GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

[Greg_E]

I'm using the GLM 90330 and 90335 shimming tools to determine the proper amount of shims to use on my 1988 V6 gearcase. At one end of the tool is a spring loaded plunger that the end of the driveshaft goes on. It appears that the purpose of this is to push the driveshaft, driveshaft bearing,and thrust washer against the driveshaft bearing cover that has been bolted to the other end of the tool. The instructions show the tool being used in the upright position, with the plunger at the bottom,but there is no way that the spring tension will be enough to press the thrust washer firmly against the driveshaft bearing housing. Even if I lay it horizontally it doesn't press it firmly against the bearing housing.

I'm thinking that I should invert the tool so that the weight of the driveshaft presses the bearing and thrust washer against the bearing housing and then use shims to determine the gap between the 90330 and 90335 tools.

When I use this method, I came up with .010" shims, which seems reasonable.
The old pinion gear also had .010" shims

Am I doing this right?

When the driveshaft is in the vertical position, with the plunger at the bottom, like they show in the insructions, the weight of the driveshaft causes the pinion gear to sit on the tool, with virtually no gap.

Here's a link to the instructions they send with the tool.
http://bpi.ebasicpower.com/downloads/GLM90330inst.pdf

Thanks.

Edit:
OK. I finally got the info I needed, so I can save everyone the pain of reading this entire thread. On the bottom of the tool is a large threaded plug that holds the spring and plunger in place. I needed to turn the plug in quite a bit to get enough spring pressure to push the driveshaft up, so thrust washer was pressed against the bearing housing. I don't know if they ship it that way so the spring doesn't get weak, if it sits for a long period of time, or it was just overlooked when it was assembled. In any case, there is no mention of this in the instructions. Inverting the tool will give the same result but is more difficult to do, because the tool will not sit flat on the workbench when it is inverted.

 

[Greg_E]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

Ttt

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

It different than the omc but this is how I understand instructions:
(1) Assemble shaft in toll with bearing and washer LESS shims
(2) Install finder tool on top of flat of pinion gear magnetic side to gear
(3) Measure between tool and finderand resulting reading is your shim thickness.
I made a quick diagram for it..

 

[Greg_E]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

It different than the omc but this is how I understand instructions:
(1) Assemble shaft in toll with bearing and washer LESS shims
(2) Install finder tool on top of flat of pinion gear magnetic side to gear
(3) Measure between tool and finderand resulting reading is your shim thickness.
I made a quick diagram for it..

Thanks for the reply but that doesn't solve my problem. Your diagram is not 100% accurate, in that there is a spring loaded plunger that comes to a point inside the end block of the tool. The driveshaft sits on that point. With the tool oriented as you have shown, the weight of the driveshaft overcomes the spring pressure (which isn"t much) and the pinion gear is sitting on the end block. When I put the gage tool on the pinion gear, there is no gap.
If I turn the tool 180* the weight of the driveshaft presses the thrust bearing and thrust washer against the driveshaft bearing housing. If I measure the gap between the gage block and endblock I get .010" wich is the same as the shims I removed, when I disassembled the gearcase.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

Well the good thing about OMC is the gearcases are milled to spec's. If you have not changed anything such as bearing/washer/driveshaft/gears you can pull everything and drop it in a new case with no problems. My OMC tool uses collars and shim tools. It has a preloaded point also but you tighten it up till line disappears. Are you change case or parts or just checking out??

 

[Greg_E]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

I am changing the gear set, so I need to go through the shimming procedure.

Does the OMC tool hold the driveshaft so it is pressing the thrust washer against the driveshaft bearing housing?

Am I correct in saying that the purpose of the shims is to eliminate the endplay in the driveshaft?
As the pinion gear turns it wants to move away (up)from the gear it is meshing with. If that is correct, the thrust washer is pressed against the driveshaft bearing housing. To check how much you need to shim, you would need to simulate that condition. With the GLM tool held in the position they show in the instructions that isn't happening.
If you invert it , the weight of the driveshaft is pressing the thrust washer against the housing.
Am I missing something here?

 

[Greg_E]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

ttt

 

[seahorse5]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

Am I correct in saying that the purpose of the shims is to eliminate the endplay in the driveshaft?

Not familiar with the GLM shim tool, but the shims position the pinion gear teeth to the correct location (gear lash) with the matched forward gear.

When rotating, the spiral-bevel gear angle pushes the pinion gear upwards against the roller thrust bearing and upper bearing and seal housing. The shims are used to get the correct distance from the bottom of the bearing and seal housing to the pinion gear tooth engagement.

 

[Greg_E]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

Not familiar with the GLM shim tool, but the shims position the pinion gear teeth to the correct location (gear lash) with the matched forward gear.

When rotating, the spiral-bevel gear angle pushes the pinion gear upwards against the roller thrust bearing and upper bearing and seal housing. The shims are used to get the correct distance from the bottom of the bearing and seal housing to the pinion gear tooth engagement.

That is my understanding, as well, which is what has me confused when looking at the GLM instructions. With the tool as shown in their instructions the pinion is sitting on the large aluminum endblock. What's the point of bolting the bearing housing to the other end of the tool? It does nothing!
When I flip the tool 180* the thrust washer is pressed against the driveshaft bearing housing, by the weight of the driveshaft, and I get what seems like a reasonable measurement between the gage block and large end of the tool.
.010"

Someone must have used the GLM tool to do this setup.

 

[Greg_E]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

Ttt

 

[Greg_E]

Re: GLM 90330 Driveshaft Shimming Tool Setup ???

TTT one last time.

Edit:
I couldnt wait any longer, to assemble this, so I did what made sense to me.
I installed the driveshft in the tool, following the instructions that were provide. I then turned the tool 180* from what is shown in the instructions, with the pinion gear at the top. I then set the gage block on the pinion gear. The magnets in the gage block hold it in place. I then measured the gap between the gage block and main tool, to determine what shims were needed. Time will tell, if I have done this correctly.

To anyone with any experience using this tool: Feel free to add your comments. Maybe it will help the next guy.