Dif's and preloads

[ntsqd]

The bar type are a far better option for a rarely used tool. The clicker's can go out of calibration and you will have no idea that this has happened. When a bar type is out of calibration it is easy to spot and easy to fix.

 

[wapitichaser]

This definitely not going to end well!!! I have been building diffs for over a decade for rock buggies. You need to get someone to help you who has done this before. Bearings that are too tight, gears that do not have proper backlash, and the right pattern will seize or break really fast (like instantly fast). Get some professional help before you do some serious damage. It will cost a lot more in the long run if it is not setup right. Believe me I have fixed hundreds of diffs that some one thought they knew what they were doing. Some repairs costed 2-3X what a normal install would have costed!! Not trying to burn you, just don't want you to mess up your rig>

Good Luck!!!

 

[dust devil]

Why would one touch the pinion to install an ARB?

Installing an ARB necessarily requires replacing the carrier, since the ARB is, in essence, an entirely new carrier assembly. Installing a new carrier requires dismounting the ring gear. Dismounting the ring gear requires a new ring gear/pinion preload set up. Machining differences can't be accounted for, and you have to assume the new carrier won't be the same as the old one.

Consider an ARB installation as a complete differential overhaul, and set up everything as new, including side load on the bearings, pinion depth, and pinion crush if so equipped.

As a result, ARB installations are generally considered to be something for professionals, and are not in the same league with installing a typical "lunch box" locker which requires only replacing the spyder gears, leaving bearings and ring/pinion relationships intact. Best bet is to take your new assembly to a reputable shop and have the installation verified.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Installing an ARB necessarily requires replacing the carrier, since the ARB is, in essence, an entirely new carrier assembly. Installing a new carrier requires dismounting the ring gear. Dismounting the ring gear requires a new ring gear/pinion preload set up. Machining differences can't be accounted for, and you have to assume the new carrier won't be the same as the old one.

I disagree.

The pinion has two basic installation functions. Preload on the pinion bearings and depth into the housing, aka 'pinion preload' and 'pinion depth'. Neither will change with a carrier swap. If the depth of your carrier changes with respect to your housing and pinion, you have far greater issues as everything should be 100% identical spec otherwise it won't spin true in the housing. You will need to reset the carrier bearing pre-load and ensure you have proper backlash and a clean gear mesh pattern, however the ring depth in the housing simply can't change with a carrier change, everything must be concentric.

In many cases however I do suggest a complete carrier overhaul at the time of install, your 3/4 there labor wise and the additional parts (pinion bearings, pinion seal, pinion nut and crush sleeve) are often less than $50 more than the carrier bearings only (all my references are for a Land Cruiser install). I would agree that the install be performed by a mechanic competent with ring and pinion setup and equally importantly ARB setup as line routing, tapping the housing etc have thrown even otherwise competent mechanics.

 

[I Leak Oil]

Simply changing the carrier will not change the pinion depth. There is no need to do anything to the pinion gear. The axial centerline of the new carrier will be the same as the old carrier. That is deteremined by the carrier bearings and seats. The only thing you would need to adjust is the backlash and carrier bearing preload. A simple carrier change is really no more involved than that....
Jason T.