USe of dial test guage to ascertain shim thickness on halfshaft/cv joint

[the_wolf]

Reference the above, im reading through the land rover workshop manual and under the 'Front axle and final drive' chapter it mentions the use of shims fitted before the circlip and drive flange with the shim thickness being determined by using a dial guage. Quoted as follows -
20. To check drive shaft end play, mount a dial gauge using bracket LRT-99-503 and rest pin in a loaded condition on end of drive shaft.
21. Fit a suitable bolt to threaded end of drive shaft. Move drive shaft in and out
noting dial gauge reading. End play should be between 0,08 to 0,25 mm.
22. If end play requires adjustment, remove circlip, measure shim thickness and
fit an appropriate shim to give required end-play.
I've never had shims fitted to the ends as long as ive had it though if there were ever any fitted from standard then they are long gone. How important are these and is there a semi-accurate way to calculate end play without the use of a guage.

 

[the_wolf]

Forgot to mention its a 1987 90 with a standard disc braked front axle

 

[Thor1950]

Wolf maybe it was never done right, or end play was with tolerance and did not need any shims. What is your end Play?

 

[the_wolf]

No idea. I'm rebuilding the axle on Saturday and wanted to basically renew everything and make sure its done right to try and get rid of those vibration.

 

[Thor1950]

be well worth checking, as you couls tear up some gears. Kinda like specs on piston ring end gap. Or head bolt tightening order. Has to be important, or would not been mentioned. Be like ring&pinion back lash tolerance

 

[the_wolf]

Any ideas on how I could check it without use of a guage? It's not something I have access to unfortunately

 

[Oscar Romeo]

DTI's are about 20 quid.

 

[jackmac]

I've never bothered...
If you have a good collection of shims, you could just use feeler gauges instead. You need feeler gauges to adjust tappets at some point. Or semi-semi accurate, just look at it and see if there's a massive gap!
That said, if you have never changed a wheel bearing before it might be worth getting a DTI gauge. They aren't much, and you can use it to change your 1st set of wheel bearings so you know from then on what it should feel like.

 

[the_wolf]

Did my wheel bearings but as I said I've never bothered with shims nor have there ever been any.

I have feeler gauges but how would I determine what the correct end play is? Not keen on buying a DTI as its 20 quid I can ill afford but I wouldn't want to go sticking in a 0.15mm shim for example only for it to cause more harm than good.

If it drives fine without then it drives fine without but I am curious as to why shims are needed and if end play is important

 

[Oldseadog]

If you are so keen, bung a feeler gauge between the flange and the circlip, and then add up however many it takes!

Simples

 

[jackmac]

bolt in end of halfshaft, circlip on, pull shaft out as far as it will go, slide feeler gauges in until you have a tight fit, add up the feeler gauges. By doing that you can at least work out what the existing end float is without shims, if you really wanted to bother.

 

[SteNova]

the one of mine I've had apart so far didn't have any

 

[Tim4x4]

I have had a quick look at my manual to see if I could be of any help on this task without using a DTI gauge. In my manual it states that early models and this is up to 1983 to 1999 do not have shims but an adjusting nut which is used to set the specified end float. Is this why you have no shims?
Back to setting the end float it states that the end float is 0.05mm to 0.10mm this increases from 1999 models. The illustrations appear not to have much space to allow you to get feeler gauges in to measure it you may have to sacrifice the end of some feelers by bending at 90° at the end in order to get some sort of accuracy with your end float. I would not recommend guessing it. It is something you would want to set at the minimum end float allowing for future wear.

 

[the_wolf]

That may be why I don't have then and I'm a bit of a spaz as I've did away with the lock nut/lock washer/adjusting nut combo in favour of the later stake nut type. Hasn't seemed to cause any problems mind you but I might go back to the old nuts as a matter of course. Then again when I've been putting the hub back on I've never read to use the 'adjusting nut' as intended but merely as a secondary locking nut. Hm

 

[jamesmartin]

Reference the above, im reading through the land rover workshop manual and under the 'Front axle and final drive' chapter it mentions the use of shims fitted before the circlip and drive flange with the shim thickness being determined by using a dial guage. Quoted as follows -
20. To check drive shaft end play, mount a dial gauge using bracket LRT-99-503 and rest pin in a loaded condition on end of drive shaft.
21. Fit a suitable bolt to threaded end of drive shaft. Move drive shaft in and out
noting dial gauge reading. End play should be between 0,08 to 0,25 mm.
22. If end play requires adjustment, remove circlip, measure shim thickness and
fit an appropriate shim to give required end-play.
I've never had shims fitted to the ends as long as ive had it though if there were ever any fitted from standard then they are long gone. How important are these and is there a semi-accurate way to calculate end play without the use of a guage.

its not vital ,just fit as many on as you can easily ,usually the 2 you took off

 

[jamesmartin]

That may be why I don't have then and I'm a bit of a spaz as I've did away with the lock nut/lock washer/adjusting nut combo in favour of the later stake nut type. Hasn't seemed to cause any problems mind you but I might go back to the old nuts as a matter of course. Then again when I've been putting the hub back on I've never read to use the 'adjusting nut' as intended but merely as a secondary locking nut. Hm

presumably if youve used single wheel bearing nut youve used the correct sizeable spacer between the bearings,if not youve fooked up

 

[the_wolf]

I am aware of their being a spacer between the bearings but I didn't touch this, merely changed the bearings and if outer races were in good condition then I've left as is. All I've changed from standard is the nut. Was this a bad idea?

 

[Tim4x4]

That may be why I don't have then and I'm a bit of a spaz as I've did away with the lock nut/lock washer/adjusting nut combo in favour of the later stake nut type. Hasn't seemed to cause any problems mind you but I might go back to the old nuts as a matter of course. Then again when I've been putting the hub back on I've never read to use the 'adjusting nut' as intended but

 

[jamesmartin]

I am aware of their being a spacer between the bearings but I didn't touch this, merely changed the bearings and if outer races were in good condition then I've left as is. All I've changed from standard is the nut. Was this a bad idea?

the 2 nut securing ,uses 2 nuts as theres nothing to tighten bearing against against so you adjust free play out fit tab washer and then tighten 2nd nut against washer and first nut ,the td5 single nut has a sppacer placed between the 2 bearings which is selectable so as when nut is tightened the 2 bearings are under pressure but just have free play removed without spacer like early type youd be pushing the 2 taper bearings into races with quite some force causing failure fairly quick

 

[the_wolf]

Good point well made. Thanks all, I shall stick with the tried, tested and good old fashioned method