New driveshaft is going in soon and I’m wondering… is this a normal amount of play for the front transfer case output? It only has axial play (in/out). Turn your sound up for the video. Thanks.
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Play in front transfer case output?
You shouldn't really have any. I suggest that you try tightening that nut. The way the yoke butts up against the inner race of the output bearing it is about impossible to overtighten the nut so you are safe to put an impact gun on it.
OP
Thanks for the reply. Looks like your first post, so welcome to the crew. I was gonna ask about the best way to tighten it, but you already answered that. I appreciate it. I'm actually about to order a front driveshaft from y'all because my stock driveshaft is shot. I was getting some significant vibrations at ~60 mph that felt like they were coming from the CV side at the transfer case. After disassembling the stock joints, I discovered the driveshaft is too badly worn at the centering yoke area to rebuild it. I'm concerned after I bolt up a new driveshaft I'll still have vibrations from this play at the front TC output shaft. I have limited experience with this stuff. Thoughts?
Theoretically axial play will not cause any vibration problems with the drive shaft. However, if there is axial play that is an indicator that either the nut is loose or you have a bad output bearing. Either of those things can also result in radial play on the yoke. If the yoke is wobbling around so will the drive shaft and the drive shaft is much heavier. I'd tighten the nut and hope that fixes it. If that doesn't fix it you could just try your luck with the new drive shaft, if it's smooth it's smooth regardless of the play on the yoke. If you have vibrations and the yoke still feels loose you may need to replace the front output bearing, which is going to be whole thing.
OP
Makes sense. I’ll tighten that nut with an impact tomorrow and see if it changes anything. Currently no vibrations at ~60 mph with no front driveshaft installed. I’m hoping it stays that way with a new driveshaft.
The yoke doesn’t wobble at all. No radial play so that’s good. I haven’t looked into the process for changing an output bearing. Hoping I don’t have to. I wanna go wheeling again soon.
I have the same thing going on in NP 231 with 135000 miles on it.
I was always under assumption that there is a gap between output shaft and bearing that caused this play, but no amount of yoke nut tightening had any effect on it. After taking TC apart, i saw that entire bearing is moving in and out inside of the housing. I did not dig any further as i don't have time or replacement parts to deal with this issue at the moment.
However, question is why?
Looking at the diagram, other than a snap ring (24), i don't see any shims to go in between the hosing and the bearing.
It looks like outer race shows signs of spinning, but it don't look like it is spinning to the point of shaving aluminum away from the housing, at least oil never showed signs of that.
A possibility that PO retardation has made its way here and he has forgotten to put snap ring in, that possibility has crossed my mind, but it has been way too leak-free for that to happen. So now i am thinking, it either always has been like this, or something was slowly shaving away for the past 135000 miles.
Best case scenario, a new bearing and snap ring will get rid of this play.
If it does not, hopefully i can find a shim to put in between housing and bearing.
Worst case, there is too much play in the housing. I don't feel any up and down play, but you know how feelings are.
I was always under assumption that there is a gap between output shaft and bearing that caused this play, but no amount of yoke nut tightening had any effect on it. After taking TC apart, i saw that entire bearing is moving in and out inside of the housing. I did not dig any further as i don't have time or replacement parts to deal with this issue at the moment.
However, question is why?
Looking at the diagram, other than a snap ring (24), i don't see any shims to go in between the hosing and the bearing.
It looks like outer race shows signs of spinning, but it don't look like it is spinning to the point of shaving aluminum away from the housing, at least oil never showed signs of that.
A possibility that PO retardation has made its way here and he has forgotten to put snap ring in, that possibility has crossed my mind, but it has been way too leak-free for that to happen. So now i am thinking, it either always has been like this, or something was slowly shaving away for the past 135000 miles.
Best case scenario, a new bearing and snap ring will get rid of this play.
If it does not, hopefully i can find a shim to put in between housing and bearing.
Worst case, there is too much play in the housing. I don't feel any up and down play, but you know how feelings are.
OP
I suspect mine is just like yours although I have not torn it apart to see. I did manage to get the nut slightly tighter with an impact. It made no difference.
I installed the new front driveshaft and have no vibrations up to 70+ mph (haven’t gone much faster than that). FWIW, I have found plenty of previous owner retardation on this rig. Almost every time I work on this thing I’m shaking my head for some reason. If you end up figuring something out please report back to us. Thanks!
That is kind, thank you, i hope i was helpful in any way
Hehe PO horror stories .
I will definitely report back, this in and out play has been sitting on my mind for the past year.