Originally Posted by franklynb

Here are some pics: Large ones listed below.

The assembled diff with axles inserted:


http://franklynb.home.mindspring.com/_617/DSC02345.JPG


Axle pulled out to reveal clearance between spider pin and end of axle:

http://franklynb.home.mindspring.com/_617/DSC02347.JPG

Axle with original spacer mounted, pushed in as far as it will go:

http://franklynb.home.mindspring.com/DSC02348.JPG

Note that the end of the axle runs into the spider pivot!

Now here's the gap at the axle housing on the outside:


It doesn't tell you much.

I moved BOTH spacers to one side, then checked to make certain
the axle wasn't still "bumped" against the pivot pin.

Using a feeler gauge to check clearance between spider and pin:

http://franklynb.home.mindspring.com/_617/DSC02350.JPG

Finally, using the gauge to check retaining ring clearance:

http://franklynb.home.mindspring.com/_617/DSC02351.JPG

Here's the problem: since the axle was long enough to hit the pivot
pin i had to add BOTH existing spacers to each axle, one side at a time --
which gained enough clearance on the pivot pin to ensure that I was
measuring the maximum end play condition.

As you expect, I increased this feeler stack until it filled up the "gap"; then
add that thickness to the existing spacer PAIR
Ordered spacers to that "new" size.

fruitcakesa says he "measured the snap ring gap" .... what I believe he
means is he "measured the gap BETWEEN the snap ring and spider carrier"
NOT the groove the ring mounts in. This measurement process is what I've
shown in the "retaining ring clearance check" above. Then he had spacers
ground to size, rather than buying spacers from the dealer.

We are suggesting the same process. Just different sources for the spacers.

The point of my original post is to warn against the much-posted
assumption: "Use the old spacers and you should be OK."

Not.

hope this helps.

--frankb

Originally Posted by franklynb

I think that the conventional wisdom has been to "re-use
the spacers with the axle" when swapping half-shafts from another vehicle.

Just a report: that certainly didn't work for me!

Not only did the half-shafts crash into the spider pivot pin,
I had to upgrade them from .6 & .7mm to 2.8 and 2.6mm, respectively to take
all the end-play out! These are "late" homokinetics, the kind without a bolt circle,
if that matters.

So, carefully check your end play!

--frankb