Adjust diff backlash to reduce whine on acceleration?

[Mojo88]

My 8.8 diff whines - under light load - starting at ~35mph. If I let off the gas, no whine. Vehicle has 20k miles. I took off the cover and measured backlash at .020", which is over what the specs call for (.008" - .012").

My question is: if I adjust the backlash back to factory spec (without doing anything else to the diff), what's chances that will cure the whine?

Everything looks really good in there. I don't think it needs any parts.

Thanks

 

[98 svt]

Pretty sure adjusting anything would make it worse at this point. The gears wear in to their groove, once you adjust them again, they will be out of their previous alignment.
What brand and ratio gears do you run?

 

[me32]

You could try tightening it up but more than likely nothing will improve. as stated above gears wear a pattern and once they do there isnt much you can do about it. With that much lash im surprised you dont get a clunk when going into reverse

 

[Mojo88]

Pretty sure adjusting anything would make it worse at this point. The gears wear in to their groove, once you adjust them again, they will be out of their previous alignment.
What brand and ratio gears do you run?

They are 3.55's. I did not install them. I believe they are stock. I looked through the receipts from previous owner and the axles are 31-spline Mosers, but I don't see anything else about axle parts. I agree about wearing in, everything does that to some extent.

You could try tightening it up but more than likely nothing will improve. as stated above gears wear a pattern and once they do there isnt much you can do about it. With that much lash im surprised you dont get a clunk when going into reverse

Thanks, I'm inclined to agree that nothing will improve, but it would be a relatively easy task to tighten up the backlash, and since everything else looks so good, I might just try that first. No clunks at all when going into reverse, but then again, I try to be very gentle and smoooooth when shifting, just because..................

 

[me32]

They are 3.55's. I did not install them. I believe they are stock. I looked through the receipts from previous owner and the axles are 31-spline Mosers, but I don't see anything else about axle parts. I agree about wearing in, everything does that to some extent.




Thanks, I'm inclined to agree that nothing will improve, but it would be a relatively easy task to tighten up the backlash, and since everything else looks so good, I might just try that first. No clunks at all when going into reverse, but then again, I try to be very gentle and smoooooth when shifting, just because..................

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