1st post in the axle section - be nice

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Run it.

 

[4x4junkie]

That's a textbook-perfect drive pattern. Your coast pattern looks as if it could be 1-2 thou deep, but it's not even close to enough that it'll be noisy or cause problems when you go to back up (you still have good tooth coverage flank-to-face). You risk ruining your drive pattern trying to mess with it further (slight differences in housing bore tolerances are usually what cause differences like that. Nothing to worry about unless your pattern was like running off the edge or had poor tooth coverage or something).

FWIW, these are the patterns I got on my 8.8 when I did mine... The drive side is what's of primary importance:

 

[-Nathan-]

^nice patterns. Like I said in your other thread, run it man. You did a very good job for your first gear install. Now dont forget to break it in properly.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

^ I agree those are nice and exactly how i wanted mine to turn out, but if you guys say to run what ive got then ill button it back up tonight and get ready for the install and break in. should i install my lockrite before the break in or after or does it even matter? i plan on making the 10min trip up to work to load photos and BS for 30 min till it cools back down and then ill make the 10 mile trip home and let it cool for 30min again.

 

[4x4junkie]

Doesn't matter, you can put the Lock-Right in... May as well do it now while the axle is still apart.

See if maybe you get a better indication on the coast pattern by rotating it via the ring gear, rather than by turning the pinion (use a wrench on a ring gear bolt to turn it). I find the patterns come out much clearer this way. I still think what you have is perfectly fine though.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

^ thats how ive been checking it, with one hand firmly holding the pinion flange while turning the ring gear with a 19mm wrench on the ring bolts. i may have let the pinion slip too much though so ill make sure to check it again after getting my gear set reinstalled again (my motivation has been dwindling lately).

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, you're fine. Button it up already.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

My motivation level was high yesterday so i FINALLY assembled the gear set in the axle and got it almost fully buttoned up. the final numbers ended up being 22 in/lnbs of preload on the pinion bearing (16-28 allowed) and i got .008, .010, and .012 backlash on the 3 points that i checked. my drive pattern looks the same as the test pattern, but the coast pattern seems to have moved closer to the heel of the ring. I started reading the install instructions on the locker but i need brake backing plates before i can install the axle shafts so im at a stand still until i source more parts.

one other thing that i was wondering about is what cross pin i should be using. i have the stock one, the one that came with the lock rite, and one that i got with the gear set from richmond. according to their website http://www.richmondgear.com/07pdfs/RG6.pdf i need to use the notched one (part no. 80-0271-1) with 4.10 gears and up, but ive slid the solid one into the carrier when i was grinding on the teeth and it fits fine? does it maybe have something to do with c-clip installation?

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

one more thing i almost forgot about, when i was applying grease to the lock rite parts it says to reuse the side shims from the spider gears, but mine are really pitted and scarred looking. each of them measure .030" but all i have left is 4 - .010" shims, which would put me at .020" on each side, is that going to be sufficient or should i try to get 2 more .010" shims or just get 2 new .030" shims? ill take a pic of the old ones on lunch so you guys can tell me if im just being too picky/ cautious.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

The pin that came with the lockright should be a hardened solid pin, correct? Run that one. We'll wait so see some pictures of how bad the thrust washers are.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

I had so much stuff to remember to take back to work with me when i went home for lunch that i forgot to take a pic of the washers, but i will get one tonight. ive got a couple side jobs to do tonight including making this 1976 gmc 15 series camper special run again. its not getting fuel so it should be a pretty simple fix?

 

[-Nathan-]

the carrier bearing shims and the side gear shims are not the same, and are not interchangeable. When I built my rearend, I misplaced one sidegear washer, and had to source another. I would find a non-pitted set from another axle, or see if Ford has new ones.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

Thanks for the heads up nathan, i saw that the OD of the carrier shims was larger but the ID was the same so i thought id just replace them.
Heres the pics of the axle shaft - spider gear - sidewashers, the dark spot on the inside of the washers is course almost like mill scale. I think if i use some emery cloth or wet sand paper i can smooth them out?

 

[-Nathan-]

Yeah if a lockright is going in, the drivers arent going to be spinning fast like a set of side gears, I wouldnt hesitate to clean those up and run them, as long as they arent too thin, in which case get some new ones.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

I spent some time with the shims and some wet sand paper and managed to get them smoothed out. The dark spots on the shims appeared to be grease and metal shavings that were packed into the fine scrathes of the shim. Im hoping to have the axle under the truck next weekend and then ill be dropping the trans to replace the leaking slave when i change axle dope at the 500 mile interval.