Axle input pinion sloppy.

[dwickens1]

Putting together a 1982 CJ7 (first CJ) and finding the input pinions with allot of radial play. What concerns me is that all the shops I call say it will cost more to rebuild these than find a used set. Gear Ratio is 2.72 so finding a direct replacement is looking hopeless... Lie to put 4.10-4.11 to run 33's when complete
2 questions-
1) what would it take to put narrow axles on it
2) is it really that hard to re gear and bearing an axle?

Front is Dana 30
Rear is Model (Corp) 20 (D)
Any help would be great!

 

[Torxhead]

Installing a set of the older CJ type narrow axles will help you get thru tighter spots but it will increase the turning radius, at least thats the way I see it. Doing a regear involves a lot of work and weather or not you want to do it depends on how much time and money you have. For example, I would rather go Jeeping than work on the stupid thing, but regret not knowing how to install a set of gears. A 4:10/33" tire setup will work great on the street and trail, but the highway rpms will be a bit on the high side.

 

[Old Dog]

IMO you don't want narrow axles if you are going to run 33's, you will have to run wheel spacers than so the tires don't hit the springs.
Doing a regear is more time than work. Getting the shims right can be a pain. And by the time you buy all the right tools to do it only once you might as well pay to get it done. But if your a gearhead and want to learn and do other peoples in the future it would be worth it.

 

[S76]

It depends on what you want to do.

If you just want it running now, I would torque the pinnion nut to spec, make sure it's full of fluid and see how it goes. Chances are it may be fine.

If you are looking for a complete 2:73 rear they are plentiful. A lot of the last few year CJ's had 2:73's and nobody wants them.

My 84 had the 2:73's and I wanted 3:73's. There is a large and small carrier. 2:73's and 3:04's (307's ?) use one size, and 3:34 and up uses a larger carrier. Rather than buy a gear set and a carrier and a master parts kit for $450 or whatever, it is cheaper to just buy a whole rear, narrow or wide track, with the ratio you want for $50/75. Then a master kit and your done for $225. If you clean everything up and have it all ready to rebuild you should be able to find someone to install the gears for $AMC 150 . Or do it yourself if so inclined.

I have a guy 2 miles up the road that builds all the stock car differentials and Transmission . for the local circle trac so I'm using him just to save time.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

The 20 rear uses the same gears for any jeep 20. I picked up a good set of used 3:54's to swap into a CJ from a wagonner for $50 and lock right with carrier for $80.. My neightbor bought the install kit and did the labor for $500. But to answer your question yes it costs alot to have gears installed.. Ive known people to save money by doing it them selves to end up taking 3 days to get ti close and have the rear still whine. Most of the time labor for the swap is $500 on the low end. There is a guy local here that has a 20 with a locker, 4:10's and one peice shaft and all new bearings never run for $500 ( he has almost $1000 into it) and a matching front for another $AMC 150 . So if you look around CL and searchtempest you can find better/cheaper dears. For the rear theres also the option to swap in a ford 8.8.. they can stock with 4:10's a trac loc and disc brakes.. but you would have to change the lug pattern over with either adapters or new shafts. They normally run around $100-$200 in local yards.

 

[Kane]

A quick fix may be to buy a new crush sleeve for the rear pinion. That will fix the sloppy issue. I would bet the last owner roved the yoke to change the pinion seal and did not replace the crush sleeve. I made that mistake once.

 

[BusaDave9]

I would do nothing.
It's not uncommon to have radial free on the pinion gear. This is caused by the backlash setting (gear meshing) of the differential. I know what you are saying, you are worried that it may be excessive. And, yes maybe it is excessive. As the gears wear the backlash and radial free play will increase. The AMC20 has a big ring gear, 8 7/8 inches. It may wear quite a bit before the rear end goes out. I don't' think it ever will. The AMC has some weaknesses and this is not one of them. If you worried that I am wrong, take off the diff cover and measure the backlash.

Even on my newly regeared AMC20 it felt like a bit of rotary free play but it was in specs. Your gears are worn and will have even more free play but I wouldn't tear into your axles without specific wear data.

Now your front end is a Dana 30 . The ring and pinion gears are smaller. As they wear it is more likely for the front end to go out but once again, I wouldn't worry. The stakes are lower there. If the front end goes out (and I don't think it will) then you can still drive home in 2WD. Don't repair now what may never go out.

I think years from now your axles will still be running fine and you will be thinking to yourself "some Busa guy on the internet told me not to worry about the free play in my axles. Guess he was right. He saved me $2000 in unnecessary repair costs."

Now if you want to regear for the sake of regearing then it can be expensive to have someone do this. Or it can be time consuming to do it yourself, especially if you have never regeared a diff before. Lower gears will help.

 

[mtnwhlr]

if it aint broke don't fix it