Gear pattern check - Dana 35 with 4.10 gears

GCole

GCole

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I'm in the process of re-gearing my Dana 35 with a Revolution 4.10 ring and pinion set. Right now I'm at 0.007" backlash with the carrier bearing caps on finger tight. The rotating torque of the pinion is 14 inch pounds without a crush sleeve installed. The carrier bearing are pressed on, but the pinion is in place with setup bearing and races. This is basically a convertible for our family, so very limited off road (maybe a gravel or dirt road is about all it will ever see). This is where I'm sitting right now, any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Greg

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coast.jpg
 
You are definitely in the ballpark although it might be just a few thou deep. What will REALLY help us is for you to thin out the paint a little with some gear oil and then only put as little paint as possible to cover a few teeth (wipe the other stuff out). Then when rotating for the pattern, hold as much pressure as you can on the ring gear so it will diffuse the paint better which leads to a far more readable pattern.
 
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Yeah it looks like you are in the ballpark but like Hosejockey mentioned you need to thin your paint a touch and you must torque the caps down each time you want to check.
 
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Ok, trying this again, I appreciate your help Mike. Your video has helped tremendously in getting this far

PXL_20230204_190321599.MP.jpg


PXL_20230204_190331300.MP.jpg
 
Blackjack said:
Yeah it looks like you are in the ballpark but like Hosejockey mentioned you need to thin your paint a touch and you must torque the caps down each time you want to check.
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updated photos are now with carrier caps torqued down, thanks Blackjack
 
Take out 5 thou from pinion depth and see what happens. That pattern is about the same as last time.
 
Yes Mike, I didn't make any changes from the first post, just tried to get a better pattern to read for you.

I feel like I'm already pretty close to the top of the tooth, so wouldn't that take me even further up the tooth when I decrease the pinion depth? Just trying to understand the process.

Thanks!
 
Although I just realized that as the bearing caps are now torqued to spec, it tightened my backlash too much and I'm at 0.003" now. So I need to get that back in spec as well now.
 
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GCole said:
Yes Mike, I didn't make any changes from the first post, just tried to get a better pattern to read for you.

I feel like I'm already pretty close to the top of the tooth, so wouldn't that take me even further up the tooth when I decrease the pinion depth? Just trying to understand the process.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
The sharp line at the root indicates you're too deep. By dropping 5 thou I'm hoping it makes you too shallow. Then you will know your shallow/deep points and can fine tune it from there. My guess is you are only off 3 or less thou, but it will give you peace of mind if you know for sure.
 
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GCole said:
Although I just realized that as the bearing caps are now torqued to spec, it tightened my backlash too much and I'm at 0.003" now. So I need to get that back in spec as well now.
Click to expand...

That is why you can not take any shortcuts. As Mike said the pattern is a touch deep so try pulling .005 and get that backlash opened up.
 
GCole said:
Ok, trying this again, I appreciate your help Mike. Your video has helped tremendously in getting this far
Click to expand...

Where is this video you speak of? Apparently me and a friend are learning how to do a re-gear on a dana 35 next week.
 
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Blackjack said:
That is why you can not take any shortcuts. As Mike said the pattern is a touch deep so try pulling .005 and get that backlash opened up.
Click to expand...

no kidding, I thought that I had read or watched somewhere that the caps were supposed to not be torqued until the final assembly, but clearly that makes a difference
 
Ok, last run for the night. Think I'm pretty good but always appreciate the help. Took 0.005" out from behind the pinion, got rotational torque to 14 inch-lbs, backlash is 0.008" (Revolution wants between 0.006" and 0.010") and the carrier caps are torqued down.

PXL_20230205_004633116.MP.jpg


PXL_20230205_004655249.MP.jpg
 
You need to thin your paint and hold more pressure on your ring gear. This is what a pattern should resemble as far as pressure to smear the paint. Looking at what you have there, I would say you are still too deep.

A0CE1D3A-6681-4FEB-96E2-65367E333DCE.jpeg
 
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hosejockey61 said:
You need to thin your paint and hold more pressure on your ring gear. This is what a pattern should resemble as far as pressure to smear the paint. Looking at what you have there, I would say you are still too deep.


Mike is right still too deep. To get pressure on the ring gear I use a small pry bar wedged between the ring gear and the housing.
Click to expand...
 
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GCole said:
Ok, last run for the night. Think I'm pretty good but always appreciate the help. Took 0.005" out from behind the pinion, got rotational torque to 14 inch-lbs, backlash is 0.008" (Revolution wants between 0.006" and 0.010") and the carrier caps are torqued down.

View attachment 397791

View attachment 397792
Click to expand...

Like has been mentioned , you’re definitely going to want to thin down the paint. Once you do that it will be much easier to see what’s actually going on.
 
As far as the pressure, am I applying pressure laterally against the bolt side of the carrier, or am I just trying to put rotational drag on the outer edge of the ring gear in the opposite direction of the way it is turning?

Sorry about the paint, the stuff that came with the Yukon install kit is like mud. I've mixed it with gear oil to thin it out but the consistency must be off. I got some Permatex Prussian Blue that has a much better consistency, but is harder to read on the dark Revolution ring gear. And anything from Amazon looks like it will be at least the middle or end of next week until it gets here. At least the axle isn't on the Jeep and is inside on jackstands where is warm and comfy and I'm not in any rush to get it back on the road.

Appreciate the help everyone, I'll take another run at it tomorrow.

Greg
 
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GCole said:
As far as the pressure, am I applying pressure laterally against the bolt side of the carrier, or am I just trying to put rotational drag on the outer edge of the ring gear in the opposite direction of the way it is turning?

Sorry about the paint, the stuff that came with the Yukon install kit is like mud. I've mixed it with gear oil to thin it out but the consistency must be off. I got some Permatex Prussian Blue that has a much better consistency, but is harder to read on the dark Revolution ring gear. And anything from Amazon looks like it will be at least the middle or end of next week until it gets here. At least the axle isn't on the Jeep and is inside on jackstands where is warm and comfy and I'm not in any rush to get it back on the road.

Appreciate the help everyone, I'll take another run at it tomorrow.

Greg
Click to expand...

Yup , just put on a glove and push on the ring gear while rotating in both directions.
I had to thin mine down quite a bit to get the consistency right. It makes all the difference in the world in reading the pattern.
 
Peppergat said:
Yup , just put on a glove and push on the ring gear while rotating in both directions.
I had to thin mine down quite a bit to get the consistency right. It makes all the difference in the world in reading the pattern.
Click to expand...

what does pushing on the ring gear do here?
 
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