Hello everyone!
My Camaro is causing me some major headaches, i felt a knocking from the rear end when driving the other week, so i parked it up and today had a bit of a check out - when jacked up, there is about a 1/16th of an inch of play 'in and out' of the axles - I can push and pull on the wheel and make it clunk. There isn't any up and down or side to side movement.

I read the 10 bolt FAQ, and have removed the diff cover, bolt and diff pin.

The C clips that shold the drive shafts in seem to be very slack in the groove - is this normal? I've attached a pic below to show you...



Also, the diff carrier has some nasty marks in from what appears to be the pinion gear! The only thing I can think might have caused this is the pimion bearing being knackered.. however i cant fell any movement in it at the moment -the prop is still connected though, removing this is my next job.

Here's a pic of the marks..


Does anyone have any ideas on how I can sort my problems? Being in the UK sadly I can't just nip to the scrap yard to get a new axle! Could I shim behind the C clips to lose the drive shaft play? or should there be thrust washers in here anyway? As there weren't!

Thanks,
Mike

 

Yes.

JamesC

 

Thanks JamesC,

Is there a measurement of in/out movement that's normal? I could move the wheels in and out a fair bit! Plus, on cornering, it sounded like the drums were contacting the backplates...

 

That all looks pretty normal, except for where the pinion has been touching the carrier; which is a sign that the pinion bearings are loose.

When you get the drive shaft out, and before you put the carrier back in, check the pinion gear bearing preload. It should take about 12-15 inch-pounds (sorry, don't know the metric spec off the top of my head, you'll need to convert it yourself) to turn it. If it's less than that, or if there's any play, tighten the nut. You'll need to hold the yoke still while tightening it. Make yourself a tool like this one here to hold it.



The nut takes a 1¼" socket (32mm will do). It will take ALOT of torque to tighten it; expect to need a LONG breaker bar, and that you'll have to put probably 150-180 ft-lbs (that's what, 140-170 N-m or some such) on it to tighten it. Tighten it until it takes about 20-22 in-lbs of torque to turn the pinion.

 

Thanks sofakingdom

I'm fine with imperial units, I use them at work so all is good! I'll knock up a tool and get the pinion pulled, I'm wondering now if the grating noises I heard were coming from the pinion rather than the brake backing plates, as the diff pin would stop the shafts moving too far 'in' - Would putting some shim / thrust washers to the driveshaft side of the c clip cause any issues? or do all Camaros 'clunk'!

Thanks for the advice,
Mike

 

Yes. According to Chickenman, the OE C-clip is .150". Jeep C-clips are .175" (and need a bit of grinding on inside diameter to fit our axles). So that might be a bit of a solution, though I wouldn't go to the trouble myself. The cut of the C-clip is .200, according to Chickenman.

JamesC

 

I got same loose did changing c clips solve prob my diffs good has play like yous

 

If your axle is posi, C-clips alone probably won't "solve" axle end play.

As the clutches in the posi wear out, the side gears sink deeper into the ends of the carrier. Since that's what the C-clips seat against, .001" of clutch wear = .001" of addl axle end play.

And since those POS stock Auburn junk posi units have weeeeeeek and weeeenie clutches, they are VERY prone to wearing out.

 

Axle end play comes from wear in the differential and almost never has anything to do with the c clips or axles. The Auburn can not be rebuilt or shimmed to eliminate or reduce the axle end play. Only replacing the differential will eliminate the end play. If you replace the differential I do not recommend using another Auburn. The Eaton Posi or Yukon Dura Grip are much better replacements.

 

I cants change the clutches? k that's final going back togather . I dot now how to start a thread? how much for these new diffs winter project.

 

u cant get the clutches for a burn from say Canadian tire . thanks for your time in advance big gear head I now we already went over this lol.

 

Auburn doesn't sell the clutches, not to anybody; so no, can't get em from anywhere.

When those POSs wear out, trash em, and put something good in their place.

When the "Eaton" is mentioned, that's NOT referring to the Gov-Lock, such as comes in S trucks and the like. Those are possibly the only thing worse than an Auburn. The one in question would be this one here. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/et...-010/overview/