Excessive play in differential

[Dennis Nicholas]

To repeat...as others have said....whatever you do do not drive it till you find out what is causing the problem.
Putting new oil in is not going to solve the problem.

Dennis

[Ian Williams]

Tim, you need to check with the Crown wheel locked, otherwise there are too many other variables which will confuse matters. That said by the sound of things you have issues which need to be resolved, these could be multiple and the only way to find out is too strip it down and investigate. If you don't do this it is likely to eventually cost you more than ignoring and hoping for the best. First things to check, as someone has already mentioned, are the two half shaft hub tapers and the drive shaft taper, if these are sound and when you lock the Crown wheel and there is still 90 degree play at the prop flange then it could be bearing issues. I have come across a number where the pinion bearings are loose and the distance piece worn, this allows the pinion to float back and forth which will ruin the both the CW and Pinion, if you have a diff with this problem it is highly probable that the bearings supporting the Crown wheel carrier will also be shot and or in need of adjustment.

[David.H]

Tim
I have sent you a PM with some history!
David

[PJudge]

Hi Tim, Did you get to the bottom of what was causing the lost motion?

[Andy Bennett]

PJudge
Tim hasn't posted here for nearly 2 years so am guessing he is unlikely to read your post. If you have a particular problem suggest you post separately and hopefully a knowledgable person will come to your aid.
Andy

[PJudge]

Thanks Andy,
I bought the Ruby a year ago and found that there was a clunking sound from the back which was the result of the nearside hub being slightly loose and the keyway stressed with the half shaft having develoed a crack.   I replaced it, setting the pinion/crownwheel backlash to 4 thou. I have run it for maybe 50 miles and jacked it up the other day finding that the slack in the offside wheel is much greater than that in the nearside, which has no slack at all i.e. when I rotate the nearside wheel the torque tube/propshaft turns immediately but the offside has some slack, just a couple of degrees. Any ideas as to why this should be so?