How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

Jeep-meisters,

I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It seems
to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly as
drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then accelerating.
It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds, such
as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.

If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by hand,
about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft turns
significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that the
P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
shimmed things up right afterward.

I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the other
differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is normal
as viewed from outside.

Any thoughts?

TIA,
Fred W.
remove allspam from address to reply


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Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

Hi Fred,
Every four wheel drive has that "snap" slack in the drive train,
because their out put shafts are not directly connected like two wheel
drive cars, so they may be disconnected and switch into the lower
compound gears of the transfer case.
The rear should feel very much like the front. It is normal to feel
a lot of slop, maybe close to an quarter of an inch at the yoke radius
because you are not only taking up the slack of the ring and pinion
(practically negotiable) but through the clearances of the differential
spider gears and axle splines. I wouldn't worry about it, unless it
started to howl. Check their fluid levels while you're thinking about
it.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

"Fred W." wrote:
>
> Jeep-meisters,
>
> I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It seems
> to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly as
> drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then accelerating.
> It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds, such
> as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
>
> If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by hand,
> about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft turns
> significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that the
> P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> shimmed things up right afterward.
>
> I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the other
> differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is normal
> as viewed from outside.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> TIA,
> Fred W.
> remove allspam from address to reply

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

Hi Fred,
Every four wheel drive has that "snap" slack in the drive train,
because their out put shafts are not directly connected like two wheel
drive cars, so they may be disconnected and switch into the lower
compound gears of the transfer case.
The rear should feel very much like the front. It is normal to feel
a lot of slop, maybe close to an quarter of an inch at the yoke radius
because you are not only taking up the slack of the ring and pinion
(practically negotiable) but through the clearances of the differential
spider gears and axle splines. I wouldn't worry about it, unless it
started to howl. Check their fluid levels while you're thinking about
it.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

"Fred W." wrote:
>
> Jeep-meisters,
>
> I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It seems
> to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly as
> drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then accelerating.
> It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds, such
> as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
>
> If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by hand,
> about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft turns
> significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that the
> P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> shimmed things up right afterward.
>
> I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the other
> differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is normal
> as viewed from outside.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> TIA,
> Fred W.
> remove allspam from address to reply

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

Hi Fred,
Every four wheel drive has that "snap" slack in the drive train,
because their out put shafts are not directly connected like two wheel
drive cars, so they may be disconnected and switch into the lower
compound gears of the transfer case.
The rear should feel very much like the front. It is normal to feel
a lot of slop, maybe close to an quarter of an inch at the yoke radius
because you are not only taking up the slack of the ring and pinion
(practically negotiable) but through the clearances of the differential
spider gears and axle splines. I wouldn't worry about it, unless it
started to howl. Check their fluid levels while you're thinking about
it.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

"Fred W." wrote:
>
> Jeep-meisters,
>
> I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It seems
> to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly as
> drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then accelerating.
> It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds, such
> as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
>
> If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by hand,
> about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft turns
> significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that the
> P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> shimmed things up right afterward.
>
> I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the other
> differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is normal
> as viewed from outside.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> TIA,
> Fred W.
> remove allspam from address to reply

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

The snap you are describing also can come from a broken or weak tranny
or engine mount...

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"Fred W." wrote:
>
> Jeep-meisters,
>
> I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It seems
> to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly as
> drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then accelerating.
> It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds, such
> as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
>
> If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by hand,
> about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft turns
> significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that the
> P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> shimmed things up right afterward.
>
> I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the other
> differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is normal
> as viewed from outside.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> TIA,
> Fred W.
> remove allspam from address to reply
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.538 / Virus Database: 333 - Release Date: 11/10/2003

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

The snap you are describing also can come from a broken or weak tranny
or engine mount...

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"Fred W." wrote:
>
> Jeep-meisters,
>
> I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It seems
> to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly as
> drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then accelerating.
> It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds, such
> as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
>
> If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by hand,
> about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft turns
> significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that the
> P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> shimmed things up right afterward.
>
> I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the other
> differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is normal
> as viewed from outside.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> TIA,
> Fred W.
> remove allspam from address to reply
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.538 / Virus Database: 333 - Release Date: 11/10/2003

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

The snap you are describing also can come from a broken or weak tranny
or engine mount...

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"Fred W." wrote:
>
> Jeep-meisters,
>
> I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It seems
> to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly as
> drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then accelerating.
> It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds, such
> as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
>
> If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by hand,
> about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft turns
> significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that the
> P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> shimmed things up right afterward.
>
> I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the other
> differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is normal
> as viewed from outside.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> TIA,
> Fred W.
> remove allspam from address to reply
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.538 / Virus Database: 333 - Release Date: 11/10/2003

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

Like Bill, my advise is to not worry about it. But, I would have given a
different story.

When you turn the drive shaft, you have to take up all the slop in the
carrier as well as the R&P gears, which should be near nothing, but the slop
in the carrier can be considerable on a relative basis. The rear carrier is
physically larger than the front, and will by virtue of size have more slop.
I wouldn't be alarmed if the slop is in the range of between 1/16th and
1/8th turn.

Add to the slop in the carrier the slop in the tcase, and trans, and you
have a normal condition that you are complaining about.





"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in message
news:3FB29EC1.A2F8EDBE@cox.net...
> Hi Fred,
> Every four wheel drive has that "snap" slack in the drive train,
> because their out put shafts are not directly connected like two wheel
> drive cars, so they may be disconnected and switch into the lower
> compound gears of the transfer case.
> The rear should feel very much like the front. It is normal to feel
> a lot of slop, maybe close to an quarter of an inch at the yoke radius
> because you are not only taking up the slack of the ring and pinion
> (practically negotiable) but through the clearances of the differential
> spider gears and axle splines. I wouldn't worry about it, unless it
> started to howl. Check their fluid levels while you're thinking about
> it.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> "Fred W." wrote:
> >
> > Jeep-meisters,
> >
> > I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It
seems
> > to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly
as
> > drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then
accelerating.
> > It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds,
such
> > as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> > conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
> >
> > If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by
hand,
> > about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft
turns
> > significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that
the
> > P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> > shimmed things up right afterward.
> >
> > I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the
other
> > differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is
normal
> > as viewed from outside.
> >
> > Any thoughts?
> >
> > TIA,
> > Fred W.
> > remove allspam from address to reply

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

Like Bill, my advise is to not worry about it. But, I would have given a
different story.

When you turn the drive shaft, you have to take up all the slop in the
carrier as well as the R&P gears, which should be near nothing, but the slop
in the carrier can be considerable on a relative basis. The rear carrier is
physically larger than the front, and will by virtue of size have more slop.
I wouldn't be alarmed if the slop is in the range of between 1/16th and
1/8th turn.

Add to the slop in the carrier the slop in the tcase, and trans, and you
have a normal condition that you are complaining about.





"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in message
news:3FB29EC1.A2F8EDBE@cox.net...
> Hi Fred,
> Every four wheel drive has that "snap" slack in the drive train,
> because their out put shafts are not directly connected like two wheel
> drive cars, so they may be disconnected and switch into the lower
> compound gears of the transfer case.
> The rear should feel very much like the front. It is normal to feel
> a lot of slop, maybe close to an quarter of an inch at the yoke radius
> because you are not only taking up the slack of the ring and pinion
> (practically negotiable) but through the clearances of the differential
> spider gears and axle splines. I wouldn't worry about it, unless it
> started to howl. Check their fluid levels while you're thinking about
> it.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> "Fred W." wrote:
> >
> > Jeep-meisters,
> >
> > I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It
seems
> > to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly
as
> > drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then
accelerating.
> > It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds,
such
> > as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> > conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
> >
> > If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by
hand,
> > about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft
turns
> > significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that
the
> > P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> > shimmed things up right afterward.
> >
> > I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the
other
> > differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is
normal
> > as viewed from outside.
> >
> > Any thoughts?
> >
> > TIA,
> > Fred W.
> > remove allspam from address to reply

Re: How much "slop" in the driveline is normal?
 

Like Bill, my advise is to not worry about it. But, I would have given a
different story.

When you turn the drive shaft, you have to take up all the slop in the
carrier as well as the R&P gears, which should be near nothing, but the slop
in the carrier can be considerable on a relative basis. The rear carrier is
physically larger than the front, and will by virtue of size have more slop.
I wouldn't be alarmed if the slop is in the range of between 1/16th and
1/8th turn.

Add to the slop in the carrier the slop in the tcase, and trans, and you
have a normal condition that you are complaining about.





"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in message
news:3FB29EC1.A2F8EDBE@cox.net...
> Hi Fred,
> Every four wheel drive has that "snap" slack in the drive train,
> because their out put shafts are not directly connected like two wheel
> drive cars, so they may be disconnected and switch into the lower
> compound gears of the transfer case.
> The rear should feel very much like the front. It is normal to feel
> a lot of slop, maybe close to an quarter of an inch at the yoke radius
> because you are not only taking up the slack of the ring and pinion
> (practically negotiable) but through the clearances of the differential
> spider gears and axle splines. I wouldn't worry about it, unless it
> started to howl. Check their fluid levels while you're thinking about
> it.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> "Fred W." wrote:
> >
> > Jeep-meisters,
> >
> > I bought a '98 TJ Sport, currently lock stock, w/ 54k miles on it. It
seems
> > to me to have too much play in the rear drive line. This is felt mostly
as
> > drive-line snap when running along and decelerating and then
accelerating.
> > It is especially bothersome when running in a low gear at low speeds,
such
> > as when off-roading. It makes it want to buck around under these
> > conditions. Obviously something I want to eliminate.
> >
> > If I put the t-case in neutral and manually rotate the drive shaft by
hand,
> > about how much rotation should I get? On mine, the rear driveshaft
turns
> > significantly more than the front one, which leads me to believe that
the
> > P.O. has messed around in the rearend (ring, pinion, diff, ??) and not
> > shimmed things up right afterward.
> >
> > I have the factory manuals which go into setting the preload and the
other
> > differential shims up, but nowhere does it mention how much lash is
normal
> > as viewed from outside.
> >
> > Any thoughts?
> >
> > TIA,
> > Fred W.
> > remove allspam from address to reply