My "Big Baby" Axle Swap thread

dwcjwerfner

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You have the axle out, you will theoretically be wheeling harder

"friends don't let friends wheel with stock control arm brackets"
 

2Greys

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Last night I put in the pinion and got it to 10 in-lbs. I so prefer shims over crush sleeve. Don't know why anyone would want to use a crush sleeve for. There must be some benefit.
Make sense? I got the shims measured out and will give it a shot next time I have a chance

So yesterday I measured the space that I had with the ARB in without the pinion (0.086) and today I measured with the ARB in (0.053). Taking into account the preload (0.010+0.086-0.055) I get:
RG = 0.053
NRG = 0.043
 

2Greys

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Dwayne,
what shims do you use and where do you get them for under the pinion head? keeping my options open.
 

2Greys

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First run:



I have backlash of 0.007" but I forgot to check 2 or 3 times in other spots which I will have to do.
Forgot numbers in garage and too cold to get them (I definitely need a better pattern grab on the second picture) but it looks like the picture doesn't give a good idea what the depth is
The way I am reading it is the pinion might need to be moved out a bit
 

2Greys

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Yes but their ID is the diameter of the ID of the inner race. The only one that would fit exactly on the pinion shaft (aka 1.375") is the slinger. The rest are too big
 

junkpile

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Are the shims the right size to fit behind the race?
So if I'm reading your post correctly you have only the oil slinger pressed in between the pinion and bearing? It's going to be difficult to reduce your pinion depth if you have no shims to remove.
The first picture of your mesh pattern looks like your pinion is actually not deep enough..... My 2'c
 

2Greys

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witht eh Hp30 the pinion depth shims are found behind the inner bearing cup and in front of the baffle. I have about 70 thou including the baffle. I called Malmberg and they have a bunch laying around I can use instead between the pinion head and inner bearing. I will probably pull all of the shims that are behind the cup and revert to using the pinion head ones instead.

the pictures aren't great as you can't discern the edge of the tooth and the flat portion.need better pictures but I grabbed them quick last night
 

junkpile

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Sorry i read too quickly, i thought you had only the slinger and no shims behind the race. I like the shims behind the race, much easier and faster than pressing the pinion bearing on and off a bunch (personal preference). Less chance of damaging the bearing too.
So you're not going to be using the crush sleeve at all?
 

2Greys

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HP30 doesn't have a crush sleeve it uses shims (so much easier). I have a bearing puller so pulling the bearing is also painless but I have yet to figure out how to pull the inner reace without destroying the baffle
 

junkpile

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Right I forgot all about that! Its been awhile since I've had an Hp30 apart. Another way around the baffle is to just use a shim the same thickness as the baffle until you get the set up right. But if you've already installed the baffle damage is pretty much unavoidable.
 

junkpile

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I have a bare hp30 housing (with knuckles i think), kicking around if you're looking for a spare or for mock up or...
Freebie.
 

2Greys

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I would have taken it when I was starting all of this but don't need it now.
thanks though
 

2Greys

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Attempt number 2:
Outside temperature 15*F (-10*C)
So I dropped the pinion shims by 0.004"
Set the backlash around 0.008-0.009
Here is the pattern I got.






Raise pinion up some more (0.010? More?)? There is a smidge of a gap between the root and the initial contact point on the drive side
Also how tight should the cap bolts be? I have them finger tight. Should I be getting them to torque spec?
 
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dwcjwerfner

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More than finger tight, I always snug them with a 1/2" ratchet, we are talking about thousands of an inch here, it could be bound when only had tight..
 

2Greys

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Thanks Dwayne

so do you think I need to just tighten up the bolts or adjust the pinion shims or both at this point?
 

2Greys

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FUUUUUCCCCKKKK!!!!!!

so I got the pinion back off and removed 10 thou from the pinion depth. don't know what happened but when I put the pinion but back on it got on about half way and all of a sudden got really stiff. tried to take it off and it got even stiffer. by the time I got it off the threads on the pinion but and the last couple threads on the pinion itself were mangled.
I don't think it is salvageable.
:(
 

trixter192

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can you file the thread then hand screw a fitting snug a few times? cross threads can be salvageable.
 

2Greys

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I might try it but its bad. imagine the last 1/4" as basically flat.I think the pinion but got screwed up. not sure how many time you should reuse a pinion but. I did notice the threads were getting sketchy but I thought I could do a couple more.
 
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