Dodge RAM 1500 1998 Owner's Manual page 227

3 - 146 REAR AXLE - 11 1/2 AA
REAR AXLE - 11 1/2 AA (Continued)
(6) Install ring gear side adjuster lock and bolt. Do
not tighten adjuster lock bolt at this time.
(7) Tighten pinion
against the differential case bearing cup.
(8) Rotate the pinion several times to seat the def-
erential bearings.
(9) Loosen pinion gear side adjuster until it is no
longer in contact with the bearing cup, then tighten
it until it makes contact.
(10) Tighten pinion gear side adjuster an addi-
tional:
• New Bearings: 6 Adjuster Holes
• Original Bearings: 4 Adjuster Holes
(11) Install pinion gear side adjuster lock and bolt.
Do not tighten adjuster lock bolt at this time.
(12) Tighten bearing cap bolts to 115 N·m (85 ft.
lbs.).
(13) Tighten adjuster lock bolts to 33 N·m (24 ft.
lbs.).
(14) Measure ring gear backlash with a Dial Indi-
cator C-3339 and Dial Indicator Stud L-4438 at eight
points around the drive side of the ring gear (Fig. 9).
The backlash should be 0.08-0.25 mm (0.003-0.010
in) with a preferred backlash of 0.13-0.18 mm (0.005-
0.007 in).
NOTE: Backlash measurement should not vary
more than 0.05 mm (0.002 in) between measuring
points. If measurement does vary inspect the gears
for burrs, the differential case flange and ring gear
mounting.
Fig. 9 RING GEAR BACKLASH
1 - DIAL INDICATOR
2 - RING GEAR
gear side adjuster
GEAR TOOTH CONTACT PATTERN
Gear tooth contact pattern is used to verify the cor-
firmly
rect running position of the ring and pinion gears.
This will produce low noise and long gear life. Gears
which are not positioned properly may be noisy and
have shorten gear life.
(1) Wipe clean each tooth of the ring gear.
(2) Apply gear marking compound to all of the ring
gear teeth.
(3) Verify bearing cap bolts are torque specifica-
tion.
(4) Apply parking brakes lightly to create at 14
N·m (10 ft. lbs.) pinion rotating torque.
(5) Rotate the pinion/pinion yoke 4 full revolutions
in each directions.
(6) Read gear tooth contact pattern:
• Gear contact pattern correct (Fig. 10). Backlash
and pinion depth is correct.
Fig. 10 CORRECT CONTACT PATTERN
• Ring gear too far away from pinion gear (Fig.
11). Decrease backlash, by moving the ring closer to
the pinion gear using the adjusters.
Fig. 11 INCORRECT BACKLASH
1 - COAST SIDE TOE
2 - DRIVE SIDE HEEL
• Ring gear too close to pinion gear (Fig. 12).
Increase backlash, by moving the ring away from the
pinion gear using the adjusters.
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