Please check my gear pattern again... *updated*

[randy88k5]

Ok, well as suggested in the previous post,
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149083
I put the ring back onto the original carrier...and the wierd pattern was still there, just not as noticable. So, I swapped the ring and pinion for the new Spicer set I had already bought. After a day of fighting with preloading, and shimming, and backlash, and pinion depth... I get this.

I dont think the pattern is too bad.
There is a bit of backlash though, about 0.017"
Maybe to deep on the tooth?
What should I do?
Does it look OK?

For those who dont remember, its a Dana 60 with brand new everything (except set up bearing currently) on an ARB locker and 4.56 gears.

 

[79chevyk10]

Much better. Right in the middle like it should be. What is your backlash at. If it is above 0.008", tighten it up a bit to about 0.007" and see if it is more like a squared off patter rather than a moon contact. IMHO

 

[sweetk30]

lookin better but pics still fuzzy. check the camera some have close up option and will make it better.

 

[79chevyk10]

Just read that you are at 17 thou. backlash. That's way to much. Tighten it up to 7 thou. Keep in mind that when you load up the gearset with power the backlash likes to open up if you carrier bearing preload isn't good. Get as much preload as you can and still be able to get it in.

 

[randy88k5]

OK, I got the backlash to about 0.005-0.006". I think I might need to let it out a little more. Anyone agree? Drive side looks a little low...

 

[k5freak44]

thats almost identical to how mine looked, and i havent had one problem yet. i even only broke them in for 300 miles(i think 500 is reccomended). i dont hear any of feel any vibe.

you are good to go.

 

[txfiremank5]

Well it's at least even now. I'm no gear setter myself, but that second set of pics.. you're right, it's too low again. You look to have too much TOE contact, and need to increase your backlash a wee bit. You need to get your contact point as centered as possible.. away from the sides & ends.

 

[daleearnhardt01]

Yeah that drive side just looks a bit too low for me....Id see if I could get it up a bit...

 

[Inu-Hanyou1776]

The first set of pics looked good, and I would have gone with it right then and there, but then again, I've never done any gear setting, only read loads and loads about how to do it. You probably know more than I do, and perfection on this is probably required.

 

[randy88k5]

Ok, backlash is right around 0.007". The preload is tight. I feel this should be pretty good, as its a compromise between the two patterns. Would a thicker/thinner pinion shim correct the pattern? What do you all think?

 

[readymix]

It looks pretty good to me.
I think the pattern is running off of the face a little bit but it is hard to tell in the pics. The pinion might need to be brought in a little bit. Then bring the BL back out to .007-.010 and check again

 

[txfiremank5]

Like I said, I'm no gear setting guru.. but I know what the textbook pattern should look like, and that's still a bit off.



I know I wouldn't settle for anything other than correct. Mostly because I would not want to have to do it again later on down the road, along with buying new gears. I'd spend as long as it takes to get it right once.

 

[79chevyk10]

Okay, if you have not run it yet. Now that you have the backlash set up at 7 thou the pinion depth looks slightly to deep, take a little out and recheck to get the perfect pattern. You are very close. A good pattern is where the strength is at. It looks good enough to run and should not create any noise. Its up to you.

 

[k5freak44]

If you havent already seen this...

I know you are aiming for perfect and I even got as close to the top one as i could, but when randys puts this on their website, dosent it mean any of the "acceptable" patterns will work?

 

[Inu-Hanyou1776]

The 'Acceptable Patterns' mantra applies to only the top two patterns. You do not want to run the other patterns or you'll start shearing teeth in a short time. You really do want to get things as close as you possibly can to the top two pattern where everything is centered.

 

[k5freak44]

I see, when i set mine up, they were not as centerd as i liked but the pattern wasant off the edge of the tooth.

 

[randy88k5]

Thank you all for the concern about getting a perfect pattern. I do want a perfect pattern, as I dont want to be using the d60 for what its worth and blow something up in there. That ARB isnt known for being bulletproof. I dont want to run the risk of severly damaging it. Im gonna try to get the best pattern possible. Who said this would be easy anyway?

Thanks again guys.

BTW, should I add pinion shims or take them out? I thought I should add about 0.005 to the shim pack and adjust for backlash and see what it throws. 79chevyk10, i should remove some? Wont that make the pattern farther down on the tooth?

 

[readymix]

Add the thinnest shim you have to the pinion
Adjust the BL to between .007-.010
Recheck the pattern

 

[txfiremank5]

Heres the "usual and customary" chart... excuse the quality, it's a pic, my scanner died long ago.. and is in a landfill, where it belongs.

 

[79chevyk10]

Thank you all for the concern about getting a perfect pattern. I do want a perfect pattern, as I dont want to be using the d60 for what its worth and blow something up in there. That ARB isnt known for being bulletproof. I dont want to run the risk of severly damaging it. Im gonna try to get the best pattern possible. Who said this would be easy anyway?

Thanks again guys.

BTW, should I add pinion shims or take them out? I thought I should add about 0.005 to the shim pack and adjust for backlash and see what it throws. 79chevyk10, i should remove some? Wont that make the pattern farther down on the tooth?

You are closer to the carrier than the center, the pinion is to deep into the housing getting close to the "toe" egde of the ring gear. Back off on the pinion depth at least one thou (write down what you have in there now) and you should see the patter go to the "heel" side (closer to the outside of the ring gear) then you know you are going the correct way. Then adjust from there to between the two shim thickness's. Did that make sense? How I set up all my gears and my buddies gears is to make large adjustments and fine tune to smaller ones until it is right in the center of the ring gear. BTW I set up all my aftermarket gears to 7 thou backlash with as much carrier bearing preload I can get. It not to uncommon to press the pinion bearing off and on 6 to 7 times to get the correct pinion depth. IMHO

Edit: just to add a comment, it's not always possible to get it right in the center, I've been told that is has to do with housing machining tolerances. If that is the case go the the best pattern you can, and you are very close to that. I might even be tempted to run it as is.