Need some gear setup help

[mechted]

Ok, so ive been playing with my D60 gears, and in order to get a good pattern I had to open the backlash up to 0.025!

I know I need to crank that down to 0.004 - 0.009 range, but when I had the backlash at 0.010 the pattern was to still significantly to toe, so I opened up the backlash more to move it to center just to see how far I had to go.

Ive been gradually working the pinion farther and farther in, its now at 0.070 behind the front race and 0.084 preload... Im running out of shims.

Anyone have a good theory on what my next adjustment should be?

 

[readymix]

Post pics and I'll tell ya.

 

[mechted]

Okay, here are pics of Gears as they sit now... with the backlash at the 0.025. Still slightly to toe IMO

 

[readymix]

From the looks of it your pinion is too deep.

On that note.... the pattern is pretty hard to read. Are you applying pressure to the carrier as you turn the pinion?

 

[mechted]

Yeah, its the camera and white gear marker that make it hard to read... had to play with lighting to get it that visible

Thanks for the depth suggestion, will get to work on it again

 

[MaxPF]

I am by no means a gear setup guru, but it sure ain't rocket science and a little research goes a long ways. The first thing I found is that you will seldom get the ideal pattern shown in the basic setup charts. The best method seems to be to set the pinion depth to spec (usually marked on the pinion), set the backlash, and check the pattern. From there, concentrate on getting the pattern approximately centered between the top of the gear and the root while keeping backlash within spec. Once you have done that, you can tweak the BL within it's acceptable range to make some minor improvements on the heel-toe pattern. In general though this is less important than making sure the pinion depth is set properly so the pattern is centered between the top and root. If it is shifted toward the heel or toe a bit it's no big deal. Here's a good writeup on setup from WCD, with more pictures of what's considered acceptable and unacceptable:

http://www.differentials.com/install.html

Frankly, on their list of "Acceptable Contact Patterns" I find the bottom two to be unacceptable. I wouldn't want to see any of the pattern sliding off the heel or the toe, but I might accept 10% or so. The last two on there have half the pattern off the tooth - not good IMO. As far as I am concerned as long as all the actual contact area is on the tooth on both the drive and coast side and the BL is in spec I would ship it. My 14bsf has the pattern a bit toward the toe, but the pattern is perfectly centered between the top and root and the BL is set right in the middle of the spec range, and the gears run cool and quiet.

 

[blazinzuk]

Frankly, on their list of "Acceptable Contact Patterns" I find the bottom two to be unacceptable. I wouldn't want to see any of the pattern sliding off the heel or the toe,

I am not a gear guru but have had two sets of toyota gears set up with this weird pattern like that one slides off the toe and the other slides off the heal. Both of these trucks have 38s and stupid low gears, and are daily drives. No problems at all after at least 8 months on the oldest one. One with a small block.

As far as the problem at hand I think your pinion is way to deep. But once again its kind of hard to tell.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

As far as the problem at hand I think your pinion is way to deep. But once again its kind of hard to tell.

I agree

 

[roadnotca]

Yellow "gear marking paste" would make it easier to pic. If you can't find it, mustard works just as well.

 

[MaxPF]

I am not a gear guru but have had two sets of toyota gears set up with this weird pattern like that one slides off the toe and the other slides off the heal. Both of these trucks have 38s and stupid low gears, and are daily drives. No problems at all after at least 8 months on the oldest one. One with a small block.

As far as the problem at hand I think your pinion is way to deep. But once again its kind of hard to tell.

Hmm, well, if it works, run it