- Joined
- Feb 15, 2022
- Posts
- 1,853
- Reaction score
- 5,639
- Location
- North Central Washington
- First Name
- Dave
- Truck Year
- 1984
- Truck Model
- Scottsdale
- Engine Size
- 305
It's Steve. I'm not calling my truck Steve.
You must be registered for see images attach
Huck's daily - 2005 Z71 crewcab
- Thread starter TotalyHucked
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
Back on this today. Decided to do some learnin' since I've already been down this long, what's another day or so for educational purposeseses?
When we left off, I had .026 worth of shim on the pinion and .2535 RH and .2225 LH carrier shims. I decided to start the day with taking the .0105 shim off the pinon and just run .016. The OE was .036. I figured this would throw things pretty far off...the pattern improved
Ok, so we'll stick with that. But backlash opened up to .013-.014. So I figured I'd move the carrier toward the pinion .005. Couldn't make that happen with the shim choices I have, but I did have a .0075 shim in this stack I could move. So I used that, moved the carrier over .0075. Started with checking backlash before painting/running a pattern.
Most spots where .006-.007. But I did have a section that was .008-.0095 and another that was .004-.005.
Here's the tight section. It's weird cuz it's only 3 teeth, it's .006 on one end and .008 on the other but .004-.005 in between. Thankfully, this is 180* from the .008-.0095 section, so I'm gonna spin the ring gear 180* on the carrier and see where I land. I'm eating lunch now, I'll update later
When we left off, I had .026 worth of shim on the pinion and .2535 RH and .2225 LH carrier shims. I decided to start the day with taking the .0105 shim off the pinon and just run .016. The OE was .036. I figured this would throw things pretty far off...the pattern improved
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
Ok, so we'll stick with that. But backlash opened up to .013-.014. So I figured I'd move the carrier toward the pinion .005. Couldn't make that happen with the shim choices I have, but I did have a .0075 shim in this stack I could move. So I used that, moved the carrier over .0075. Started with checking backlash before painting/running a pattern.
Most spots where .006-.007. But I did have a section that was .008-.0095 and another that was .004-.005.
You must be registered for see images attach
Here's the tight section. It's weird cuz it's only 3 teeth, it's .006 on one end and .008 on the other but .004-.005 in between. Thankfully, this is 180* from the .008-.0095 section, so I'm gonna spin the ring gear 180* on the carrier and see where I land. I'm eating lunch now, I'll update later
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
Lost 1.5hrs shooting the **** when a buddy came by, fiddled with some shims to see if I could cheat rather than flipping the gear. Could not, so lost another hour going into town to Home Depot for a map gas torch and dinner. Got the ring gear off and flipped, waiting for it to cool now
You must be registered for see images attach
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
Well, got it back together again. The ring gear is still 100*+ so I’m taking all of this with a grain of salt and not making any more changes until tomorrow.
The backlash has a smaller range now, .005-.007 but I still have a tight section and a loose section. The good news is, I think (if the BL doesn’t open up once everything is the same temp again), I can just make a ~.003 change to the carrier shims and be pretty good. I sure do hope so anyway. I’m ready to drive this thing again.
The backlash has a smaller range now, .005-.007 but I still have a tight section and a loose section. The good news is, I think (if the BL doesn’t open up once everything is the same temp again), I can just make a ~.003 change to the carrier shims and be pretty good. I sure do hope so anyway. I’m ready to drive this thing again.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
Hokay. So.
Went to the shop again today to play with this some more. Took some backlash measurements before anything else. Backlash was still too tight, .0055 in a couple spots and .006-.007 everywhere else. I’d rather it be a touch loose than a touch tight and risk burning it up.
So I started checking my shim packs and doing some maths. I had moved the carrier toward the pass side .0075 yesterday. I wanted to go back the other way about .003 but no combo of shims would get me there.
So I decided to swap the .0145 pinion shim for a .012. That seems like such a crazy change from the .036 OE shim but it is a drastic gear change after all
It liked that change. Got backlash to .007-.009, checked all around. Decided to paint and see what happens
I’ve been fighting a defined hard line at the bottom/root of the gear. According to that book I bought, that means the pinion is too close. Finally, I have a football shaped pattern. Consulted a few people, unless someone comes up with a compelling reason to make another change, I think I’m calling this done.
Went to the shop again today to play with this some more. Took some backlash measurements before anything else. Backlash was still too tight, .0055 in a couple spots and .006-.007 everywhere else. I’d rather it be a touch loose than a touch tight and risk burning it up.
So I started checking my shim packs and doing some maths. I had moved the carrier toward the pass side .0075 yesterday. I wanted to go back the other way about .003 but no combo of shims would get me there.
So I decided to swap the .0145 pinion shim for a .012. That seems like such a crazy change from the .036 OE shim but it is a drastic gear change after all
You must be registered for see images attach
It liked that change. Got backlash to .007-.009, checked all around. Decided to paint and see what happens
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
I’ve been fighting a defined hard line at the bottom/root of the gear. According to that book I bought, that means the pinion is too close. Finally, I have a football shaped pattern. Consulted a few people, unless someone comes up with a compelling reason to make another change, I think I’m calling this done.
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
So I decided to hold where I was before making any more changes and get some opinions/insight from Spencer and some others that are more experienced than me.
So I moved on to the front end, converting it to 2wd so I can hopefully start breaking the rear in while waiting on tools to redo the front diff. Put the steering back in, pulled the front driveshaft out and pulled the CV axles apart to use the outer stub shaft to hold the front hubs together. Just cut the cage up till it all fell apart
So I moved on to the front end, converting it to 2wd so I can hopefully start breaking the rear in while waiting on tools to redo the front diff. Put the steering back in, pulled the front driveshaft out and pulled the CV axles apart to use the outer stub shaft to hold the front hubs together. Just cut the cage up till it all fell apart
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
Rustisbest
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2021
- Posts
- 266
- Reaction score
- 773
- Location
- Athens, TN
- First Name
- Matt
- Truck Year
- 1979
- Truck Model
- C10
- Engine Size
- 377
I've got a inner and outer set of setup bearings for the front.
If it will help I'll throw in a flat rate box and you can send em back when you're done. I think all the half ton stuff is the same between OBS and NBS.
If it will help I'll throw in a flat rate box and you can send em back when you're done. I think all the half ton stuff is the same between OBS and NBS.
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
I sure do appreciate the offer! I did make a set of setup bearings when I first got started, that is definitely an invaluable set of tools.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2010
- Posts
- 24,854
- Reaction score
- 6,870
- Location
- Southeast PA
- First Name
- Paw Paw
- Truck Year
- 2007
- Truck Model
- Chevrolet Tahoe LT
- Engine Size
- 5.3, 4WD
That shaft should pop out, no reason to cut the cage.
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
Key word there, *should* lol. These are still the originals and they were good and seized
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
So every single person I got their opinion on my setup stated they felt it was a touch shallow, but would run it if I was out of shims. Well, because I'm me and can't leave well enough alone, I touched it lol. Went back a little deeper on the pinion and played with the carrier shims and the pattern got worse. So today I'm gonna split the difference to see what happens and if nothing else, I'll go back to where I left off on Sunday cuz that at least had a nice pattern, even if it was a tad shallow
Sunday's good pattern on the left (.012 pinion shim), yesterday's touched pattern on the right (.028 pinion shim)
Sunday's good pattern on the left (.012 pinion shim), yesterday's touched pattern on the right (.028 pinion shim)
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
Ok, I’m done screwing with the rear axle. Tried 4 more setups today and never could get any better than the one from Sunday. Put the .012 pinion shim back in, reverted back to the carrier shim packs I had. Threw it in, immediately had .007-.009 backlash again and a good pattern. It may be a tad shallow but I don’t know what else to do, so I’m running it
You must be registered for see images attach
TotalyHucked
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2020
- Posts
- 4,082
- Reaction score
- 13,394
- Location
- Auburn, Georgia
- First Name
- Zach
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- Sierra 1500
- Engine Size
- 5.3
Well. Threw it back together and took it for a drive. It has a noise. A worse noise than before 
Not a horrible noise, it’s not hurting itself, but a worse noise than before. FAK. ME.
It’s driveshaft speed, it sounds like loud teeth meshing. It’s not bearing roar, its teeth roar, if that makes sense. It starts about 15mph and is always there. Not under acceleration, but at very light maintenance throttle and throttle tip in. I can make it come and go (somewhat, never really totally goes away) by playing with the throttle. Then there’s a very light hum on decel, I’m not worried about that, my C10 does that.
I drove it around our lot twice with our R&D director. Then roughly 2mi to QT and back, staying 40mph and below. Took temps, it was only about 100-120 everywhere. So it’s not too tight, it would’ve been much hotter (we think) if it were too tight. So I think I’m gonna drive it a little at a time and see if the noise gets better, worse or what.
I don’t get it. Pattern was good (a tad shallow but good), rotational drag on the pinion landed roughly 18in/lbs with the seal, increased to about 26-28in/lbs with the carrier in (I assume that means good carrier pre-load?), BL ended up at .007-.008 all around after I added another .005 shim to the pass side (was .005-.006 before).
The only thing I can think of is maybe the pinion might need to tightened up just a tiny touch? Idk. I need someone to teach me is what I need
Not a horrible noise, it’s not hurting itself, but a worse noise than before. FAK. ME.It’s driveshaft speed, it sounds like loud teeth meshing. It’s not bearing roar, its teeth roar, if that makes sense. It starts about 15mph and is always there. Not under acceleration, but at very light maintenance throttle and throttle tip in. I can make it come and go (somewhat, never really totally goes away) by playing with the throttle. Then there’s a very light hum on decel, I’m not worried about that, my C10 does that.
I drove it around our lot twice with our R&D director. Then roughly 2mi to QT and back, staying 40mph and below. Took temps, it was only about 100-120 everywhere. So it’s not too tight, it would’ve been much hotter (we think) if it were too tight. So I think I’m gonna drive it a little at a time and see if the noise gets better, worse or what.
I don’t get it. Pattern was good (a tad shallow but good), rotational drag on the pinion landed roughly 18in/lbs with the seal, increased to about 26-28in/lbs with the carrier in (I assume that means good carrier pre-load?), BL ended up at .007-.008 all around after I added another .005 shim to the pass side (was .005-.006 before).
The only thing I can think of is maybe the pinion might need to tightened up just a tiny touch? Idk. I need someone to teach me is what I need
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
