Rear End Side Play

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KP

KP

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With all 4 wheels on the ground and the 4-speed out of gear if I try to rotate the driveshaft (yoke) side to side how much play (movment) is normal?
 
Rear end side play and backlash are different measurements but by your description I believe your referring to the ring and pinion backlash. I'm not a rear end guru but I think backlash should be approx .008-.010. So in other words, not much play should be there.

If you are referring to the actual axle side play it's also about .010
 
KSP said:
With all 4 wheels on the ground and the 4-speed out of gear if I try to rotate the driveshaft (yoke) side to side how much play (movment) is normal?
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If your talking side play of the rear pinion yoke? No play should be felt or scene. If you do have play, check the pinion nut to see if it is tight, if so then it's time to rebuild the third member.
 
Guess I do not really mean side play, but rotational movement. If I turn the driveshaft how much or far should it rotate (1/8", 1/4", 3/8") before the wheels start to turn? I know there is always some, just wondered what is normal...
 
KSP said:
Does this also apply to the rotational free play when turning the real wheels?
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If you have the driveshaft locked and lock the opposite tire yes this applies. But you have to make sure the driveshaft and wheel your not testing doesn't move at all or it may look like the one your testing is loose. Hope that makes sense.
 
Maybe I can help. If the back wheels are on the ground and your transmission is in neutral and you rotate the pinion at the yoke you will be able to feel the pinion to crown gear clearance, if you're gentle, but it will be very little almost inperceptable. To correctly measure the gear to gear backlash you really have to have a dial indicator on the gear itself to be able to measure the
.010" (if that's what's called for) clearance or backlash. Trying to measure that same clearance by turning the wheels is impossible because as you turn the tire you will be taking up any clearance in the shaft splines to side gear, the planatary gears (depending on you differential) then the crown and pinion gears. Either method of measuring is not accurate and as we used to say not recordable.

Terry
 
KSP said:
Guess I do not really mean side play, but rotational movement. If I turn the driveshaft how much or far should it rotate (1/8", 1/4", 3/8") before the wheels start to turn? I know there is always some, just wondered what is normal...
Click to expand...

Set the parking brake and turn the drive shaft. Then post how much movement is felt, You'll find out if it is to much within a short while here on FABO.
 
there should ony be .008 to .010 of play between the pinion and ring gear if it is new, up to .025 if they are used ... judging the back lash from the drive shaft is not accurate ... you will need to pull the cover or the chunk to measure it properly
 
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