RD31 ARB locker install help (backlash)

[Rickyd]

31's, so it's not "that bad" but I deffinelty have a good relationship with WOT. I'm a broke HS kid so its kinda a run what you brung for now. Eventually I might diesel swap her and maybe fix the 3.07 to 4.10's or steeper.

You didn't answer my question. What was the initial backlash?that is what your monkey fucking a greased football is all about replicating

If you can't get any backlash you need to shim the carrier away from the pinion. If the backlash is too loose you go the other way. Its easy.

 

[Rickyd]

That is correct, "just" swapping the open diff for one of the older style ARB units.

View attachment 401394
but there are no shims on the ring gear side, so IG I am essentially adding preload in the hopes
of taking up bearing slack and finding backlash?

now i understand.can you take a caliper from the ring gear mounting surface to the seat of that sides carrier bearing on both carriers. Something is definitely off

Adding preload won't get you there. Sounds like the ring side carrier bearing is wrong or the locker is wrong. No other solution

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

You didn't answer my question. What was the initial backlash?that is what your monkey fucking a greased football is all about replicating

If you can't get any backlash you need to shim the carrier away from the pinion. If the backlash is too loose you go the other way. Its easy.

measured it a long time ago, but it was 4 thou if I remember correctly (would need to check notes) specs for this carrier is 6-10, but this has always seemed "tight"

now i understand.can you take a caliper from the ring gear mounting surface to the seat of that sides carrier bearing on both carriers. Something is definitely off

Adding preload won't get you there. Sounds like the ring side carrier bearing is wrong or the locker is wrong. No other solution

Im not sure I understand the measurement you are asking for, but I am beginning to get suspicious of the ring gear side carrier bearing being to large, seems like I may have to change it out for something smaller - I wonder if I got a defective bearing.

 

[Rickyd]

measured it a long time ago, but it was 4 thou if I remember correctly (would need to check notes) specs for this carrier is 6-10, but this has always seemed "tight"


Im not sure I understand the measurement you are asking for, but I am beginning to get suspicious of the ring gear side carrier bearing being to large, seems like I may have to change it out for something smaller - I wonder if I got a defective bearing.

Either that or the new carrier is putting the ring gear too far towards the pinion.
I was asking for the measurement from the ring mounting flange to where the bearing seats to see how far off the two carriers are from each other. If the same then its the bearing difference. Bearing and race total thickness between old and new can also be measured

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

Pulled the ring gear side bearing off and it is a LM501349-N no clue what the dash N- is or if it matters, but it is not notably thicker than the other -N bearing that I have in the garage, going to make a run to the parts house to see what they're LM501349 bearing looks like in comparison.

The locker to ring gear mount does seem to be slightly thicker (by about 10thou). The surface of the tool chest is not 100% dead level, but its close and the measurement didn't change when I moved the 2 carriers around on the chest.

(I did take the ring gear back off the locker to measure after this shot)

This shot is also somewhat telling, though it can be fixed with Shims on the drivers side

all that being said I'm at a bit of a loss, evidently the ring gear is to close to the drivers side of the jeep when ins called, I'm going to investigate the ring gear side bearing further, but I am not convinced that is the problem. Additionally all of the bearing "cups" (LM501310's) that I have in the garage measured the same, so I dont think those are the source of any problems.

 

[Rickyd]

Did you measure how high off the table the ring gear mounting surface is? As indicated by the blue lines(kinda,lol)

 

[Blackjack]

Did you measure how high off the table the ring gear mounting surface is? As indicated by the blue lines(kinda,lol)
View attachment 401652

Do not have to measure you can see that is a bit of an issue. Something is not stacking up right.

 

[Rickyd]

Do not have to measure you can see that is a bit of an issue. Something is not stacking up right.

Yep, something is off. A carrier split or bearing thickness issue. Having a number could possibly help select another bearing or locker though?

 

[Daryl]

Did you use LM501349 / LM501310 as required?

 

[Blackjack]

Yep, something is off. A carrier split or bearing thickness issue. Having a number could possibly help select another bearing or locker though?

At first thought would be the bearing races as the normal for a 30 is lm501314 but the OP said he has lm501310 which is correct for the ARB.

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

Did you use LM501349 / LM501310 as required?

Yup, used One of these as depicted in that diagram (item 14) - ARB said to use a normal Dana 30 carrier bearing for the ring gear side though.

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

At first thought would be the bearing races as the normal for a 30 is lm501314 but the OP said he has lm501310 which is correct for the ARB.

Race is the 1314-N for the ring gear side and the 1310 for the locker (100%sure they are not flipped

 

[hosejockey61]

Are the bearings pressed on all the way? Did you put shims underneath the bearings by chance? Trying to guess over a phone screen is tough.

 

[hosejockey61]

Are you 100% POSITIVE that it's a RD31 and not a RD30?

You said you bought it used, does it have a marking on it identifying it? The carrier break adds extra thickness to the ring gear seat to accommodate the numerically higher gears.

 

[Blackjack]

Race is the 1314-N for the ring gear side and the 1310 for the locker (100%sure they are not flipped

I think you need to try a lm501310 on the ring gear side as well.

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

Are the bearings pressed on all the way? Did you put shims underneath the bearings by chance? Trying to guess over a phone screen is tough.

bearings are pressed all the way and there are no shims under them, I pulled the ring gear side bearing off the locker to look at it more, I think I need to try a thinner bearing/ race combo and/or have the locker machined to allow the bearing to seat further (not thrilled with that idea)

 

[hosejockey61]

bearings are pressed all the way and there are no shims under them, I pulled the ring gear side bearing off the locker to look at it more, I think I need to try a thinner bearing/ race combo and/or have the locker machined to allow the bearing to seat further (not thrilled with that idea)

Machine the locker is never the right choice.

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

Are you 100% POSITIVE that it's a RD31 and not a RD30?

You said you bought it used, does it have a marking on it identifying it? The carrier break adds extra thickness to the ring gear seat to accommodate the numerically higher gears.

assuming you mean the race on the locker non ring gear side, its in its own designated bag so its dent get mixed with all the 1314 races that are floating around.

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

I think you need to try a lm501310 on the ring gear side as well.

IG that would make since per Timken documentation for the LM501349 and the LM501310. I am confused that the LM501349-N's shipped with LM501314-N races (BTW does anyone know what the "n" means, cant seem to find anything on it via timken)

^race that came with the LM501349-N's that is running on the ring gear side of the locker.

 

[hosejockey61]

You didn't answer this post...

"Are you 100% POSITIVE that it's a RD31 and not a RD30?

You said you bought it used, does it have a marking on it identifying it? The carrier break adds extra thickness to the ring gear seat to accommodate the numerically higher gears."