The idler gear spins on two opposed tapered roller bearings, similar to front wheel bearings.

The book calls for .000-.002" endplay with 150 ft./lbs. torque setting on the axle nut.

Forget putting 150 on that thing, I can get maybe 30 before the gear locks up solidly...and the gear spins freely when I back off the nut just to the point where the flat washer underneath the axle nut against the case can't turn; there is no feelable endplay at that point, either.


This can't be right (though that axle nut is self-locking for a reason. What am I doing wrong?

Eddie

 

I was unable to get the right torque and endplay when I rebuilt mine either. I just set it up so the bolt was tight, but not tight enough to keep the gears from spinning. This also gave very little endplay, so it seems as if this will work well. Good luck.
Eric Tobolski

 

Have you run it yet? Any noisier or hotter?

When I was overhauling the NP435 that goes with this NP205, the guy at Standard Transmissions (who I bought the 435 parts from)told me that setting up a 435 loose never hurt anything, and that about the only way to kill a 435 was to set it up too tight.

I think that same philophy would apply to the 205, also. I hope.

I'm not planning on buttoning it up before the weekend, though.

Eddie

 

Eric, I feel about 1/4" tall right now--I was about to screw up something dirt-simple, basically unscrewupable.

Those shims go inside the idler gear, inbetween the the inside of the bearings--on top or on bottom of the sleeve that also goes inside the idler gear.

Duh.

Eddie

 

I posted this same question over on the "Dodge Power Wagon" forum, and got the following info:

With shimming adjusted properly, you should be able to spin that idler gear, let go, and have it turn freely by itself 11-13 turns.

There is also a fella out in Oregon who's sending me a shim pack assortment.

Those guys over on that forum are a bunch of serious gearheads, no joke!

Eddie