Went to the track this past Thursday and made a couple of passes. The second had me break traction coming out of the hole resulting in sthi jumping all around till I could get off it. The track and tires were cold so that didn't help, but it got me to thinking: That shuddering rear-end, did that actually cause it?
So, I took it apart today to have a look.
Damnit!
CSI mode ON.
I've photographed things as they came apart to see if I had inadvertently assembled something wrong . . . ..
Removing the diff and setting it on the floor shows I have the Spider-gear shafts properly seated in the proper grooves/notches of the carrier . . . .
I've layed things out showing how I assembled it back then. This is looking at one of the two clutch-pacs . . .. .
Understanding the clutch steels are dished / concaved, I can see where the steels come into contact with the clutch disks. (See red dots) Notice the streaks of wear on the steels, match the neighboring clutch. It's polished the steels, and heated the mating clutch area enough that one can see perhaps heat related damage to the opposite side of the clutches.
The dished steels have cut into the clutches such that it cut rings into the clutch material, on both sides of the clutches, on the inner, or outter diameter, pending which side of the dished steel you're looking at.
You can clearly see the cutting of the clutch material (Green Dot). One can see where the cut-free clutch material is separating from the thing (Red Dot) . . .
So, now I've got this mess floating around in the lube-oil . . .. It's strips of clutch material . . . .
I figure that crap has gotten into the carrier bearings, momentarily jammed them, forcing them to spin the races in the axle-housing . . . . .
Typical of both sides . . .
Typical of both sides . . .
Futher, I figure that same clutch material has gotten in the gears and being abrasive in nature, has scored the gear's teeth . . . . Pinion-gear . . . .
Spider-gears . . . .
- How did the clutch-disks get cut up? I'm wondering if there was not enough preload on the clutch-packs? But then I don't know if such wear is common for dished clutch-pack elements. . . . . ?
What can I do to correct such so as not to have it happen again?
- That free-floating abrasive clutch material getting in the gears, has it caused fatal damage?
Is the differential housing now ruined with the carrier bearing mounts being scored/wallowed out?
Seven of the ten voices in my head are saying I'm screwed, need to look for a new rear axle.
Are the voices wrong?
Crap.