Nashville TJ's Build - Continued

[hosejockey61]

Ever have one of those days when you wake up to sunshine, in a great mood, looking forward to life, excited for your next project - and then a GM 14 bolt destroys it all???

Yup. I buttoned it all up this morning and took it out for a test drive. The noise is still there. Exactly as it was before.

View attachment 667635

I wish one of you boys had told me to go ahead and install the new ring and pinion...

Oh, wait...





To double check, I got under there once again with a mechanics stethoscope, and the only place I hear the noise is at the diff. The transfer case is fine. The spindles are fine. Also, since it's crazy easy to do on a sissy 14 bolt, on a whim I pulled the passenger side axle shaft and installed my spare shaft. No difference there either.

So I guess the R&P is my next step. At this point I can't imagine what else it could be.

Did you use new bearings with the carrier or the old bearings? That's my guess.

Adding on, I know you like the backlash tight, but if it's too tight it could be the teeth making some noise. Just a shot in the dark.

You might try posting up your question on FB to the Gear Install Technical Group. Lots of experience and expertise there.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Did you use new bearings with the carrier or the old bearings? That's my guess.

Adding on, I know you like the backlash tight, but if it's too tight it could be the teeth making some noise. Just a shot in the dark.

You might try posting up your question on FB to the Gear Install Technical Group. Lots of experience and expertise there.

New bearings. I thought about the backlash, but I don't think that's it. It's still in spec - which is 3 to 12 - just on the low side. When I set it up last year it was 5 thou, compared to the 4 I did this time. I would think if it were too tight on a good R&P, the noise would be more even, and not pulse perfectly with the rotation of the axle - as if there is a bad spot on the ring gear. But again, I'm just guessing.

When I say the noise is exactly the same - I mean it sounds exactly like it did before swapping the locker. No change at all. I know because I paid so much attention to the noise before. The only thing that is left is either R&P - or the axle housing is bent. And on a trussed 14 bolt that's unlikely, but possible. I'll check it again when I pull it out. There was so much slop in there from the failed bearing journal, I can see it damaging the ring gear. Again, just guessing though.

In all honesty it's not a lot of wasted work. The carrier clearly needed to be addressed, so no wasted effort or expense there. And given how easy it is to pull and reinstall a carrier on the 14 bolt, it really wasn't too bad.

 

[hosejockey61]

New bearings. I thought about the backlash, but I don't think that's it. It's still in spec - which is 3 to 12 - just on the low side. When I set it up last year it was 5 thou, compared to the 4 I did this time. I would think if it were too tight on a good R&P, the noise would be more even, and not pulse perfectly with the rotation of the axle - as if there is a bad spot on the ring gear. But again, I'm just guessing.

When I say the noise is exactly the same - I mean it sounds exactly like it did before swapping the locker. No change at all. I know because I paid so much attention to the noise before. The only thing that is left is either R&P - or the axle housing is bent. And on a trussed 14 bolt that's unlikely, but possible. I'll check it again when I pull it out. There was so much slop in there from the failed bearing journal, I can see it damaging the ring gear. Again, just guessing though.

In all honesty it's not a lot of wasted work. The carrier clearly needed to be addressed, so no wasted effort or expense there. And given how easy it is to pull and reinstall a carrier on the 14 bolt, it really wasn't too bad.

Looks like R&P it is then.