So I have been building the engine on the cradle and I installed the axles today. I when I got done putting them both in I found that when I turn the drivers side one way the pass side turns the other. I ran it through the gears as best I could and it does this in several gears, but in one or two of them they turn in the same direction but the passenger side lazily turns about 1/4th as many times as the drivers side. WTF? Did I do something wrong? The trans does not have oil in it.
BTW its a Muncie 4spd.
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05:44 PM
PFF
System Bot
stinky817 Member
Posts: 230 From: Delta, PA, USA Registered: Nov 2008
The differential has two side gears, one on each axle, and gears that connect the two. The connecting gears are pinioned on a housing, that housing is turned by the drive gears in the transmission. A good explanation:
The purpose is to allow the inside and outside wheel to turn at different speeds while both are being driven. A solid axle going around a corner would skid both tires.
JazzMan
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06:08 PM
Dizzixx Member
Posts: 1470 From: Salt Lake, Utah, United States Registered: Oct 2005
I understand that. I knew that to begin with as well. Its the spinning in opposite directions thing that bugged me the most. I guess I would have though the two would spin in unison unless something was acting externally on one side or the other to cause them to spin our of sink, IE - cornering.
They WOULD turn in unison if you could reach in and turn the transmission input shaft instead of one of the wheels. Things turn in weird ways depending on what member is being driven. BTW, if you ever have your tranny out again, you'll notice that if you turn one axle, the other axle will turn the other way (just as you described), but even more interestingly, the input shaft will not turn at all... it's all in the magic of a differential!
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06:31 PM
couldahadaV8 Member
Posts: 797 From: Bolton, Ontario, Canada Registered: Feb 2008
If you had a limited-slip or posi-traction or shur-grip or whatever other names it goes by, then the axles would turn in the same direction. But only with the input in neutral so the input shaft could turn as well.
Rick
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06:55 PM
Dizzixx Member
Posts: 1470 From: Salt Lake, Utah, United States Registered: Oct 2005
Yeah I noticed the input shaft was not turning. The whole it not being impossibly difficult to turn thing gave that one away. I was admittedly confused by that as well, I had just installed the clutch and everything and was expecting it to try and crank the engine. Man this differential thing is Krazy with a capital K. BTW any of you that didnt read that wiki link above should, its a good one, gets the gears turning...
