Transfer Box Output - Too Stiff?

LeftFoot · Apr 2, 2017

LT230 is off of the defender. Just replaced center pin and thrust washers in center diff. When turning either the front or rear output flanges they take a little more effort to turn than before the rebuild.
Exactly how should they feel? Spin freely or should have a level of stiffness?

Plus if I turn the front one direction whilst turning the rear the opposite direction they it feels a little notchy. Is this normal?

tottot · Apr 2, 2017

If you are just turning by hand what with new thrust washers and it not in oil I would say it's fine.
The notchy feeling may be the result of some uneven wear but as in every day use both shafts only turn in the same direction [at different speeds when cornering ] it should be ok.

jamesmartin · Apr 2, 2017

LeftFoot said:
LT230 is off of the defender. Just replaced center pin and thrust washers in center diff. When turning either the front or rear output flanges they take a little more effort to turn than before the rebuild.
Exactly how should they feel? Spin freely or should have a level of stiffness?

Plus if I turn the front one direction whilst turning the rear the opposite direction they it feels a little notchy. Is this normal?

if done perfectly they should feel notchy and slightly stiffer than free spinning if that makes sense as it means youve just added a slight preload but it shouldnt be an effort to turn them
thats how a diff is if you turn one out put the other goes in opposite direction same if you jack both rear or front wheels off the ground spinning one will turn the other the opposite way

LeftFoot · Apr 2, 2017

Thanks. My concern is that the effort to turn the flanges is a bit more than how it was previously. Honestly, I will not describe it as tight, but definitely there is a difference. It will not spin with me exerting effort with my hand on the flange.

Holding both flanges and rocking shows that there is some backlash present which is good.
The only things changed were the copper washers and the center pins. Everything else was reused.

Because it is a lot of effort and work to remove the transfer box and access the center diff I would like not to have to remove it again to make any adjustments.

In the event that I am not being paranoid and it is setup too tight are there any repercusions to installing it as is and driving?

jamesmartin · Apr 2, 2017

LeftFoot said:
Thanks. My concern is that the effort to turn the flanges is a bit more than how it was previously. Honestly, I will not describe it as tight, but definitely there is a difference. It will not spin with me exerting effort with my hand on the flange.

Holding both flanges and rocking shows that there is some backlash present which is good.
The only things changed were the copper washers and the center pins. Everything else was reused.

Because it is a lot of effort and work to remove the transfer box and access the center diff I would like not to have to remove it again to make any adjustments.

In the event that I am not being paranoid and it is setup too tight are there any repercusions to installing it as is and driving?

it shouldnt spin freely you should have to feel some resistance , theres a shim behind each sun gear as well as the copper washers on the planet gears the sun gear washers are selectable from a range of different thicknesses the idea been that you set each sun gear in turn so each is making a a good contact with a slight preload ,yours sounds like one sun gear isnt fully up to the planets and the other is perhaps too well,unless you are struggling to turn the flanges without some effort it will be ok

Bennehboy · Apr 2, 2017

Mine was really notchy after last rebuild, not had any issues 20k miles later - just brass coloured oil

jamesmartin · Apr 2, 2017

a well set up center diff is notchy

Brown · Apr 2, 2017

Yes, you'd expect it to feel a bit stiff when turned by hand once you've fitted new components. The notchiness is probably just the gear teeth meshing. After all, the teeth are quite large in relation to the diameter of the gears so you'd be able to feel them as they go round.

LeftFoot · Apr 2, 2017

jamesmartin said:
"yours sounds like one sun gear isnt fully up to the planets and the other is perhaps too well"

Makes sense.
To be honest I remember about a year ago when I started to notice this banging issue in the drivetrain and posted to this forum you had hinted to the center diff being the root cause. Here I am months later...

It is scary how you well you know these machines.
Cheers.

Transfer Box Output - Too Stiff?

LeftFoot

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tottot

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jamesmartin

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LeftFoot

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jamesmartin

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Bennehboy

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jamesmartin

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Brown

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LeftFoot

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