Diff yoke repair
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 440
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From: Victoria B.C. CANADA
Diff yoke repair
my Diff yoke on the pass. side wore right down to the snap ring groove, I herd it is repairable If so how and what could hve caused this in the first place thanks for any help
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,269
Re: Diff yoke repair (kenincanada)
Are you saying the end of the yoke is worn down nearly to the snap ring groove? I don't know where you heard they could be repaired, but that's not the case. If the yoke is worn, it's time for last rites and a new one along with a complete differential overhaul.
Remember, the half-shafts are also a loaded suspension member. They are normally in compression, so the end of the yoke rides against the pinion shaft. As the positraction clutch plates wear, the clearance increases and heavy cornering loads place the half shaft in tension, so they can bang back and forth, lwhich probably accelerates the wear rate. Also, once they wear through the case hardening the wear rate increases drastically.
Duke
Remember, the half-shafts are also a loaded suspension member. They are normally in compression, so the end of the yoke rides against the pinion shaft. As the positraction clutch plates wear, the clearance increases and heavy cornering loads place the half shaft in tension, so they can bang back and forth, lwhich probably accelerates the wear rate. Also, once they wear through the case hardening the wear rate increases drastically.
Duke
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,456
Likes: 6
From: Spicewood, Texas, USA TX-Texas
Re: Diff yoke repair (kenincanada)
my Diff yoke on the pass. side wore right down to the snap ring groove, I herd it is repairable If so how and what could hve caused this in the first place thanks for any help
If they are not worn down to the ring groove, I believe they can be weld repaired, and hardened to resist the wear. The wear is caused by cornering loads which force the shafts into the differential guts, where rubbing wear results. If the shafts are worn down into the groove, I don't think they are repaired because weld deposit is usually too difficult to machine. Basically, I think you are looking at exchange replacement with some repaired shafts.
Bair's Corvette in PA uses the hardened shafts whenever needed in rebuilding Corvette differentials. You may be able to get the yokes from them.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,925
From: Washington Michigan
Re: Diff yoke repair (Chuck Sangerhausen)
I wouldn't go anywhere near a "weld-repaired" yoke - the localized heating from the welded "build-up" of new material would require a complete heat-treat of the entire piece, plus case-hardening of the inner end after re-machining, and you'd end up with a metallurgical nightmare. New yokes are cheap, and they're better than the originals.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Re: Diff yoke repair (kenincanada)
Overall, purchasing new yoke's from a reputable dealer would be the simplest solution but one of the best sounding repair methods I've heard of was where the end of the yoke was machined for a press fit with hardened steel button insert. I can't remember which forum member has done this. It may have been norvalwilhelm.
Upon dissassembly of my rear end, I found some wear on my yokes. .014 clearance on one side and .015 on the other. Turns out that most of the clearance came from wear on the differential shaft. After replacing that shaft, I had zero clearance when reassembled.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=193247
Upon dissassembly of my rear end, I found some wear on my yokes. .014 clearance on one side and .015 on the other. Turns out that most of the clearance came from wear on the differential shaft. After replacing that shaft, I had zero clearance when reassembled.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=193247
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Re: Diff yoke repair (MIKER)
I really doubt that cornering loads are the cause of this condition. The load is generated by the weight of the car itself all of the time. Bad parts from the General is the biggest cause. This never was a problem untill the mid seventies when everything on these cars became sorry. Then this problem started to become prominent. The case hardning became so bad that I was seeing cars with less than 30,000 miles come in with worn yokes. It was epidemic by 78,79 untill the rear was changed in 80. I have used the rebuilt yokes with the hardned ends and have had no problems what so ever.
