Topic: Pinion play

[snaggletooth]

This has happened to me several times. What do I do wrong?

I race something we call monsterrace here in Scandinavia and it includes a lot of jumping and quite high speed.
I got 9,5" landcruiser axles on a completely custom build truck.

On several occasions I've been checking my front differential and noticed that I've been able to pull the hole pinionaxle back and forwards in the differential haousing (about 1/8 to 1/4  inch)
I've checked the nut on the flange and it's tight and with the locking intact. I can't tighten it further to make the play go away.
So I've opened the diff and took the carrier out. Nothing was damaged inside so I just re-pressed the outer bearing down on the pinionaxle and put it all back together. It takes about 7 Tons to press the bearing down with the crushsleeve.
Why does this happen?

[H8PVMNT]

I would try to get a solid spacer sleeve to replace the crush sleeve. They don't get tweaked like that.

I'm not totally sure why it happens but I have seen it before.  I think the jumping may contribute .

[jrock]

Is there no play when it goes together fresh? Stupid question, but it sounds like the crush sleeve isn't crushed. Also make sure your races are seated. Other than that, measure your pinions total length before you put it back in, and if the play comes back, remeasure it and compare.

[Rocksurfer]

Crush sleeve eliminator might help, your travel may be too much for your drive shaft and if that's the case it may be compressing too much basically smashing into the pinion and output on the tcase. If that is what it occurring be prepared for the tcase housing to get smashed into pieces too.

[snaggletooth [OP]]

Thanx for the reply's.
No theres been no play in the pinion when it goes together fresh.
I will take my crush sleeve out and compare some lenghts. (crush sleeve with pinion play, new cush sleeve and crsuh sleeve with noe pinion play)

My driveshaft should have space to move in and out correctly. I've been jacking my suspesion all the way up and compressing it all the way down with the driveshaft in place and its got at least 1/2" left both ways.
Hoever; on two occasions the pinion play has been noticed after i snaped a rod end on one of my 4-link bars. This has caused the drivashaft to be pulled apart as the front axle goes out of alignment and at least one of the times the two driveshaft ends was smashed together after they where pulled apart. This would obviously put a lot of force on the pinion.

But at least, if i have wrapped my head around this correctly; This pinion play would occur because of force pushing the pinionshaft into the diffhousing. NOT by pulling it out?

[2manytoys]

As long as your pinion bearing races were fully seated, the only thing it could be is the crush sleeve crushing more. Everything else is solid.

Use a good solid spacer and shims to set your pinion up. Makes it easier to replace seals too.

[snaggletooth [OP]]

Pulled on of the diffs apart today and i think we found the answer.


Obviously it haven't been that badly shaped before or I would have noticed a long time ago.

By the way. Here are some videos of  how we handle our cars here in Scandinavia, to get our parts so badly broken

I'm in the Black Toyota Pickup.
Thanx and take care

[Rocksurfer]

Yeah looks like you've got some serious flex issues going on to have that bend in like that.

[NorCalPR]

Still, if the crush sleeve crushes more, the crush sleeve will essentially "rattle" on the pinion. The preload will still be there on the bearings. The difference is the bearings aren't supported, but you should still have preload.

You're either elongating the pinion, tweaking the third housing, or seating the bearings or their races more. Make sure that your bearings and races are seated FULLY when installing your new bearings.

A solid spacer will help, but if you have the above issues, a solid spacer won't fix it. Also note, I torque to at least 200ft lbs with a solid spacer, and red loctite when I do installs...

-Phill