Whining after spider gear and clutch pack replacement

[Brandon.k]

2004 4.0 I6 automatic Dana 44 with limited slip.

I had recently been diagnosing a clicking noise from the rear end of my TJ. While investigating I found that there was a chunk missing from on of the teeth on the spider gears. Also the clutch pack was pretty worn. I read they are only really good for 50k. Will be looking at swapping to the trutrack when I rehear down the road.

The changeout of the gears and clutch packs went well. I soaked the packs in lsd additive over night before the install. I also replaced the axle shafts and bearings along with this work.

I now have a whining coming from the rear when coasting in 2nd gear or so. At least it’s most noticeable then. I don’t have it when the rear end is under load.

So here is my thinking/ questions. So I have the carrier bearings or pinion bearings need changed. They were fine before so I wouldn’t think it’s them. The carrier bearings looked good when I did the spider gears. I did not remove the pinion bearings. With that said I was under the impression that I did not need to mess with preload or meshing. Maybe I missed that when researching the job.

Any direction or advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[OldBuzzard]

Calling @hosejockey61

 

[hosejockey61]

2004 4.0 I6 automatic Dana 44 with limited slip.

I had recently been diagnosing a clicking noise from the rear end of my TJ. While investigating I found that there was a chunk missing from on of the teeth on the spider gears. Also the clutch pack was pretty worn. I read they are only really good for 50k. Will be looking at swapping to the trutrack when I rehear down the road.

The changeout of the gears and clutch packs went well. I soaked the packs in lsd additive over night before the install. I also replaced the axle shafts and bearings along with this work.

I now have a whining coming from the rear when coasting in 2nd gear or so. At least it’s most noticeable then. I don’t have it when the rear end is under load.

So here is my thinking/ questions. So I have the carrier bearings or pinion bearings need changed. They were fine before so I wouldn’t think it’s them. The carrier bearings looked good when I did the spider gears. I did not remove the pinion bearings. With that said I was under the impression that I did not need to mess with preload or meshing. Maybe I missed that when researching the job.

Any direction or advice is greatly appreciated!

If all you did was remove the carrier to replace the clutch pack and nothing else, then no, you should have to adjust anything as far as shims or preload. And that's as long as you got the original shims back into their original location same as when you took them out.

 

[Brandon.k]

If all you did was remove the carrier to replace the clutch pack and nothing else, then no, you should have to adjust anything as far as shims or preload. And that's as long as you got the original shims back into their original location same as when you took them out.

This was my understanding also when I researched the job. Must be a bearing went out. Kinda loss here

 

[macleanflood]

Run a pattern. Easy way to know if it's something there. And check backlash.

Really easy for a shim to fall out. Or something...

-Mac

 

[hosejockey61]

This was my understanding also when I researched the job. Must be a bearing went out. Kinda loss here

It might not have been fully seated. Take it apart and inspect it. Carrier bearings are easy to replace. If the noise is still there, then you may be looking at pinion bearings.

 

[Brandon.k]

Run a pattern. Easy way to know if it's something there. And check backlash.

Really easy for a shim to fall out. Or something...

-Mac

Thank you, looks like I’ll be opening it up again this weekend

 

[Brandon.k]

It might not have been fully seated. Take it apart and inspect it. Carrier bearings are easy to replace. If the noise is still there, then you may be looking at pinion bearings.

I appreciate the input, I’ll definitely do some investigating this weekend

 

[Brandon.k]

@macleanflood , @hosejockey61 Just wanted to update yous guys. I took the diff apart again today. I checked the backlash and didn’t have any. I put in a bigger shim and ran a gear pattern. All seems to be good. Drove about 20 miles and no sounds coming from the rear end. I appreciate the direction with this.

 

[hosejockey61]

@macleanflood , @hosejockey61 Just wanted to update yous guys. I took the diff apart again today. I checked the backlash and didn’t have any. I put in a bigger shim and ran a gear pattern. All seems to be good. Drove about 20 miles and no sounds coming from the rear end. I appreciate the direction with this.

I'm very skeptical about this fixing your issue. What do you mean you put in a bigger shim? Where? What was your backlash at final install?

 

[Brandon.k]

I'm very skeptical about this fixing your issue. What do you mean you put in a bigger shim? Where? What was your backlash at final install?

When I opened it up the two shims on both sides of the carrier were not fully seated. I pushed them in and measured my backlash or at least tried. There was zero movement. I went to the jeep junk yard and got a slightly bigger shim and put it on the right side of the carrier. Left the left side the same size. I then had some movement and measured .011 on the dial.

So maybe it wasn’t so much the bigger shim, but having them actually seated properly? What I was reading and seeing in videos it should have been a bit harder to slide the carrier in and out. That was not the case until the thicker shim. But this seems like the carrier bearings are probably going.

 

[hosejockey61]

When I opened it up the two shims on both sides of the carrier were not fully seated. I pushed them in and measured my backlash or at least tried. There was zero movement. I went to the jeep junk yard and got a slightly bigger shim and put it on the right side of the carrier. Left the left side the same size. I then had some movement and measured .011 on the dial.

So maybe it wasn’t so much the bigger shim, but having them actually seated properly? What I was reading and seeing in videos it should have been a bit harder to slide the carrier in and out. That was not the case until the thicker shim. But this seems like the carrier bearings are probably going.

Keep the old shim. When you replace the bearings you'll probably need it.