allignment for U-Joint replacement

[Steven D]

I'm about to replace the u-joints on my 1979 one drive, 1.65 ratio (165 L6 motor). Tool for removing the retainer nut is on the way as are the new u-joints (Spicer 5-1306X). In reading thru the manual I'm seeing that if drive gear for the 1.65 only, and only if its the G-7 date code on the face there are alignment marks that need to be indexed. As I'm not planning on taking the drive components off the u-joint shaft it appears I'll not be able to see this date code. In addition as I'm reading it you have to have the top cover off in order to see that these marks are aligned. Any insight into what year the G-7 code drive is? Do I need to disassemble the drive gear components to tell which it is? If I have to remove the top cover any issues other than proper torque to set pre-load?

What is the purpose of indexing this one set of gears when all the others say "Push U-joint assembly straight into drive shaft housing so gear teeth mesh" Much more straight forward

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Steven

 

[Don S]

Re: allignment for U-Joint replacement

Vibration, balance, and wear. The upper gears on the 1.65 were a 1 to 1 ratio and always hit the same spots.

 

[Steven D]

Re: allignment for U-Joint replacement

Thanks, Don. Do I need to purchase a shimming tool or since I'm replacing the drive gear with no changes back into the same driven with no changes can I just replace whats there? Any tricks to seeing these marks or are they easily visible with the top cover off?

Thanks,

 

[ziggy]

Re: allignment for U-Joint replacement

read the oem s/m. it tells ya exactly what to do as far as shimming goes. w/o going and looking myself. i'm gonna bet anything other than ft. seal replacement requires reshimming.

i believe these are the hash marks your looking for. sorry i only got pics of the drive gear..

2 has marks, upper right corner of gear, in ft. of the teeth

bottom left corner by the nut. marks almost covered by shaft but visible

about 1 oclock on face of gear.

copy the pics to paint so ya can blow up the pics. the marks ain't that bright. on the driven gear it's only 1 hash mark.

read the oem s/m real close and do it by the book. i was successful doing it that way. read it over several times. there is info to be followed in about every sentence. there are conditions that are stated as to what needs to be replaced. my brgs. were blue and per the oem s/m this was cause to replace the brgs. they were replaced so i had to shim. ironically it ended up being the same amount of shim stack.

i didn't have the g7 gearset..

 

[Steven D]

Re: allignment for U-Joint replacement

I've read the SM (note the quote in my earlier post was direct from the service manual), part of the problem is that they don't have a procedure for only replacing the u-joints. I'm not planning on replacing any of the seals or bearings. Not planning on breaking the retainer nut on the drive gear shaft, just pull the shaft, replace bearings and re-install. Opening the top cap is more than I had planned but as I'll have to do this re-alignment of the gears looks like I'll have to go there as well. Any gotcha's other than proper torque of the top cap nuts to insure proper loading?


Thanks,

 

[Steven D]

Re: allignment for U-Joint replacement

Now that I have the top cap off and a better idea of what it looks like in there (why is it the manual photos somehow manage to never show you what the hole something comes out of looks like?) I have yet another question (or actually an Idea I'd like to run by some who have more experience and knowledge).

As what I'm trying to do is have the gears end up in the same relationship as they are now, is there any reason I can't index a mark on the drive gear to a point on the upper portion of the case? Touch of Prussian blue on a tooth and the matching spot on the top?

Thanks,

Steven