LC100 Front Axle Play (a noobs perspective on measuring it)

[wildpaths]

While I was replacing my Center Diff Actuator, I noticed a lot of play in the front drive train. Here was my approach to measuring it. Maybe someone can challenge my observations and deductions.

I rotated the DS wheel (jacked up off the ground) and watched the CV assembly and the front driveshaft spin.

I measured 4 distances:

• Tire rotation until Outer CV Axle began to rotate (play at the hub flange and outer CV spline)
• Tire rotation until Inner CV Axle began to rotate. (play inside the CV assembly)
• Tire rotation until driveshaft began to rotate. (play in inner CV spline and inside front differential)
• Tire rotation until driveshaft stopped (play in the transfer case)

Overall the tire moved over 5 tread inches. That seems like a lot! No wonder she clunks!

Measurements (tread inches / converted to degrees for 295/75 R16 circumference of 105”)

• 1.25” / 4.32 degrees
• negligible / N/A
• 2” / 6.84 degrees
• 2” / 6.84 degrees

For reference the outer CV shaft has 30 splines, so one spline is 12 degrees. My total play is 18 degrees.

I think this is enough to say I need new hub flanges and I should replace the CV axles. Anything else I should do while I am in there? I assume wheel bearings, at least, and the seals between the diff and CVs.

But what do the measurements say about the health of the front differential? Or about the health of the Transfer case?

I did a visual check of the movement of the front driveshaft at the output from the Transfer case, and it appeared to have 30 degrees of free rotation.

I don’t really want to start replacing transfer cases and front differentials, but I will do it if its needed. I just want to know if any of this information indicates anything likely to fail.


My rig is a 2001 LC100 with 227k miles.

Records of previous owner front end work:

124k: CV axles rebuilt

192k: New outer tie rods, new inner tie rods, new SPC upper control arms, replaced wheel bearings, new aftermarket Left CV Axle assembly (guessing from $150 parts price)

 

[cjmoon]

Pop the dust covers off.
My hub and axle were toast and had similar play and clunking going on. They’re about to strip out.

 

[nissanh]

Aftermarket CV should bring ton of play inside both joints and splines on both ends. I ended up going with OEM CV axles just about a weeks ago. Flanges are cheap to replace OEM, $31 from parts ouq.com

 

[wildpaths]

BUMP

I'd really like to hear some feedback or ideas on the amount of play I am seeing.

I am planning on having new OEM CVs installed and new hub flanges. I wan't to know if the amount of play is serious enough to bother with the front differential while its all apart?

Thanks!

 

[nissanh]

BUMP

I'd really like to hear some feedback or ideas on the amount of play I am seeing.

I am planning on having new OEM CVs installed and new hub flanges. I wan't to know if the amount of play is serious enough to bother with the front differential while its all apart?

Thanks!

Like all of you, I was conserned with the clunk. Installed non-oem new CV's and new OEM flanges and all new OEM diff bushings all around and this clunk continued... My final guess was the diff with excessive backlash. Then for some reason, I spun the CV axle (between the joints) and saw it turned without spining the joints. Then I spun the inner joint and it spun without turning the prop shaft. I found good amount of play on all joints on aftermarket CV and on splies at diff and outer flanges.

That's when I went with OEM CV's. I slide the inner joint into the diff and believe me, there were NO play at the splines! Just a tiny turn of inner joint made the drive shaft to spin!

 

[DirtDawg]

BUMP

I'd really like to hear some feedback or ideas on the amount of play I am seeing.

I am planning on having new OEM CVs installed and new hub flanges. I wan't to know if the amount of play is serious enough to bother with the front differential while its all apart?

Thanks!

Between the spider gears and spec’d backlash, you are bound to see a good amount of “slack” in differential gears. If you had an issue with the diff, it would be accompanied by another issue: vibration, skipping, etc.

 

[wildpaths]

Between the spider gears and spec’d backlash, you are bound to see a good amount of “slack” in differential gears. If you had an issue with the diff, it would be accompanied by another issue: vibration, skipping, etc.

Thanks! This is the wisdom I was hoping to hear.

 

[gregnash]

You can also look at some of @2001LC videos on YouTube to see a way of measuring the play/backlash of the axles when shifting from D-R or R-D. This is affectionately called the "CLUNK" that many of us experience because of a multitude of reasons, one of which is the axle play.