Set up Differential Ring and Pinion Gear

Hello,
at first I would like to apologize for my English.
I had to change differential, ring and pinion gear in rear axle (from volvo 240).
So, I have a questions now.
What should be the value of backlash?
Where can I get washers? Can it be for ordinary washers just the appropriate sizes?
How can I check differential side bearing preload adjustment?
I was looking for an answer everywhere and I have not found.
Is there a tutorial somewhere or useful informaton about my questions?

The ring gear has an etched #on it some where between .005&.008"inch.Bearing preload is set by the shims that are in the unit, when changing the R&P you have to start all over. There are kits that have the shims and parts needed to rebuild the diff.There are shop manuals that detail all of the work. You will need some special tools though. I do a lot of rebuilding differentials, over the years I have made set/ups for bearings/shims etc, for American& European&Asian.

Get a dial indicator and watch Youtube.

Thank you for your answer.
Rear axle from volvo 240 is entire yet. I check backlash and it is about 0,008mm.
Cuold you help me decipher the etched numbers?
On the ring gear is "volvo 6814967 003 41-10 1791 082438". So, 003 is a value of backlash in inch, is that?
On the Eaton G80 Locking Differential is "volvo 92342" under "6843488 P01"
On the pinion gear is "volvo 3549597 P02 41-10 1814" under "95 09 16 950 C 2"
I want to connect r&p from volvo 960 to the volvo 240. Furthermore I bought Eaton G80 instead open differential.
Can i join this ring pinion and locking differential? Ring and pinion gear is looking look the same from 240 and 960. I have my doubts by P01 and P02.
And last question, i had read about the nominal distance from the centerline of the ring gear to the button end of the pinion should be on the button end of each pinion. I don't found. Maybe this is only for other differential? Maybe all original volvo's have this same value?
I know I have to check after this the pinion depth by way of the contact pattern that can be found by the rotation of the pinion against the ring gear and check backlash.

Are both ring and pinions the same type, ie. 1030 or 1031/1041. They're not interchangeable.

Here's a link to the Volvo service handbook.

https://volvo1800pictures.com/document/mish/Volvo%20Rear%20Axle%20%207777944-5.pdf

Without the special tools it's difficult to get the pinion depth setup correct. The marking on the end of the pinion indicates the depth offset from the tool to the end of the pinion with a gauge block. You may get lucky and have the same depth on your new gear but it's unlikely. If you find that your gear has no marking then the depth is .3mm per this TSB.

https://workshop-manuals.com/volvo/940_se/l4-2320cc_2.3l_sohc_turbo_vin_87_b230ft/transmission_and_drivetrain/differential_-_differential_assembly/pinion_gear_differential/component_information/technical_service_bulletins/rear_axle_marking_of_pinion_position/.

There are setup bearings available for the carrier that have been honed to allow a slip fit to make it easier to try different shims but they're expensive. You could probably make them yourself for a lot less. The bearings are relatively cheap (LM501349).

https://www.rustysoffroad.com/dana-30-setup-bearing-kit.html

You can buy an installation kit that comes with bearings and shims but they're usually for 1030 diffs only. 1031's use a different inner pinion bearing and race but everything else is the same. If you have a 1031/1041 you will also need an inner pinion bearing HM89449 and inner pinion race HM89410.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tmk-drk338

Some pinions use a crush sleeve while others use shims to set the bearing preload. This is the updated crush sleeve from Volvo. You could also make a spacer slightly shorter than your old crush sleeve and use shims instead of the new crush sleeve.

https://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts/drive-train/wheel-drive/differential/preload-sleeve-differential-pinion-bearing-rear-axle/1046748/

Thank you so much.
I have rear axle from volvo 240 93' so this is 1031/1041.
Both pinions use a crush sleeve.
I have a problem with availability some parts in my country. I'll put it all on the old parts. I'll only buy a new additional shims and of course sealer. We'll see what happens.
Thank you one more time.

Those crush sleeves can be re- used. Just slide it over your spare pinion and beat it with a hammer until it elongates .002-.003”. Then you can crush it again as if new. It only has to crush enough to achieve the correct turning torque spec for the pinion. The G80 comes in American Chevrolet trucks as well and this trick is something I picked up off of their forums. Worked well for me.

Hello,
I would like to write about my progress.
A torque new bearings pinion is 2-2,2 Nm (17-19 inch-pounds) ( I used shims,not crush sleeve)
A torque new bearings pinion + differetnial is 2,6-2,8 Nm (23-24 inch pounds).
If i if I understood correctly a torque new bearings pinion should be between 9 to 20 inch pounds whereas torque new bearings pinion + differetnial should be twice as large. I wanted to add a shims outside bearing's races differential, but it is impossible. Can it be like this?
The backflash is correct, is about 0,15mm (0,006 inch).

Photo wear pattern
https://ibb.co/F89rScx
https://ibb.co/tzYbQhv
https://ibb.co/FzxfVg4
I think is ok.

And now i have questnion.
https://ibb.co/jGxSwhM
Have I installed the bearing correctly? I just found that i install this the other way round... Do i need to change it?

Pinion bearings get a pre-load measurement, NOT a torque spec.

It is the amount of force required to turn the pinion flange. It isn't very much force.

The pinion nut should be torqued to 185 ft.lbs. The preload on the pinion bearings (the amount of force required to turn the pinion) after torquing the pinion nut should be 21-39 in.lbs. with new bearings and 5-10 in.lbs. with used bearings.

The preload on the carrier bearings is set by adding .003" to the shim stack under each carrier bearing after adjusting the backlash. There is no spec for preload when turning the pinion and carrier. If the carrier is difficult to install, you probably have enough preload.

It's difficult to read the pattern on your gears with machinists dye. I use the yellow paste included in most installation kits. It helps to have some drag or load on the ring gear when checking the pattern to squeeze the paste or dye off of the teeth.

The axle bearing in the pic is upside down. It needs to be flipped over.

Yes, i was writting about preload bearings, not tightening torque.

I flipped over bearings on driveshaft.

https://ibb.co/8cJmdvr
It says a different value here.
Unfortunately, i dont have a torque wrench with so large range, so I tighten the nut "guesstimate". I screw this nut a little more. Now whole rear axle preload is about 4,5 Nm (3.31 ft-lbs / 40 in-lbs) with driveshafts, but this value is a little bigger.
BTW Why you are writting sometimes ft lbs and in lbs? In my country is always Nm.

"If the carrier is difficult to install, you probably have enough preload."
It was so.

Thank you very much everyone.

I'll be in touch in about half a year.
BTW. This rear axle is going to this car. Anybody knows what it is?
https://ibb.co/512SRDh

See you!

Just slam the pinion nut on with a strong gun, counter-holding the pinion flage with your bare hand, and then FEEL the preload. No English or Metric units needed.

Guys what do you think about this pattern? Backlash is ~0.12mm (0.0047").

I have to ask if you put resistance on the ring gear as you rotated the pinion. I ask because the contact pattern seems thin. I like where it is vertically on the tooth, but I don't like that it's already making contact on the toe (inner edge), like the pinion is "running on to" the ring gear. That, coupled with the backlash setting that's on the tighter side, would make me want to open the backlash a thousandth or two.

If you didn't have resistance on the ring gear, I'd do that first and see what it looks like. I use a long prybar against the differential carrier, just to the left of the ring gear.

^ This. It's important to have some drag on the carrier to get a good pattern. You also need to rotate the pinion in both directions to get a pattern on both sides of the gear.

I'm fortunate enough to own one of these.

http://hiperformanceautoservice.com/images/DiffBrake9992597.jpg

Thanks, that attempt was without resistance, so I will try again.

I need to clarify one more thing, when I tightened the pinion nut, I ended up at 70 ft/lb, when the right-ish preload was set. When I tightened it to the right torque (133+ fl/lb), I cant even turn the pinion. So I assume there is something wrong, like the crush sleeve too short?

Yes, you need to add a shim or get a new crush sleeve. Either that or try what was suggested in post #7.

I did that, it has 0,563" and I beat it with a hammer to 0,587", don?t know how long is a new one.

Was this with a new nut? You really need to use a new nut when setting the pinion with nut torque. The nuts are pinched at the top, and setting by pinion nut torque with a used nut will require significantly less torque.
You want to set pinion preload by pinion rotating torque, not nut torque. Use some thread locking compound on the nut so it won’t back off if it’s on the loose end.

So it seem like the crush sleeve was still too short... but back to the problem with tooth pattern, with some resistance and correct backlash, it has heel contact. When I decrease the backlash (according to https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/figure_28-jpg.7529/ ), it?s still not ideal and backlash is too tight, what can be wrong?