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So they say 14bff with detroit is bomb proof... well...

RootBreaker

RootBreaker

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I don't have any pics yet but yesterday I went and got trim with the truck. on way home I heard what appeared to be the Detroit unspooling. usually it is so loud and shakes the frame. drove home the rest of the way. Backed into the driveway. Truck sat for a bit then I had to go out so took the car but had to move the truck out of the way from in front of the garage door car is in. moved truck over and went out. came back and went in the house. came out of the house and looked at the car and there was a big oil stain but appeared thick. Looked over at the truck and WOW... my 14b ff diff cover has 2 dents and small holes oil is leaking out of..


so didn't open it yet.. .
need help before I do...

1. what could go as there are no spiders. I'm thinking either the Detroit grenaded or ring gear but truck drove, moved without issues...

2. do I have any concerns removing the Detroit? could it be spooled up and unload on me? I don't want to touch it till I know I wont loose any fingers. It is 34F (was 76 yesterday) so I am hoping to just remove diff and look. wont be diving in anymore.
 
Detroits can break but the way the 14 carrier is deigned it's unlikely pieces would get loose unless they're real small. My bet it a bearing failure.

The Detroit does not have a lot of tension on it so it won't bite.
 
I had the bolt that held the bearing tensioner clip fall out once. Made a big bang when it went through the ring gear, it even locked up the tires for a second. It didn't damage the cover, but the Ruffstuff cover is indestructible. lol
 
also the 3rd bearing support on the pinion does like to go bad and then if to far gone will toss the rollers out in the the ring gear .

Detroit is held in the 2 piece carrier with the ring gear bolts clamping it all together . you need a long bolt/nut/2 washers to fit in the shaft hole's but not go past the side gear/splines . then tighten a bit to clamp the Detroit and you can remove ring gear bolts and pull carrier half off and remove Detroit .

also the carrier half's have a arrow cast in to each half were they mate up so the 2 halfs can be matched up when serviced . lots of times there covered in oil sludge build up .
 
I install and remove Detroit without the all-thread helper. The side coil springs are not dangerous. 14 bolt Detroit are bang lockers, they can make loud noises when the teeth slip.


The ring gear bolts also hold the two carrier halves together. The Detroit locker parts are inside the carrier.

20161113_120034.jpg
 
ChrisPerry said:
I had the bolt that held the bearing tensioner clip fall out once. Made a big bang when it went through the ring gear, it even locked up the tires for a second. It didn't damage the cover, but the Ruffstuff cover is indestructible. lol
Click to expand...


well I'm gonna need a cover so ill have to look at that one... However this was able to tell me I had a problem. I would of kept driving if it wasn't for the oil leak. you need a weak point somewhere!!!!




so I'm a bit happy. Found the issue. 38 year old ring gear and Detroit. I put the Detroit in and have never meshed gears. hell I did the front d60 and not sure I did it right. I am going to have to fix this then close eyes and open front d60 and see... I hope this is my issue I have been hearing going down the road...


1978 r&p vs detroit locker by Jeffrey Riggs, on Flickr
 
GreenieK30 said:
Find a good used set of factory 4.56s in the marketplace. GM gears are better then gears made in India. Thick cut ring gear is for 4.88-5.13s on a 3.73-4.10 carrier.


Here you go
https://ck5.com/forums/threads/4-56-ring-and-pinion.328141/
Click to expand...

ok I pmd... waiting to hear back. so you say thick cut ring gear is for 4.88- on up to 4:10 carrier... but I see 4:56 thick cut so that doesn't play well with your formula.. :P

so I don't need thick cut.. gotcha... thanks!
 
Damn. That's some carnage. And yes, still have the gears. :waytogo:
 
Better inspect the diff housing (case) well for cracks,when something gets chowed between the ring & pinion,a lot of force gets put on the housing and could split it open..

There is no such thing as "bomb proof" when it comes to vehicles..
You just need a bigger bomb,thats all..unfortunately even the strongest parts can be broken,sometimes without even trying too hard..
 
RootBreaker said:
ok I pmd... waiting to hear back. so you say thick cut ring gear is for 4.88- on up to 4:10 carrier... but I see 4:56 thick cut so that doesn't play well with your formula.. :P

so I don't need thick cut.. gotcha... thanks!
Click to expand...

yep he missed the 4.56-up is available in thick cut .
 
Yes, thick cut is for low ratios on high speed carriers. I didn't know they made thick 4.56s.
 
diesel4me said:
There is no such thing as "bomb proof" when it comes to vehicles..
You just need a bigger bomb,thats all..unfortunately even the strongest parts can be broken,sometimes without even trying too hard..
Click to expand...

Looks like when he put the carrier in, the backlash was too open causing the pinion to contact the heel too much?
 
I'm no expert on setting up gears--only watched someone else do it a few times...hard to say what happened,but it looks like a "log" from a bearing went through the R &P a few times to me..maybe a tooth chipped off and went through the gears too..:dunno:
 
diesel4me said:
Better inspect the diff housing (case) well for cracks,when something gets chowed between the ring & pinion,a lot of force gets put on the housing and could split it open..

There is no such thing as "bomb proof" when it comes to vehicles..
You just need a bigger bomb,thats all..unfortunately even the strongest parts can be broken,sometimes without even trying too hard..
Click to expand...


ill check but with it sitting there it only had oil coming out of 2 spots on the diff cover where that was cracked...
 
GreenieK30 said:
Looks like when he put the carrier in, the backlash was too open causing the pinion to contact the heel too much?
Click to expand...

knowing me maybe... my father is a mechanic so ill have him over. also will brush up on some videos of 14bolt ff backlash...

diesel4me said:
I'm no expert on setting up gears--only watched someone else do it a few times...hard to say what happened,but it looks like a "log" from a bearing went through the R &P a few times to me..maybe a tooth chipped off and went through the gears too..:dunno:
Click to expand...

i hope so not!!!!! well we wont know until i hurry over the next couple of days and get this trim done... then get that out.

ok going to pay for the gears to get them here... sooner..

thanks for all the help all..


oh and i hope this is also what was making the noise that I thought was transmission!!!!!!
 
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