Important note regarding differential bolts

[nigelrmccoy]

I've recently fell victim to the infamous rivet shearing/bolt snapping issue. Case has a hole in the bellhousing near pinion bearing support area.

If the ring gear and diff are not 100% perfectly flat together (either heat/press/both) a space between them can be created, and when the bolts are installed and torqued, they're preloaded as well, because now you're tightening to also pull both parts together. This puts the bolt under stress that it wasn't designed to handle. When the gear and diff are perfect together, the bolt is now clamping the diff and gear together, instead of pulling them together. This is the same story with wheel bolts. The bolts don't hold the wheel from being loose on the rotor/hub, its the friction between the rotor hat and the wheel.

In launches this is especially important because if the ring and diff aren't perfect, the ring gear will warp and twist while its under load from accelerating. With a stock VR6, in 2nd gear pulling between 3000rpm-5000rpm the ring+pinion is transmitting lots and lots of torque.. The smaller pinion is turning the ring gear with about 550ft/lbs of torque, which turns into 1860ft/lbs at the axle flanges/wheels. Yes those are correct numbers, and no, bolts alone cannot handle that much force. The friction from being clamped together can handle the force.

Peloquin diffs usually come with a set of bolts to use to align/pull together the assembly, and then the bolts are to be removed and discarded. ARP bolts are then supposed to be installed as per Peloquin instructions. Bentley, VW's ELSAWIN program (dealership service program) and countless people i've talked to about transmissions recommend pressing it together as well.


And don't believe me about the ring gear warping?
http://forums.subdriven.com/showthre...oquin-bolt-kit...

...it will only warp until it breaks!


Peace++vortex friendship 4evuh

[fwdvw]

Thats good information. Thanks

[1999.5GTIVR6]