> I don't mean to cause any unnecessary alarm or hysteria, but . . .
Ah, but it should.
> Then we checked the others. I had all four pumpkins lined up there on the
> workbench, and . . . Would you believe? All of the ring gear bolts were
> loose on the second pumpkin! And on the third! Only the fourth had bolts
> you couldn't wiggle with your fingers! And yes, I mean "wiggle" with your
> fingers!
Yes, this problem is not endemic just to Alpines. I have had this
happen on several Dana 60 and 44 differentials. Its seems as they do
periodically come loose ... and if you don't catch it in time ... you
in for one hell of a pain in your wallet. I have had some very
similar experiences to yours where one bolt pretty much grenades the
entire differential.
> loose ring bolts. I guess that does not necessarily mean that three out of
> four cars on the road will have loose ring gear bolts, but it certainly is
> something to think about.
It is a good practice to remove the differential cover on high
mileage cars every few years and torque the ring gear bolts to
specification. I have found many "on their way" to lossening. I
suspect that they take many years to complete their tortuous path to
destruction.
> I asked Dan what he thought the problem might be, and he blames it on those
> "lock" washers, which are really just over-sized flat washers that are
> bashed up and down across a flat on the bolt and the differential carrier.
> He says that they are too soft. They get crushed by the torque on the
> bolts, and then let the bolts come loose. I think I'll toss all of mine in
> the original-but-useless parts bin, get some new bolts, and use real lock
> washers with a whole sh*t-load o' lock-tite when I put mine back together.
I have had excellent success with the near permanent red lock tite.
I don't know if its available in auto parts stores, but differential
shops like West Coast Differentials sells it with every gear kit they
sell. I always replce the lock washers with the slpit style washers
and this works well. ANother method for the real paranoid or rough
use (like off road 4x4's) is to wire lock each of the bolts. As far
as cause, I personally suspect vibration in wearing ring/pinion
assemblies and carrier bearings is the cause as I have never seen
this behavior in differentials with less than 150 k miles.
Kind Regards,
Jim Cantrell
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