How much play in bearing

[fletcher969]

I was wondering how much rotational play is considered acceptable on the rear axle? I've got about 1/2 inch or so I can rotate my rear hub.

Thanks.

 

[06RangerXLT]

soo... uhh what?

are you talking spline wear?

 

[pillen140]

I think he's more of talking about side gear wear. Would make more sense if that's what he's asking


Edit, but then again I have no idea if that's what he's describing.... just a guess

 

[fletcher969]

Sorry...layman here.

I've got my wheel off, and the brake drum off my rear axle. I'm looking at what I thought was the hub...the round disc thing with the lug bolts in it. Given that, if I grab what I just described, and rotate it clockwise and counter clockwise, it moves about 1/2 inch each way if measured where the bolts are (i.e. the bolts rotate 1/2 inch from one stop to the other stop). I'd describe it in degrees of rotation, but I don't have anything to accurately measure it in that way.

Hope that helps.

 

[fletcher969]

Anybody? I was hoping for something so I could address it if need be while I have a day off, but I'll take "better late than never" too.

 

[pillen140]

Idk how much exactly is normal, but it sounds about right... if you're really worried about it, take your diff cover off and check out the gears for wear. Is your rear end making any odd noises or acting funny? If it isn't, you're probably fine.

 

[pillen140]

Actually you're probably describing backlash because your one wheel is in the air.

 

[fletcher969]

Idk how much exactly is normal, but it sounds about right... if you're really worried about it, take your diff cover off and check out the gears for wear. Is your rear end making any odd noises or acting funny? If it isn't, you're probably fine.

I'm not hearing any noises from the rear end...only a "groaning" noise coming from the other side of the firewall somewhere. Sounds exactly like a power steering pump groaning, only it's definitely not that, and I usually only hear it during slower speeds. I was going to start a different thread on that one, but hey...if anybody wants to chime in.

Thanks for the response. I just wanted to know the play I was observing didn't instantly seem like trouble based on my description.

 

[pillen140]

How have you ruled out power steering? Does it do it only when you do something else?

 

[4x4junkie]

Doesn't sound like anything unusual to me either.

If there's not a lot of in-out movement (less than 1/8" or so), and doesn't wiggle up-down & around at all, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[fletcher969]

How have you ruled out power steering? Does it do it only when you do something else?

It's almost a constant sound. I've dismissed it being steering related because it doesn't change at all when I move the steering wheel, or other "steering" stuff, but it does "rev" with the engine RPMs to a point where I hear the engine over it (so I can't be sure if that noise is still there or not). I've not ruled out transmission, but it does it if the transmission is in park or in gear, and from what I've been told, nothing moves in the transmission if it's in park, so I'm assuming the noise isn't transmission related, though I saw something sometime back that the TC could make that noise. Dunno.

Anyway, I was listening to it today from inside the cab, and I think it's belt related, or some component hooked to it. Could it be the alternator? I do know the guy I purchased the truck from just changed the idler pulley, because he was chasing down a squeal. Not sure if they could be related or not, but perhaps.

 

[fletcher969]

Doesn't sound like anything unusual to me either.

If there's not a lot of in-out movement (less than 1/8" or so), and doesn't wiggle up-down & around at all, I wouldn't worry about it.

It doesn't budge if I pull outward on it, and I detected no other "play" aside from what I described, so I guess there's not much to worry about.

thanks!