinking thing...

cyberkill

Ok...I didn't make any shim adjustments, but I had to recalibrate preload just to double check. These patterns are easier to discern though.

The coast side looks like it's perfectly center (between heel & toe), but the drive side seems to be more toward the heel. Does that mean reducing my pinion shim so they could both be toward the toe? Also, I feel like the mark is a little shallow, only by a little bit. Does that mean shimming the carrier closer to the pinion (adding to the driver's side)?

hrcslam

I'm interested in the expert answer to this too.

I'd shim the ring closer to the pinion, but don't go too tight either. If you shim the gear tighter to the pinion and get your backlash closer to 0.007" that should be good.

You could probably get away pinion depth the it as is, but if you could get that pinion deeper into the ring on the drive side to center it up some I'd do it.

But, that's my limited experience advice. Hopefully someone with much more experience will chime in.

LS1-IROC

iTrader: (4)

Looks like it still needs work. You need to put more resistance on the gear mesh to get a clearer pattern. Try sticking an axle shaft in the center section and spin the axle back and forth using the lug studs to hold onto. That usually does the trick for me. Makes a very clear pattern.

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

too much marking compound,when you put it on too heavy/thick,it smears and tends to cover/mask the true pattern.

cyberkill

I tried putting in an axle and had someone try to add resistance as I spun the pinion nut to spin the pinion. The drive looked a little better. Coast didn't change. If I understand correctly, I'm supposed to decrease backlash to get the drive closer to the toe, but I'm already at 0.009". Do I have to adjust pinion too?

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Pinion in/out should change your pattern, carrier left/right changes backlash. I'd tighten it down to 6ish on the backlash and look at it again. A hair thicker pinion shim should get you a little deeper pattern but you're not terribly far off now.

cyberkill

Ok, I added roughly 0.004 to both sides of the carrier to increase preload, but I also increased my pinion shim from 0.032 to 0.040. How do these look?

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Looks like it got a little deeper, what's your backlash?

cyberkill

It's down to 0.006".

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Sounds good to me.

rixsgto

iTrader: (1)

thats a perfectly acceptable pattern..