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Play in half shaft splines, what is acceptable?


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Thought I would have a look inside my spare 3.7 axle yesterday, with a view to fitting it in place of the 4.1 my car was built with.

There was about 1/8th turn play on the prop shaft flange and an audible clunk as the play was taken up before anything started happening at the wheels. I assumed it was play in the crown wheel and pinion, but after lifting the lid discovered that there was zero play there, and the diff itself seems remarkably good.

The play is in the splines to the half shafts, about equal both sides. Is this normal or should there be zero play there?. Is spline wear a known problem?.

Ralph

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If the back lash on the pinion to crown wheel is within the factory spec of , I think, 0.004-0.006” limits then look at the sun and planet gear adjustment. Adjust that with suitable shim washers.  If that is then within tolerance but you still have movement then the half shafts to sun gear splines are worn.  New shafts are available not sure about sun gears.  

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51 minutes ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

If the back lash on the pinion to crown wheel is within the factory spec of , I think, 0.004-0.006” limits then look at the sun and planet gear adjustment. Adjust that with suitable shim washers.  If that is then within tolerance but you still have movement then the half shafts to sun gear splines are worn.  New shafts are available not sure about sun gears.  

Everything moves instantly when turning the prop shaft flange with no discernable play, including the sun gears, and there is no evidence of wear on the crown wheel teeth. The diff housing has no trace of black paint, instead it is finished in red oxide, seems to be "factory" as it has been machined off in places, so I am thinking it may have been a replacement axle at some time in the past and had the old half shafts fitted. The splines are definately where the play is. I will pull the half shafts and investigate further.

Ralph

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