What is this wear? RF1A output shaft (1 Viewer)

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May 24, 2015
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This is the output shaft on my RF1A. As far as I can tell, the bearings are in really good condition.





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Heres 2 more pictures. With the low speed gear on the output shaft, clutch engagement hub installed as if it was in low range. So the wear seems to be happening while in 2wd.

I do have a doubler, and now I wonder if this is from "excessive" use of the reduction box for 2wd low range. Which I do quite often.

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It has also crossed my mind that this is natural wear and tear of daily driven 5.29's and 35's.

I wonder now if the hardening has been pounded out and polished that I will have proper failure sooner rather than later. The only reason the transfer case is apart is to reseal it.
 
So do I just believe in hopes and dreams that capilary and splash supplies fresh oil the input pocket bearing and low speed cage bearing and 4wd cage bearing?
 
Ive been running a longfield for several years now.(10ish) DD duty, etc. I have no issues.
Yes, you are to believe in the splash, not the hype.
 
Ha. I didnt realize this was already a heated discussion over on pirate. 6 of 1 half dozen of the other I guess.

My thoughts on oiling were initialized by just looking at the reduction box input and low speed cage bearing wondering how they got oil. I contributed it to the low speed cage pulling oil in through the thrust ends of the low speed gear and then feeding the input through the two tiny holes in the coupler. My low speed cage bearing in the reduction box has 1 needle missing and at first I thought maybe the guy who built it lost one and installed it anyways.... but after looking at it on the shaft, if it was intended this way, its borderline genius if it was left out on purpose because then oil would acumulate in that missing needle slot and as it passed over the tiny holes it would have more oil to feed to the input.

I then blew apart my transfer case(circa just this last weekend) and went oh... I see how the oil pump system works. The reduction box totally removes this. But does it? Because the coupler still has 2 oil ports and... my above theory kinda makes some sense to feed oil.

Then I realized my output shafts condition. Then I got into whats available aftermarket. (Having just touched the surface between Marlins and your RCV recommendation, I asked well what about the holes)

Now Im fully internetted up on the hopes and dreams situation of both shafts after reading the pirate thread lol.

So.... at this point, because my reduction low speed bearing and coupler is in good shape, Id say the bearing probably does get adequate lubrication without being fed by a pump. It also likely has 1/40th of the miles on it as the factory shaft. Lets just say no failure on the horizon anytime soon. I would imagine the 4wd cage bearings would get properly lubed as well.

Im a bit iffy on the input bearing though. I'd atleast like 2 holes drilled there like how the coupler is. I'm not sure how much oil clearance there is between the input hub and the hi/low hub. It seems less likely that oil will readily splash or "capilary/pump" its way in there like the low/4wd bearings would readily pull oil through the openings in the thrust ends.

Not really interested in spending 5 bills on a marlin output for my usage. Im not 100% sold on the input oiling capabilitys without atleast 1 oil hole coming in from the lowspeed cage.

The price difference between an rcv and marlin will pay for 13 input bearing replacements, lol



On the flip side.... is my only option on the clutch hub a dealer item at $150 or find a used one?
 
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