Challenger Terra Gator 3244 Chassis. Manual - part 99

Page 35

Section 4

Assembly

•

If the seals are not aligned correctly:

The

seals will move. Any wobbling motion of the

seals is an indication of incorrectly positioned

(cocked) seals. Dirt can enter past the Toric

Ring. 

•

Shown in Figure 4.26, the Toric Rings have

slipped, instead of rolling on the left-hand side

of the seal. Note how the top Toric Ring is to

the right and the bottom Toric Ring is to the left.

The same seals are also shown after the bot-

tom half is rotated 90 degrees.

•

If the Toric Ring slips at any location,

it will

twist, causing the formed seal rings to seat

incorrectly (cock). 

4.  Install the hub. Use a large thin-wall tube (tool

number 1, see Special Tool Section), to push the

inner bearing onto spindle while installing hub

onto spindle.

Figure 4.26

Wheel Hub to Spindle Assembly

NOTE:

Complete the assembly of the wheel hub to

the spindle. Before installing the wheel hub onto the

spindle, however, keep the following points in mind to

ensure correct sealing between the faces of the Toric

Ring:
1.  Check both sealing faces carefully to make sure

they are clean and free of any dirt, debris, lint, and

even human hair.

CAUTION

Bring the housings together slowly. High impact
can result in component damage. Remove protec-
tive pad from the spindle's seal journal.

2.  Remove the protective pad from the spindle's seal

journal.

CAUTION

Do not apply lubricant to the Toric Ring. The Toric
Ring can leak. Damage to components 
can result.

3.  Apply a light coating of Dow Corning GN molybde-

num assembly paste lubricant to the two mating

surfaces of the face seal’s steel rings only. Do not

allow this lubricant to contact the Toric Ring. The

Toric Ring can leak. Figure 4.25.

•

When installing the hub onto the spindle, both seal

housings must be aligned correctly.

•

Slowly bring the hub and spindle assembly togeth-

er as the spindle bearing adjustment nut is tight-

ened. Figure 4.25.

!

!

Figure 4.25

FACE SEAL
MATING
SURFACES

Page 36

5. Apply a light coat of oil to the bearing cone rollers

and install the outer bearing cone onto 

the spindle. Figure 4.27.

NOTE:

The (3) M8 threaded holes in the wheel bear-

ing adjusting nut should be facing outward as the nut

is assembled against the wheel bearing cone. Rotate

the wheel hub by hand while tightening adjusting nut in

order to seat the wheel bearings and seal assembly.
6. Install the wheel bearing adjusting nut using the

wheel bearing adjusting nut tool 860901009T

per the special tools section, or equivalent. Tighten

the nut to 500 lb-ft (678 N•m). 

7. Rotate the hub three to five revolutions in both

directions.

8. Tighten the nut to 500 lb-ft (678 N•m) again. 
9. Rotate the hub three to five revolutions in each

direction again.

10. Repeat above steps until nut torque level stabilizes.
11. Install the wheel bearing lock plate over the wheel

bearing adjusting nut and align the tabs on lock

plate with slots in the spindle.

12. Review the alignment of the holes in the lock

plate and holes in the spindle nut. Review amount

the spindle bearing nut must be loosened to make

the holes align with lock plate. 

13. Repeat steps 11 & 12 with lock plate indexed 180

degrees and review the hole alignment in the lock

plate and wheel bearing adjusting nut. 

14. Choose between the (2) lock plate positions that

requires the “least loosening” of the wheel

nut.The maximum recommendation is no more

than 5.5 degrees “loosening” of the adjusting nut.

NOTE:

Do not further tighten the wheel nut to align

the capscrew holes.

15. Add a few drops of medium strength thread locker

to each capscrew threads to install the (3) lock

plate M8 capscrews and tighten per “Torque Table”

in section 6. Safely set the planetary wheel hub, 

planetary ring gear, and spindle assembly on 

a workbench. 

Planetary Spider Sub-Assembly

The planetary pinion shafts are not serviceable items

and should not have been disassembled from the 

planetary spider.
Further sub-assembly of the planetary pinion gears, 

needle rollers, and thrust washers is as follows if the

planetary spider gears had been removed.

Re-Use Components

If the re-assembly of the planetary spider will re-use the

components that were previously dis-assembled and 

inspected:
1. Open each bag containing the previously removed

planet gear, snap ring, thrust washers, and needle

bearing components that were marked and match to

the planetary pinion shaft from which they were

removed. Keep these parts matched to their planetary

pinion shaft during assembly.

New Components

If new components are to be assembled on the 

planetary pinion shafts, please follow the identical 

recommended procedure:
Repeat the following steps for each planetary pinion

shaft /gear assembly.
1. Place the planetary spider with the (4) planetary 

pinion shafts pointing upward in a safe workbench 

orientation so the planetary spider assembly will not

roll or fall off the work bench and cause personal

injury or component damage.

2. Apply a light coating of oil or grease to the base of

planetary spider where the outer thrust washer will

be placed and the planetary pinion shaft,outer

thrust washer faces and slide the outer washer

over the pinion shaft and against the spider.

CAUTION

Never mix new and old needle rollers, nor needle
rollers from different manufacturers, on the same
planetary pinion shaft and gear assembly.
Component damage can occur.
Two optional methods of assembling the planetary

gears with needle rollers to each planetary pinion

shaft are recommended:

!

Section 4
Assembly

Figure 4.27

OUTER BEARING CUP

BEARING

CONE

LOCKPLATE

CAPSCREW

ADJUSTING NUT

INNER BEARING CONE

TRS FACE SEAL

BEARING

SPACER

Page 37

Method 1:
3. Apply a light coat of grease to the planetary pinion

gear bore and assemble the (33) needle rollers into

the planet gear bore until there is no further space to

add additional needle rollers. Figure 4.28. If new 

needle rollers are being used in the planetary gear

assembly, they must be from the same vendor, and

belong to the same tolerance group (0.002mm). 

4. Carefully, lift the planet gear with needle rollers

assembled and place on the planetary pinion shaft. It

is recommended to use a pointed tool to stick

between the needle rollers to help align the needle

rollers and verify there is no gap large enough to

insert an extra roller.

Method 2:
3. Apply a light coat of grease to the planetary gear

bore and install the gear over the planetary pinion

shaft. Figure 4.28.

NOTE:

Oscillating the planetary pinion gear will help

in seating the needle rollers during assembly. Use of

a pointed tool to stick between the needle rollers may

be required until all rollers are aligned and installed

with no gap large enough for an additional roller.
4. Individually add each needle roller to the gear

assembly until all (33) rollers are installed. 

5. Add light coat of oil or grease to the faces of the inner

thrust washer and slide over the planetary pinion shaft

and insert the locking tab into the planetary pinion

shaft to eliminate the thrust washer rotation.

NOTE:

The snap ring should rotate freely in the

groove on the planetary pinion shaft when properly

seated.
6. Install the snap ring into the planetary pinion shaft

groove to retain the planetary gear assembly on the

planetary spider assembly.

NOTE:

If the gear does not rotate smoothly or if

excessive axial end play is noted, the outer thrust

washer may have been omitted and this gear 

assembly should be removed and checked that all

components were assembled.  
7. After each planetary pinion gear,needle rollers,

thrust washers and snap ring are assembled on

each pinion shaft, a check should be done to

assure the planetary gear rotates smoothly and

has little axial endplay 

( ~ < 0.07mm or 0.003”) .

8. Safely set the assembled planetary spider shaft on a

work bench for later assembly into the planetary

wheel end.

Planetary Spider Assembly, Spindle
& Planetary Ring Gear Assembly, and
Wheel Hub Assembly

To assemble the planetary wheel end using the above

sub-assemblies, the following procedure is recommended: 

CAUTION

Take care when using lifting devices. When 
you use a lifting strap, inspect the strap for 
damage before you use it. Do not use a lifting
strap to shock load or drop load a component.
Serious personal injury and damage to 
components can result.
1. Using a lifting strap to secure the planetary spider

assembly, place the assembly with the planet pins

setting on a 50 mm thick spacer whose O.D. is 

smaller than ring gear’s I.D. Figure 4.29.

2. Using a lifting strap to secure the spindle, wheel

hub and planetary ring gear assembly, safely lower

this assembly onto the the planetary spider allow-

ing the planetary spider shaft to pass through the

spindle bore and then mesh the planetary gears

into the planetary ring gear teeth as the subassembly

is slowly and safely lowered together.

!

Section 4

Assembly

Figure 4.28

SNAP RING

INNER THRUST
WASHER

PLANETARY
PINION GEAR

ROLLERS

OUTER THRUST
WASHER

PLANETARY
PINION SHAFT

PLANETARY SPIDER

Figure 4.29

Page 38

NOTE:

Use care not to damage or twist the O-ring 

during assembly.  
3. Apply a light coat of grease to the O-ring that will be

fitted onto the driver pilot diameter and install 

O-ring onto the driver against the flange. Care should

be taken to not twist or damage the O-ring during this

assembly. Figure 4.30.

4. Slide the driver and O-ring assembly onto the 

planetary spider shaft splines. Fit the driver pilot diam-

eter in the wheel hub pilot bore, aligning the (3) M8

capscrew mounting holes.

5. Add medium strength thread locker to the (3) M8

Allen head capscrew threads and tighten the 

capscrews per “Torque Table” in section 6.

NOTE:

The snap ring should rotate freely in the snap

ring groove, if properly seated.
6. Install the snap ring into the groove of the planetary

spider shaft, locking it against the driver.

7. Apply a light coat of grease to the O-ring and add O-

ring to the cover groove. Care should be taken not to

twist or damage the O-ring during assembly on the

cover groove. 

8. Place the cover against the wheel driver and the end

of the planetary spider.

9. Add medium strength thread locker to each of the (8)

holes in the wheel driver and install the (8) M8 Allen

head capscrews and tighten per “Torque Table” in

section 6.

Install the Planetary Wheel End
Assembly On the Axle Housing

CAUTION

Take care when using lifting devices. When 
you use a lifting strap, inspect the strap for 
damage before you use it. Do not use a lifting
strap to shock load or drop load a component.
Serious personal injury and damage to 
components can result.
To continue with this axle assembly, the axle housing

should have carrier input  horizontal. All instructions pro-

vided are per axle housing end and must be repeated on

the opposite housing end for a complete axle assembly.
1. If (2) studs are not already installed in the axle hous-

ing flanges, then add a few drops of medium strength

thread locker into (2) threaded holes at 10:00 and

2:00 positions in the axle housing flange and add (2)

M18 studs. Tighten per “Torque Table” in section 6.

Figure 4.31.

NOTE:

The following 2 steps apply to the wet brake axle

only at this point of assembly. Should the axle being

assembled not have the wet brake option, skip to step 4.

WARNING

Take care when you use adhesives, thread 
locking compounds, silicone gasket materials 
or any sealants to avoid serious personal injury.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to prevent
irritations to the eyes and skin. Figure 4.32.

!

!

Section 4
Assembly

Figure 4.30

Figure 4.31

WHEEL END
ASSEMBLY

SPINDLE
FLANGE

PLANETARY
RING GEAR

LIFTING STRAP

TWO M18 CAPSCREWS AND
NUTS INSTALLED, FOR SAFETY

O-RING