Posted by Glen
on 4/14/2009, 3:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Rear end play"
98.77.33.231
If you don't change the pinion depth, you can change the bearings without any real problems, although if it is a later car, with a crush spacer to set the pinion preload, it can be a bit of a PITA.
I would inspect the R&P closely & check the mesh pattern before teardown.
Over time the bearings wear slightly, and the preload is lost, things start wiggling around a bit, and the mesh pattern will change slightly.
If your existing pattern is way off, it might be difficult to get an ideal "new" pattern.
If it has a decent pattern, it can most likely be rebuilt, but it can still eat up a lot of time doing a proper overhaul. Gears are not too tolerant of poor setup. They will work, but run hot & make noise, and obviously not last as long as they should 
...
Glen
--Previous Message--
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: If there is excessive play (backlash)
: between the R&P gears, it will be
: making noise (howling) & the gears
: will be trashed.
: Usually the play is in the differential
: unit. It is a result of wear to the
: axle gears/thrust washers, spyder
: gears/thrust washers, shaft, and
: sometimes worn thrust faces in the
: carrier, that result in "lost
: motion" in the power transmission
: between the carrier and the drive
: axles.
: The stub axle splines wear as well.
: If the R&P gears are OK, it's not too
: bad of a job but if it needs a major
: rebuild it can be a real PITA to set up
: correctly.
: You won't know the condition until you
: remove it & do a detailed
: inspection.
: HTH
: Glen
:
: --Previous Message--
: Just wondering how much play in a
: spitfire rear end is too much? I jacked
: the car up and there is play in the
: rear end, that seems more than it
: should be. Also, are the rear ends hard
: to rebuild? I have never done one, but
: have built lots of engines. I certainly
: don't want to spend 1K on a rebuit.
: Thanks in advance.
:
:
:
: Glen, Thanks, So if the R&P is OK, then
: what I think your saying is that the
: bearings etc. can be changed without
: disturbing the R&P? Or am I wrong?
:
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