Guys i have a simple question that I understand may have a not so simple answer. I work with and maintain Heavy Duty Construction Equipment (Drill Rigs).
we have 1 Drill that is going through a rear end (Broken Ring and or Pinion) weekly. Today I heard the rear end pop very loudly while i was standing 100ft away from it, and while I was operating a differ piece of equipment. I have never heard a rear end break like that. When i got the case opened and looked inside both the ring and pinion was in pieces. It really exploded. I know this had to be due to extreme heat, or extreme torque, or both.

But could a better mechanic than me tell me, where the rubber meets the road with this..... Exactly what makes a rear end explode? I know there is more than 1 answer. If someone could tell me exactly what could cause that, i may be able to get this resolved/fixed once and for all.

Could the backlash be too much/not enough and cause it to EXPLODE?? I know it could break a tooth, lockup...but Explode????
could we be using wrong gear oil? Alowing it to heat up to Explosion Farenheit?? Could the bearing fail maybe not proper pre-loaded and allow pinion and ring to slide fully into each other? What all can truly cause a ring and pinion to get so hot and stressed that it needs to explode into several pieces to relieve itself..

This is not happenning on a rear end im rebuilding or operating so i cant really be at ground zero when it breaks to try and determine whats happenning. Ive never had rear end that ive built explode, so i am at a loss at most common culprit leading to exploding.

Please someone that knows rear ends let me have it. Give me ur best 6 page 100 possobility answer.

Thank you to anyone who answers. I will sincerely appreciate it..

P.S..... It had oil, it wasnt dry. It was just rebuilt by Moe from 3-stoogez exactly 1 week ago. It had bearings, oil, seals... nothing was missing, or ran dry... So, the cause has to be improper installation, wrong fluids, or improper use... but my question is how???

 

welcome to the site, blown rears in my dealer shop years like you describe and as a drag racer is from abuse . while not a ford i have a friend who can blow out a properly assembled 12 bolt chevy from how he drives ,neutral drops at stops in a matter of a few hours

 

agreed. i had a driver explode two mack 53,000 pound rears when he snapped a shift fork in 3rd gear, and shifted into 4th. two weeks later he snapped the input shaft on front drive rear doing a clutch dump.
three months later sheared four gears off the bull gear.
he left after that and not on his own choice.

 

Thanks guys,

You answered my question. It sounds like the most likely explanation on how to destroy a rear end 4x in a row, all exacty 1 week apart .... Is by abusing it. In a drag car, thats acceptable.... But outside the track. There is no excuse for that. This guy has destroyed a rear end every week for 4 weeks. Just today the ring/pinion actually exploded into pieces. I had suspcted abuse, but now im fairly certain. Hes dumpin the clutch...

Thanks guys, much appreciated.