Kirkynut's Jimny (aka Daddy's Tractor) - The Evolution continues...

I changed the rear gearbox mount the other day, thinking it might stop the clunk I have had when taking up drive. No such luck but it has made selecting first and reverse easier when the gearbox is cold! So it was not a waste of money buying it. The old one did not look too bad once off but the rubber must have softened.

I even took the rear prop off to check the UJ's properly. I thought I could feel the smallest amount of play in one of the UJ's so took it to an old school mechanic for his opinion and was ready to leave him to change the UJ's - one of the few jobs I've not done and don't look forward to doing, so was going to let him do it! The mechanic told me it was nothing and that it would never cause a clonk. The more I felt the UJ, the less I could feel the play I thought I had felt.

The clonk was not there with the rear prop removed, which had led me to think it was something to do with that. The rear diff is a new to me but a good second hand one I fitted a month or two ago and had no slop in it, so I was happy with that.

Now it could be the rear radius arm bolts being loose and moving in their holes or the holes elongated but I expected it to do it without the rear prop on too, however without the twisting force of the rear axle it didn't but was indeed these bolts being too loose.

Fortunately the holes these bolts go through are not elongated but they would have been if I had left them loose like that. It seems they need tightening every now and then as I have had this before. Rotating them stops them from rusting to the bushes anyway!

My rear diff was leaking from both the filler and the drain plug too, following me changing the rear diff. I changed the drain plug to be sure it was sealing ok and found I'd not actually done it up that tight in the first place! No wonder it was leaking then! The same was the case for the filler plug.

It's unlike me to have to tighten anything up on any of my cars as I usually over tighten them!

Changing the rear diff drain plug presented me with another present in the form of a tooth! Now this was a bit shocking as I've just replaced the rear diff because that the old one kept giving me such presents!

So was this one left over from the old diff or a problem with the new diff? Cue me hurriedly stripping down the old diff to find where the teeth came from on that and how many were broken off. I had 2 from before I changed the diff and now another one!

Well the Pinion Gear of the old diff has 11 teeth and all 11 of them are missing a chunk! There is still a substantial amount of each tooth remaining and looking at them, the part missing does not engage with the crown wheel teeth it seems, having looked at it going round, hence I did not know from driving it. So I am unsure how they broke off but they certainly have.

I am therefore satisfied that this is not from the new diff and is one of the bits broken off from the old diff. But where are the other 8 missing parts of teeth? I cannot think that there are 8 more parts of teeth swimming around in the rear axle, so I wonder if this is another thing left over from the previous owner! Obviously I checked for teeth in the axle tubes when I changed the diff but could not see right the way along them. I suspect the previous owner has fished a few out too.

So now my JimJam is running well and is clonk free!

Kirkynut

Sounds a productive bit of maintenance there, I oftern check my radius arm bolts and usually get a small nip on them.funny you should mention the gearbox mount making a difference to 1st and reverse when cold as mine is exactly the same untill it warms up its difficult selecting them.may give a mount a shot as ive recently put fresh oil in after fitting a new clutch

gaz3359 wrote: Sounds a productive bit of maintenance there, I oftern check my radius arm bolts and usually get a small nip on them.funny you should mention the gearbox mount making a difference to 1st and reverse when cold as mine is exactly the same untill it warms up its difficult selecting them.may give a mount a shot as ive recently put fresh oil in after fitting a new clutch

Well this is the part you want: www.bigjimny.com/store/index.php?_a=product&product_id=215

I try to keep my Jimny in tip top condition in all ways so I'm pleased with today's results!

Kirkynut

Cheers, im always tinkering with mine and keep on top of everything last thing I want is something failing when im out on the lanes.amd ive been using mine for my daily drive since Christmas and its never missed a beat probs done it good.

kirkynut wrote:

gaz3359 wrote: Sounds a productive bit of maintenance there, I oftern check my radius arm bolts and usually get a small nip on them.funny you should mention the gearbox mount making a difference to 1st and reverse when cold as mine is exactly the same untill it warms up its difficult selecting them.may give a mount a shot as ive recently put fresh oil in after fitting a new clutch

Well this is the part you want: www.bigjimny.com/store/index.php?_a=product&product_id=215

I try to keep my Jimny in tip top condition in all ways so I'm pleased with today's results!

Kirkynut

What's tooth breakage like in general? Is it cos you guys stress the diff while mountaineering or are they a bit weak for bigger wheels or just weak?

Gaz I think it does do vehicles good to be used. Things wear but lack of use means anything rubber degrades. As does oil and grease! So if a vehicle has seldom use it can do it harm.

John, I've no idea why these teeth broke. They're not know for it. Once one went, the others were likely to follow but as to why one went I don't know. Why just a bit off the end too? I wonder if it was a manufacturing problem. I've heard or crown wheels flexing on Land Rovers but the crown wheel gets stripped of teeth, not the pinion. Zukes don't suffer from that though.

Kirkynut