Is this normal tripot play (video inside)

[v7guy]

I've seen this mentioned over and over but nobody has ever posted up a video. While I was putting the boots back on after the lift tossed them off I noticed the tripot wiggled a good little bit where it enters the front diff/splined disconnect. Seems to wiggle a bit more on the drivers side. Made me wonder if the bearing in there is going bad.
It may be pertinent info that there was a reasonable amount of sludge in the fluid when I drained the front diff in the spring... seemed to be a bit more than what I'm used to seeing in rear diffs I've worked on. But nothing overly alarming. I did have some noise from the front that went away after the fluid change. I'm sitting at about 80,000 miles. Everything works as it should as far as the drivetrain is concearned and I have no obvious signs of anything being wrong.

I'm not real sure how to post a video up so I included the direct link as well as my attempt to imbed. I figure if nothing else people will have an idea of what to look for/what is normal.

Please excuse the first couple seconds, I was getting positioned.

http://vid180.photobucket.com/albums/x2 ... 08_647.mp4

[fishsticks]

Mine does that, quite a bit more severely in fact. I'm not sure if it's 1. Worn bearing 2. Smaller Journal size on aftermarket axles or 3. The fact that the plates in my locker can move slightly.

Whatever it is, nothing's fallen out yet.

[v7guy]

I would suspect all your suspension and drivetrain joints have more play than mine lol. My experience with 4x4s and ifs is pretty limited so I'm kinda just wingin it. I can follow specs and measure stuff but sometimes there's no replacement for experience. Good to know I can can keep my limited attention on other things with the truck.

[bgwolfpack]

That looks like too much play. I would pull it and change out the worn parts.

[v7guy]

uh oh, so which is it?

too much play or looks fine?

[The Roadie]

I think it's too much. 80K miles is overdue (IMHO) for rebuilding the disconnect with proper grease anyway. More expensive internal parts are going to start going bad soon, with functional side effects.

[fishsticks]

I think it's too much. 80K miles is overdue (IMHO) for rebuilding the disconnect with proper grease anyway. More expensive internal parts are going to start going bad soon, with functional side effects.

That vid is of the diff side. There's a couple different things at work there.

[v7guy]

well, now I'm starting to think maybe I should tear down the front next weekend.


does the bearing on that side limit a lot of the wiggle?
the other side has less movement but I can't see tearing one side down without doing the other.

I was planning on taking apart/regreasing the disconnect in the spring, but if I need to get in there now...

[v7guy]

I think it's too much. 80K miles is overdue (IMHO) for rebuilding the disconnect with proper grease anyway. More expensive internal parts are going to start going bad soon, with functional side effects.

That vid is of the diff side. There's a couple different things at work there.

isn't it just a small bearing in there behind the seal? It appears to be the case from the pics in lockright install JonA did... my POS haynes manual doesn't show it and none of the diagrams work since compnine went down. Guess I'm ordering the service manual.

[Trail X]

There is a needle bearing, and an bearing adjuster behind the seal. However, I'm not really sure what adjustments the adjuster makes. I have yet to figure that out.

[fishsticks]

There is a needle bearing, and an bearing adjuster behind the seal. However, I'm not really sure what adjustments the adjuster makes. I have yet to figure that out.

The adjuster adjusts the carrier bearing preload/ring gear backlash. The needle bearing is what the polished journal of the half shaft rides on, similarly to the two bearings on the outer portion of the splined disconnect.

[v7guy]

so that play in the tripot is just slack between the shaft and bearing and whatever slack there is between the splines and diff?

so essentially there should be almost no play at all?

[The Roadie]

Shaft to bearing is the only play in there, and it should be measured in the thousandths of an inch.

[v7guy]

kinda what I figured... don't really feel comfortable with the play at all now.

other than the basic maintenance stuff, fluids/filters, I haven't been under there and really poked around. The lift install may end up saving me some expensive repairs just cause I'm finding stuff before it becomes a big issue. Guess I'm headed over to go pick up some parts this afternoon.

thanks for the input guys, really appreciate it.

[Trail X]

There is a needle bearing, and an bearing adjuster behind the seal. However, I'm not really sure what adjustments the adjuster makes. I have yet to figure that out.

The adjuster adjusts the carrier bearing preload/ring gear backlash. The needle bearing is what the polished journal of the half shaft rides on, similarly to the two bearings on the outer portion of the splined disconnect.

The adjuster somehow pushes on the carrier bearing? I didn't expect that.

Isn't the adjuster and bearing serviced as an SA?

[fishsticks]

The adjuster somehow pushes on the carrier bearing? I didn't expect that.

Isn't the adjuster and bearing serviced as an SA?

There are two adjusters, one on each side. The carrier bearing races fit into the adjusters. Screwing them in-out changes the position of the ring gear relative to the pinion (like shims in the rear). You also tighten the outer one to set the carrier bearing preload. I wish I had taken more pics of my front diff when I had it apart.

[v7guy]

The service manual is on its way.

so I go to pick up the bearings and seals at autozone and apparently there are two sizes a 1.5 and a 1.85 outside diameter... the Timken part numbers are B2010 and HK4012 respectively.

There was also options of "Outer, part number SCH208" and "Pilot, part number SCH78"... these were also Timken bearings but I'm assuming they're for the pinion.

They didn't have any exploded diagrams to show the parts and all the bearings say 2 required so I can't even narrow it down that way. I'm startin to wonder if any of these parts are correct. There was a front diff rebuild kit but I'm not too inclined to get it when I don't know what is in it.

I've read repeatedly the drivers side seal is a dealer only part when I was searching for answers to the bearing sizes, so maybe none of these are right, but there's only three seals in the front diff so maybe somethings changed.

I've been reading more about this and it's starting to look like it's going to end up being a full weekend type of job. I saw a thread where fishsticks mentioned this bearing is part of the preload adjuster and he was able to replace it with the diff outside the vehicle but he wouldn't want to do it otherwise. Maybe my best bet is to get a full front diff rebuild kit and the splined disconnect bearing/seals. Am I barkin up the right tree?

[fishsticks]

I was referring to the driver side carrier bearing with that guy. The outer bearing is on the outside of the adjuster. You -should- be able to just unscrew the adjuster and work on it off the vehicle.

The outer seal is a dealer part.

[v7guy]

I'm teetering between getting a salvaged diff and rebuilding it so I can just install and know it'll be an "easy" part swap or buying the obvious parts and hoping everything works out. GMpartsdirect have some diagrams... but when I use the part numbers from the disconnect rebuild article they are all for the S10s with the vacuume actuated 4wd. It appears the bearing and seal is the same on the passenger and drivers side. I knew the S10 diff was very similar to ours, but are they the same?

I think I'm going to hold off on everything until the service manual gets here cause the only resources I have is some vague threads and the Haynes book that is missing any pertinent info.

If fishsticks has been running around with more play in the assembly than this I don't think another couple weeks will be catastrophic.

[The Roadie]

AAM might have reused bearings and seals from other platforms, but our diff housing is unique. The 7.25" gears are the same as the H3 and other small platforms like the Astro/Safari van.