1988 PONTIAC FIERO change wheel

FRONT SUSPENSION 3C-1
SEC"T0RI 3C
FRONT SUSPENS
NOTICE: All front suspension fasteners are an important attaching part in that it could affect the
performance of vital parts and systems, and/or could result in major repair expense. They must be replaced with
one of the same part number or with an equivalent part if replacement becomes necessary. Do not use a
replacement part of lesser quality or substitute design. Torque values must be used as specified during reassembly
to assure proper retention of this part.
NOTICE: Never attempt to heat, quench or straighten any front suspension part. Replace it with a new part
or
damage to the part may result.
CONTENTS
General lnformation ....................................................................................................... 3C-I
On-Car Service ................................................................................................................... 3C- I
Specifications ..................................................................................................................... 3C- 10
GENERAL INFORMATION
The front suspension is designed to allow each
wheel to compensate for changes in the road surface ON-CAR SERVICE
level without appreciably affecting the opposite wheel. WHEEL BEARINGS
Each wheel is independently connected to the frame by
The proper functioning of the front suspension
a steering
kunckle, strut assembly, ball joint, and lower cannot be maintained unless the front wheel tapered arm. The steering in a roller bearings are correctly adjusted. The bearings
prescribed three dimensional arc. The front wheels are
must be a slip fit on the spindle and the inside diameter held in proper relationship to each other by two tie rods of the bearings should be lubricated to insure proper which are connected to steering arms on the knuckles ~h~ spindle nut must be a free-running fit and to the relay rod assembly.
on the threads.
Coil chassis springs are mounted between the
spring housings on the front crossmember and the
lower control arms. Ride control is provided by double,
direct acting strut assemblies. The upper portion of
each strut assembly extends through the fender well
and attaches to the upper mount assembly with a nut.
Side roll of the front suspension is controlled by
a spring steel stabilizer shaft. It is mounted in rubber
bushings which are held to the frame side rails by
brackets. The ends of the stabilizer are connected to the
lower control arms by link bolts and are isolated by
rubber grommets.
The inner ends of the lower control arms have
pressed in bushings. Bolts (passing through the
bushings) attach the arm to the suspension
crossmember. The lower ball joint assembly is a press
fit in the arm and attaches to the steering knuckle with
a torque prevailing nut.
Rubber grease seals are provided at ball socket
assemblies to keep dirt and moisture from entering the
joint and damaging bearing surfaces.
Adjustment
Figure 602
NOTICE: See NOTICE on Page 3C-1
of this
section.
1. Remove dust cap from hub.
2. Remove cotter pin from spindle and spindle nut.
3. Tighten the spindle nut to 16 Nsm (12 lb. ft.)
while turning the wheel assembly forward by
hand to fully seat the bearings. This will remove
any grease or burrs which could cause excessive
wheel bearing play later.
4. Back off the nut to the "just loose" position.
5. Hand tighten the spindle nut. Loosen spindle nut
until either hole in the spindle lines up with a slot
in the nut. Not
nlore than 1/2 flat.
6. Install
new cotter pin. Bend the ends of the cotter
pin against nut, cut off extra length to ensure ends
will not interfere with the dust cap.
7. Measure the looseness in the hub assembly. There
will be
from .03 to . l3mm (.001 to .005 inches)
end play when properly adjusted.
8. Install dust cap on hub.
FRONT SUSPENSION
Refer to Fig. 610 for illustration of attachment
provisions for the bolted-on front suspension
suspension
crossmember.

TIRES AND WI4EELS 3E-5
require a spacer between the rear wheel and the cast
iron brake drum.
NOTICE: This spacer is not required on
vehicles equipped with four wheel disc brakes or
cast aluminum brake drums.
Fig. 7A Hole Wheel Nut Tightening Sequence
TlRE MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING
FIG. 8
Use a tire changing machine to mount or dismount
tires. Follow the equipment manufacturer's instructions.
Do not use hand tools or tire irons to change tires as they
may damage the tires bead or wheel rim.
Rim bead seats should be cleaned with a wire
brush or coarse steel wool to remove lubricants, old
rubber, and light rust. Before mounting or dismounting
a tire, the bead area should be well lubricated with an
approved tire lubricant.
After mounting, inflate until beads are seated, but
never exceed 275
kPa (40 psi) to seat the beads.
CAUTION: To avoid serious personal
injury, do not stand over tire when
inflating. Bead may break when bead
snaps over safety hump. Do not
exceed
275 kPa (40 psi) pressure
when inflating
any tire if beads are not
seated. If
275 kPa (40 psi) pressure
will not seat beads, deflate,
relubricate the beads and reinflate.
Overinflation may cause the bead to
break and cause serious personal
injury.
Install valve core and inflate to proper pressure.
Check the locating ring of the tire to be sure it shows
around the rim flanges on both sides.
TIRE REPAIR
There are many different materials and
techniques on the market to repair tires. Tire
manufacturers have published detailed instructions on
how and when to repair their tires. These instructions
can be obtained from the tire manufacturer.
TlRE LOCATING RING
naaaca a= AM
Fig. 8 Tire Locating Ring
Due to the thin 3.2 mm (4/32") tread depth on
temporary spare tires, tire repair is not recommended.
WADDLE
Waddle is side-to-side movement at the front
and/or rear of the car. It can be caused by the steel belt
not being straight within the tire, or by excessive lateral
WHEEL SPACER IS USED
WITH THE
16 x 8 ALUMINUM
WHEEL WITH CAST IRON
BRAKE DRUMS ONLY.
Fig, 7 16 Rear Wheel Spacers

4819 REAR AXLE
bears against the inner race of the front bearing and a
shoulder on the pinion stem. This spacer is used to
enable accurate bearing pre-load adjustment and
maintain a pre-load on both front and rear pinion
bearings, Adjustment of the fore and aft position of the
pinion is obtained by placing a shim between the rear
pinion bearing cup and axle housing. The differential
case is of two-piece construction and is supported in
the carrier by two tapered roller side bearings. Pre-load
rear axle case by inserting shims between the bearings
and the carrier. The rear axle case assembly is
positioned for proper ring gear to pinion backlash by
varying the shim thickness from side to side. The ring
gear is bolted to the case. Two side gears have splined
bores for driving the axle shafts. They are positioned
to turn in counterbored cavities in the case. The four
rear axle pinions have smooth bores and are held in
position by a pinion cross shaft, mounted and locked
in the rear axle case. All six gears are in mesh with each
other and because the pinion gears turn freely on their
shaft, they act as idler gears when the rear wheels are
turning at different speeds. The pinions and side gears
are backed by steel thrust washers.
LIMITED-SLIP REAR AXLE
The operation of the Limited-Slip differential is
the same as the standard differential, except that there
is additional friction provided by the conical clutches.
Under ordinary driving and cornering conditions, the
cones slip, allowing the outside wheel to turn faster
than the inner. Under poor traction conditions, such as
ice, snow, or loose gravel under one driving wheel, the
increased friction provided by the cones increases the
driving torque available to the wheel with the better
traction. The cones are spring loaded to provide the
increased driving torque under extremely low traction
conditions.
Operation
When the vehicle turns a corner, the outer rear
wheel must turn faster than the inner wheel. The inner
wheel, turning slower than the outer wheel, slows its
differential side gear (as the axle shaft is splined to the
side gear) and the differential pinion gears will roll
around the slowed differential side gear, driving the
other differential side gear and wheel faster.
DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING
Many noises reported as coming from the rear
axle assembly actually originate from other sources
such as tires, road surfaces, front wheel bearings, axle
bearing, engine, transmission, muffler or body
drumming. A thorough and careful check should be
made to determine the source of the noise before
disassembling the rear axle. Noise which originates in
other places cannot be corrected by adjustment or
replacement of parts in the differential. It should also
be remembered that rear axle gears, like any other
mechanical device, are not absolutely quiet and should
be accepted as being commercially quiet unless some
abnormal noise is present.
To make a systematic check for axle noise under
standard conditions, observe the following:
1. Select a level smooth asphalt road to reduce tire
noise and body drumming.
2. Check rear axle lubricant to assure correct level,
then drive car far enough to thoroughly warm up
rear axle lubricant, approximately 10 miles.
3. Note speed and RPM at which noise occurs. Stop
car and put transmission in neutral. Run engine
slowly up and down through engine speeds,
corresponding to car speed at which noise was
most pronounced, to determine if it is caused by
exhaust, muffler roar or other engine conditions.
4. Tire noise changes with different road surfaces,
but rear axle noise does not. Temporarily
inflating all tires to approximately 50 pounds
pressure
for test purposes only will materially
alter noise caused by tires, but will not affect noise
caused by rear axle. Rear axle noise usually stops
when coasting at speeds under 30 miles per hour;
however, tire noise continues, but with lower
tone, as car speed is reduced. Rear axle noise
usually changes when comparing acceleration
and coast, but tire noise remains about the same.
Distinguish between tire noise and rear axle noise
by noting if noise varies with various speeds or
sudden acceleration and deceleration; exhaust
and axle noise show variations under these
conditions while tire noise remains constant and
is more pronounced at speeds of 20 to 30 miles
per hour. Further check for tire noise by driving
car over smooth pavements or dirt roads (not
gravel) with tires at normal pressure. If noise is
caused by tires, it will noticeably change or
disappear and reappear with changes in road
surface.
5. Loose or rough front wheel bearings will cause
noise which may be confused with rear axle
noises; however, front wheel bearing noise does
not change when comparing drive and coast.
Light application of brakes while holding car
speed steady will often cause wheel bearing noise
to diminish, as this takes some weight off the
bearing. Front wheel bearings may be easily
checked for noise by jacking up the wheels and
spinning them, also by shaking wheels to
determine if bearings are loose.
6. Rear suspension rubber bushings and spring
insulators dampen out rear axle noise when
correctly installed. Check to see that no metallic
contact exists between the spring and spring seat
opening in frame or between upper and lower
control arm bushings and frame or axle housing
brackets. The track bar and torque arm must be
bolted securely. Metal-to-metal contact at those
points may result in telegraphing road noise and
normal axle noise which would not be
objectionable if dampened by bushings.
AXLE NOISES
After the noise has been determined as being in
the axle by following the above appraisal procedure,
the type of axle noise should be determined to aid in
making repairs if necessary.

481-4 REAR AXLE
Gear Noise
Gear noise (whine) is audible from 20 to 55 mph
under four driving conditions:
1. Light Acceleration - Accelerate slowly.
2. Road Load
- Car
driving load or constant speed.
3. Float - Using enough throttle to keep the car from
driving the engine
- car slows down gradually but
engine still pulls slightly.
4. Coast - Throttle closed and car in gear.
Bearing Noise
Bad bearings generally produce more of a rough
growl or grating sound, rather than the whine typical
of gear noise. Bearing noise frequently "wow-wows" at
bearing rpm, indicating a defective pinion or rear axle
case side bearing. This noise could easily be confused
with rear wheel bearing noise. Inspect and replace as
required.
Rear Wheel Bearing Noise
A rough rear wheel bearing produces a noise
which continues with car coasting at low speed and
transmission in neutral. Noise may diminish some by
gentle braking. With rear wheels jacked up, spin rear
wheels by hand while listening at hubs for evidence of
rough (noisy) wheel bearing.
Knock At Low Speeds
Low speed knock can be caused by worn
universal joints or a side gear hub counterbore in a case
that has worn oversize. Inspect and replace universal
joint or case and side gear as required.
Backlash Clunk
Excessive clunk with acceleration and deceleration
is caused by worn differential pinion gear shaft, excessive
clearance between axle shaft and side gear splines, exces-
sive clearance between side gear hub and counterbore in
case, worn pinion and side gear teeth, worn thrust washers
and excessive drive pinion and ring gear backlash. Re-
move worn parts and replace as required, selecting close
fitting parts when possible. Adjust pinion and ring gear
backlash.
DIAGNOSIS
1. Noise
is the same in "Light Acceleration" or
"Coast".
a. Road noise.
b. Tire noise.
c. Front wheel bearing noise.
d. Rear axle bearing noise.
2. Noise changes on a different type of road.
a. Road noise.
b. Tire noise.
3. Noise tone lowers as car speed is lowered.
a. Tire noise.
b. Front
wheel bearings and rear axle bearings.
c. Gear noise.
4. Similar noise is produced with car standing and
driving. a.
Engine noise.
b. Transmission noise.
c. Exhaust noise.
5. Vibration.
a. Rough rear axle bearing.
b. Unbalanced or damaged propeller shaft.
c. Tire unbalance.
d. Worn universal joint in propeller shaft.
e. Mis-indexed propeller shaft at pinion
flange.
f. Pinion flange runout too great.
6. A knock or click approximately every two
revolutions of the rear wheel.
a. A rear axle bearing.
b. Worn case.
7. Noise most pronounced on turns.
a. Rear axle side gear and pinion noise,
differential gear noise.
b. Axle bearings.
8. A continuous low pitch whirring or scraping
noise starting at relatively low speed.
a. All bearing noise.
9. Drive noise, coast noise or float noise.
a. Ring
and pinion gear noise.
b. Front
pinion bearing noise, coast or drive.
c. Axle bearing noise.
10. Clunk
on
acceleration or deceleration.
a. Worn
rear axle pinion shaft splines.
b. Side
gear hub counterbore in case worn
oversize.
c. Worn U-joints.
d. Excessive transmission backlash.
e. Worn axle shaft splines.
11. Chatter on turns.
a. Wrong
lube in rear axle.
b. Clutch
cone worn or spalled.
12. Clunk
or knock on rough road operation.
a. Worn suspension bushings.
PRE-REPAIR INVESTIGATION AND TROUBLE
DIAGNOSIS
A carefull diagnosis of the rear axle prior to
disassembly will often reveal valuable information as to
the extent and type of repairs or adjustments necessary.
Since frequent causes of axle noises are improper
backlash, pinion bearing pre-load, or side bearing
pre-load, or a combination, a few simple adjustments
may be all that are necessary to correct a problem.
Before disassembling the rear axle, the following
checks should be made with the results recorded and
analyzed: 1) Backlash;
2) Total Assembly Preload; 3)
Tooth Contact Pattern Test; 4) Fluid Level; and 5)
Fluid Contamination.
If axle shaft end play is excessive then check
bearings, retainer, and bolts securing backing plate.
The axle bearings could be worn and need replacement.
The four bolts or nuts securing the brake backing plate
may be loose, stripped, or missing. If the inner bearing
retainer worked loose it must be replaced.
Use care at all times to keep dirt and other foreign
matter, such as grinder dust, soot or sand, away from
differential to prevent possibility of subsequent failure.

REAR AXLE 4Bl-I I
Fig. 11 Installing Wheel Bolt
Loosen parking brake cable adjuster nut and
remove two parking brake cables from adjuster
and body clips.
Shock absorbers from axle.
Track bar from rear axle and body.
Stabilizer bar links from axle and bushings.
Mark propeller shaft and companion flange, then
disconnect and remove propeller shaft.
Brake line junction block bolt at axle housing,
then disconnect brake lines at wheel cylinders.
Brake lines from clips.
Lower rear axle and remove springs.
Torque arm from rear axle.
Lower control arms from rear axle.
Lower hoist and remove rear axle assembly from
vehicle.
Install or Connect
Raise hoist and rear axle assembly.
Lower control arms to rear axle.
Torque arm to rear axle.
Springs and raise rear axle assembly.
Brake lines to clips.
Brake line junction block bolt at axle housing,
then connect brake lines at wheel cylinders or
calipers.
Align drive shaft and pinion flange, then install
drive shaft and connect.
Stabilizer bushings and links to axle.
Track bar to body and rear axle.
Shock absorbers to axle.
Parking brake cables to body clips and cable
adjuster, then tighten parking brake cable
adjuster nut.
Wheels and tighten lug nuts.
Frame supports and lower hoist.
NOTICE: Lubricant level is to the bottom of the
filler plug hole. Use only the specified lubricant.
(Refer to Specifications).
Before attempting any service procedures the
technician must know what type rear axle is to be
serviced. Refer to chart (Rear Axle Codes And
Identification) to identify codes, ring gear size, and ratios.
Remember that all ring gear bolts have
L.H.
threads.
Most rear axle service repairs can be made by
supporting the car by the frame with the axle housing
supported and lowered to its lowest travel. On some
models it may be necessary to disconnect shock
absorbers to obtain additional clearance. When doing
this, do not allow the rear brake hose to become
kinked
or stretched.
Lubricant may be drained by backing out all
cover bolts and breaking cover loose at the bottom.
If the rear axle housing is removed for any reason,
rear axle service can be performed on the bench.
When a new ring gear and pinion is installed, the
owner should be advised not to accelerate rapidly or
exceed 50 mph for the first 50 miles of driving.
It is necessary to perform a service diagnosis
before disassembly of the rear axle. Check all fasteners
with torque wrench for correct torque. Check level and
condition of fluid.
If fluid is contaminated the rear axle
will require disassembly and a complete inspection and
cleaning. The bearing preloads should be checked with
a torque wrench. A dial indicator reading should be
made for run out of ring gear and backlash between
ring and pinion gear. Use specifications from chart
below to perform suggested diagnostic checks. Roll
gears and paint to read out pattern.
DRAIN REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY
1. Loosen cover and pry cover away from carrier.
2. Let axle fluids drain from carrier.
3. Remove cover bolts and cover from carrier.
4. Scrape off gasket and sealer from cover and
carrier.
Remove or Disconnect
Differential Assembly
1. Bearing caps and bolts. Identify bearing caps with
paint. The bearing caps are not interchangeable.
2. The differential assembly is worked out of the
carrier by putting a box wrench on ring gear bolt.
The box wrench contacts back of housing when
companion
tlange is rotated with tool 3-8614-01.
When the differential assembly rotates out of the
carrier from pinion rotation the shims will also
come out. The shims and bearing caps location,
left or right, must be identified for reassembly.
(Fig. 12).
3. Differential assembly from carrier.
Remove or Disconnect
Hypoid Pinion and Pinion Bearings
1. Pinion nut and companion flange from pinion
with companion flange tool 5-8614-01. (Fig. 8).
2. Drive pinion gear through rear of carrier with
soft face hammer.

REAR AXLE 4B-3
Noise which originates in other places cannot be
corrected by adjustment or replacement of parts in the
differential. It should also be remembered that rear
axle gears, like any other mechanical device, are not
absolutely quiet and should be accepted as being
commercially quiet unless some abnormal noise is
present.
To make a systematic check for axle noise under
standard conditions, observe the following:
1. Select a level smooth asphalt road to reduce tire
noise and body drumming.
2. Check rear axle lubricant to assure correct level,
then drive car far enough to thoroughly warm up
rear axle lubricant.
3. Note speed and RPM at which noise occurs. Then
stop car and with automatic transmission in neutral,
run engine slowly up and down through engine speeds, corresponding to car speed at which noise
was most pronounced, to determine if it is caused by
exhaust, muffler roar or other engine conditions.
4. Tire noise changes with different road surfaces,
but rear axle noise does not. Temporarily
inflating all tires to approximately 50 pounds
pressure for
test purposes only will materially
alter noise caused by tires, but will not affect noise
caused by rear axle. Rear axle noise usually stops
when coasting at speeds under 30 miles per hour;
however, tire noise continues, but with lower
tone, as car speed is reduced. Rear axle noise
usually changes when comparing acceleration
and coast, but tire noise remains about the same.
Distinguish between tire noise and rear axle noise
by noting if noise varies with various speeds or
sudden acceleration and deceleration; exhaust
and axle noise show variations under these
conditions while tire noise remains constant and
is more pronounced at speeds of 20 to 30 miles
per hour. Further check for tire noise by driving
car over smooth pavements or dirt roads (not
gravel) with tires at normal pressure. If noise is
caused by tires, it will noticeably change or
disappear and reappear with changes in road
surface.
5. Loose or rough front wheel bearings will cause
noise which may be confused with rear axle
noises; however, front wheel bearing noise does
not change when comparing drive and coast.
Light application of brakes while holding car
speed steady will often cause wheel bearing noise
to diminish, as this takes some weight off the
bearing. Front wheel bearings may be easily
checked for noise by jacking up the wheels and
spinning them, also by shaking wheels to
determine if bearings are loose.
6. Rear suspension rubber bushings and spring
insulators dampen out rear axle noise when
correctly installed. Check to see that no metallic
contact exists between the spring and spring
opening in frame or between upper and lower
control arm bushings and frame or axle housing
brackets.
Metal-to-metal contact at those points
may result in telegraphing road noise and normal axle
noise which would not be objectionable if
dampened by bushings.
AXLE NOISES
Gear Noise
After the noise has been determined as being in
the
axle by following the above appraisal procedure,
the type of axle noise should be determined to aid in
maki~~g repairs if necessary.
Gear noise (whine) is audible from 20 to
55 mph
under four driving conditions:
1. Drive - Acceleration or heavy pull.
2. Road Load - Car driving load or constant speed.
3. Float
- Using
enough throttle to keep the car from
driving the engine
- car slows down gradually but
engine still pulls slightly.
4. Coast
- Throttle closed and car in gear. Gear
noise most frequently has periods where noise is
more prominent, usually 30 to 40 mph and 50 to
55 mph.
Bearing Noise
Bad bearings generally produce more of a rough
growl or grating sound, rather than the whine typical
of gear noise. Bearing noise frequently "wow-wows" at
bearing rpm, indicating a defective pinion or rear axle
case side bearing. This noise could easily be confused
with rear wheel bearing noise. Inspect and replace as
required.
Rear Wheel Bearing Noise
A rough rear wheel bearing produces a noise
which continues with car coasting at low speed and
transmission in neutral. Noise may diminish some by
gentle braking. With rear wheels jacked up, spin rear
wheels by hand while listening at hubs for evidence of
rough (noisy) wheel bearing.
I(noclc At Low Speeds
Low speed knock can be caused by worn
universal joints or a side gear hub counterbore in a case
that has worn oversize. Inspect and replace universal
joint or case and side gear as required.
Baclclash Clunk
Excessive clunk with acceleration and
deceleration is caused by worn differential pinion shaft,
excessive clearance between axle shaft and side gear
splines, excessive clearance between side gear hub and
counterbore in case worn pinion and side gear teeth,
worn thrust washers and excessive drive pinion and
rear gear backlash. Remove worn parts and replace as
required, selecting close fitting parts when possible.
Adjust pinion and ring gear backlash.
REAR AXLE STANDARD AND LIMITED-SLIP
1. Noise is the same in "Drive" or "Coast".
a. Road noise.
b. Tire noise.
c. Front wheel bearing noise.

4B-4 REAR AXLE
d. Incorrect driveline angle.
Noise changes on a different type of road.
a. Road noise.
b. Tire noise.
Noise tone lowers as car speed is lowered.
a. Tire noise.
Similar noise is produced with car standing and
driving.
a. Engine noise.
b. Transmission noise.
Vibration. a. Rough rear wheel bearing.
b. Unbalanced
or damaged propeller shaft.
c. Tire unbalance.
d. Worn
universal joint in propeller shaft.
e. Incorrect driveline angle.
f. Mis-indexed propeller shaft at pinion
flange.
g. Pinion
flange
runout too great.
A knock or click approximately every two
revolutions of the rear wheel.
a. A rear wheel bearing.
Noise most pronounced on turns.
a. Rear
axle side gear and pinion noise.
A continuous low pitch whirring or scraping
noise starting at relatively low speed.
a. Pinion bearing noise.
Drive noise, coast noise or float noise.
a. Ring and
pinion gear noise.
Clunk on acceleration or deceleration.
a. Worn rear
axle pinion shaft in case or side
gear hub counterbore in case worn oversize.
b. Insufficient
lubrication on propeller shaft
slip yoke.
c. Worn U-joints on
propeller shaft. Front or
rear.
Groan in "Forward" or "Reverse".
a. Wrong
or contaminated lube in rear axle.
b. Worn bushings.
Chatter on turns.
a. Wrong
or contaminated lube in rear axle.
b. Clutch
cone worn and/or
spring(s) worn.
Clunk or knock on rough road operation.
a. Excessive end play of axle shafts to
differential cross shaft.
b. Worn bushings.
PRE-REPAIR INVESTIGATION AND TROUBLE
DIAGNOSIS
A careful1 diagnosis of the rear axle prior to
disassembly will often reveal valuable information as to
the extent and type of repairs or adjustments necessary.
Since frequent causes of axle noises are improper
backlash, pinion bearing pre-load, or side bearing
pre-load, or a combination, a few simple adjustments
may be all that are necessary to correct a problem.
Therefore, before removing the rear axle from the
housing, the following checks should be made with the
results recorded and analyzed:
1) Backlash; 2) Total Assembly
Preload; 3) Tooth Contact Pattern Test;
4)
Fluid Level; and 5) Fluid Contamination.
Use care at all times to keep dirt and other foreign
matter, such as grinder dust, soot or sand, away from
differential to prevent possibility of subsequent failure.
The pinion and ring gear must be completely
assembled, installed and all pre-load and backlash
adjustments completed prior to the start of this method
of pinion depth setting. The following procedure can
be used in place of the gage method of pinion depth
setting.
Gear Tooth Nomenclature
The side of the ring gear tooth which curves
outward, or is convex, is referred to as the "drive" side.
The concave side is the "coast" side. The end of the
tooth nearest center of ring gear is referred to as the
"toe" end. The end of the tooth farthest away from the
center is the "heel" end. Toe end of tooth is smaller
than heel end.
It is very important that tooth contact be tested
before the rear axle carrier assembly is disassembled.
Variations in the carrier or pinion rear bearing may
cause the pinion to be too far away from, or close to,
the ring gear. Thus, the tooth contact must be tested
and corrected, if necessary, or the gears may be noisy.
Tooth Contact Pattern Test
1. Wipe oil out of carrier and carefully clean each
tooth of ring gear.
2. Use gear marking compound part number
1052351 or equivalent and apply this mixture
sparingly to all ring gear teeth, using a medium
stiff brush. When properly used, the area of
pinion tooth contact will be visible when hand
load is applied.
3. Tighten bearing cap bolts to 75
N.m (55 lb. ft.).
4. Expand
brake shoes using parking brake cables
until a torque of 54 to
70 N-m (40-50 lb. ft.) is
required to turn the pinion.
A test made without loading the gears will not
give a satisfactory pattern. Turn pinion flange
with wrench so that ring gear rotates one full
revolution, then reverse rotation so that ring gear
rotates one revolution in opposite direction.
5. Observe
pattern on ring gear teeth and compare
with Fig. 3.
Effects of Increasing Load on Teeth Contact
Pattern
When "load" on ring and pinion gear is
increased, such as when car is accelerated forward
from standstill or from normal drive, the tooth contact
will tend to spread out and, under very heavy load, will
extend from near toe to near heel on the drive side. The
entire contact also tends to shift toward heel under
increasingly heavier loads and will become somewhat
broader with respect to tops and bottoms of teeth. The
patterns obtained by this tooth contact pattern test
approximate a light load and, for this reason, they will
extend only about halfway.

REAR AXLE 48-1 7
approached. No further tightening should be
attempted until the pre-load has been checked.
7. Check pre-load by using an inch pound torque
wrench.
NOTICE: After pre-load has been checked, final
tightening should be done very carefully. For
example, if when checking, pre-load was found to
be 0.6
N-m (5 lbs. in.), any additional tightening
of the pinion nut can add many additional pound
inch of torque. Therefore, the pinion nut should be
further tightened only a little at a time and the
pre-load should be checked after each slight
amount of tightening. Exceeding pre-load
specifications will compress the collapsible spacer
too far and require the installation of a new
collapsible spacer.
While observing the preceeding note, carefully set
pre-load at 2.7 to 3.6
N-m (24 to 32 1b.in.) on new
bearings or 1.0 to 1.4
N m (8 to 12 1b.in.) on used
bearings.
8. Rotate pinion several times to assure that
bearings have been seated. Check pre-load again.
If pre-load has been reduced by rotating pinion,
reset pre-load to specifications.
Rear Axle Backlash Adjustment
1. Install rear axle case into carrier, using shims as
determined by the side bearing pre-load
adjustment.
2. Rotate rear axle case several times to seat
bearings, then mount dial indicator. Use a small
button on the indicator stem so that contact can
be made near heel end of tooth. Set dial indicator
so that stem is in line as nearly as possible with
gear rotation perpendicular to tooth angle for
accurate backlash reading.
3. Check backlash at three or four points around
ring gear. Lash must not vary over
.05mm (.002")
around ring gear. Pinion must be held stationary
when checking backlash. If variation is over
.05mm (.002") check for burrs, uneven bolting
conditions or distorted case flange and make
corrections as necessary.
4. Backlash at the point of minimum lash should be
between .13 and
.23mm (.005" and ,009") for all
new gears.
5. If backlash is not within specifications, correct by
increasing thickness of one shim and decreasing
thickness of other shim the same amount. This
will maintain correct rear axle side bearing
pre-load.
For each
.03mm (.001") change in backlash
desired, transfer
.05mm (.002") in shim
thickness. To decrease backlash
.03mm (.00lU),
decrease thickness of right shim .05mm (.002")
and increase thickness of left shim .05mm (.
002 "). To increase backlash .05mm (.002 ")
increase thickness of right shim .10mm (.004")
and decrease thickness of left shim .10mm (.
004"). 6.
When backlash is correctly adjusted, remove both
bearing caps and both shim packs.
Keep packs in their respective position, right or
left side.
Select a shim
.10mm (.004") thicker than the one
removed from the left side, then insert left side
shim pack between the spacer and the left bearing
race. Loosely install bearing cap.
7. Select a shim
.10mm (.004") thicker than the one
removed from right side and insert between the
spacer and the right bearing race. It will be
necessary to drive the right shim into position
(Fig. 614).
8. Torque to 75 Nem (55 1b.ft.).
9. Recheck backlash
and correct if necessary.
10. Install axles (See Rear Axle Installation).
11.
Use sealant 1052366 or cover gasket
only.
Install cover and torque cover bolts to 27
N-m (20 1b.ft.).
12. Fill rear axle to proper level with the specified
lubricant. Refer to specifications.
LIMITED SLIP REAR AXLE (GONE TYPE)
The cone-type limited-slip differential has several
definite operating characteristics. An understanding of
these characteristics is necessary as an aid to diagnosis.
The clutch energizing force comes from the
thrust side of the gears. Consequently, a free spinning
wheel may not have enough resistance to drive torque
to apply the clutch cones. If this occurs, apply the
parking brake a few notches which will provide enough
resistance to energize the clutch cones.
Energizing the clutch cones is independent of
acceleration; therefore, a very slow application of the
throttle on starting is recommended to provide
maximum traction by preventing "break away" of
either rear wheel.
Improper operation is generally indicated by cone
slippage or grabbing. Sometimes this produces a
chatter or whirring sound. However, these sounds do
not always indicate failure as they could be produced
from a lack of proper lubrication. For example, under
certain conditions where one wheel is on
a very slippery
surface and the other on dry pavement, wheel spin can
occur if over acceleration is attempted. Continued
spinning may cause audible noise, such as a whirring
sound, due to the cones lacking sufficient lubricant.
This does not necessarily indicate failure of the unit.
During regular operation (straight ahead driving)
when both wheels rotate at equal speeds, there is an
approximately equal driving force delivered to each
wheel. When cornering, the inside wheel delivers extra
driving force causing slippage in both clutch cones.
Consequently, the operational life of the limited slip
unit is dependent upon equal rotation of both wheels
during straight ahead operation. If wheel rotation for
both rear wheels is not equal during straight ahead
operation, the limited-slip unit will constantly be
functioning as if the vehicle were cornering. This will
impose constant slippage on the clutch cones and will
eventually lead to abnormal wear on the clutch cones.
Therefore, it is important that there be no excessive
differences in the rear wheel tire sizes, air pressures, or