Diff Collar

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:53 pm

I got it machined out today. I got the 3.5in steel collar from McMaster and it was way to small. I measured it before and it was around 3.333in. Once putting it on the lathe it looked like and egg spinning around so it was not round at all, must of been bent out of straight steel I suppose.

We had to cut so much out that it was almost to the threads. Ended up being around 3.555in.

You can see where the threads started to come through:

Sanded down the lathe marks:

ID after lathe:

If you ever wake up and say to yourself "I want to do something fun today," try tightening the bolts on the diff collar.
:lol:

Uffe · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:01 pm

Will that collar help prevent the front diff cracking under heavy loads?

pokefan · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:14 pm

Uffe wrote:

Will that collar help prevent the front diff cracking under heavy loads?

That's the idea, it's never been proven for sure though.

Jeepjeepster wrote:

That cat just shows up everywhere doesn't it? :lol:

You think machining out that much will cause problems with structural integrity?

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

Nicely done! This is on my to-do list also.

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:53 pm

Jeepster if machining it down that far hurts it then you are having other major problems as well. :wink:

It will affect it some but what you have is better than nothing. The aluminum one I bought used was also sort of tight at the threads but fit right on. I know Jons (jerbachers) had his machined out and it was so egg shaped we could not get it on. Need to see if he got it on yet or not.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:54 pm

The collar itself wont be as strong but it will be ok. If both the collar and the diff break then having that little bit of extra that was machined off wouldnt of helped. We would need something much stronger.

My collar is also steel. Its not an aluminum collar so its stronger anyway.

Edit: haha, tom and I posted at the same time.

And yea, my cat likes to be around when were outside working. I usually only let him out of the house when Im out there so he hangs around.

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:45 pm

hahahaha.. i just had a alum. one machined and i put it on mine a few days ago!.. tightening the bolts is a job!.. i can def. relate to you there

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

Blake, shaft collars are not suppose to be completely closed. There is suppose to be a small gap on each side. That is why you put the two pieces completely together it was egg shapped and 3.33".

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:28 am

Eddo wrote:

Blake, shaft collars are not suppose to be completely closed. There is suppose to be a small gap on each side. That is why you put the two pieces completely together it was egg shapped and 3.33".

Looks as if mine is on right then and OK ....cool

Tom

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:44 am

Eddo wrote:

Blake, shaft collars are not suppose to be completely closed. There is suppose to be a small gap on each side. That is why you put the two pieces completely together it was egg shapped and 3.33".

That makes perfect sense eddo.

Either way, we couldnt of machined without the two halves together. I wanted it to be perfectly round so I wasnt about to take a grinder to it.

It worked out great in the end though.

DaveKJ02 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:48 am

tommudd wrote:

Eddo wrote:

Blake, shaft collars are not suppose to be completely closed. There is suppose to be a small gap on each side. That is why you put the two pieces completely together it was egg shapped and 3.33".

Looks as if mine is on right then and OK ....cool

Tom

Whatya think I lied to you? Your is the right size without machining!

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:20 am

im sure this has been said a milion times and there is probably a post on it but where can i get one of these and how much am i looking at? i know there was a group buy on these but i missed out on that. anyone know where i can get me one and not have to machine it?

DaveKJ02 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:48 am

Jeepjeepster wrote:

BTW-I'd make sure you either put some electrical tape around your diff or some very thick coats of paint around that collar. Steel collar acts an the cathode, aluminum alloy diff with be the annode. In galvanic corrosion the metal that is the annode is the one that loses and "disappears". If they salt where you live it will happen even faster.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:11 am

DaveKJ02 wrote:

tommudd wrote:

Eddo wrote:

Blake, shaft collars are not suppose to be completely closed. There is suppose to be a small gap on each side. That is why you put the two pieces completely together it was egg shapped and 3.33".

Looks as if mine is on right then and OK ....cool

Tom

Whatya think I lied to you? Your is the right size without machining!

Nope didnt think you lied to me just after reading some things and then a PM from another member I did go look again and then thought ITS FINE!!!!

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:34 am

dloc_jeep_KJ wrote:

im sure this has been said a milion times and there is probably a post on it but where can i get one of these and how much am i looking at? i know there was a group buy on these but i missed out on that. anyone know where i can get me one and not have to machine it?

Stafford Manufacturing makes the proper size (no additional machining) -- 2-piece shaft collar, 3-9/16" bore, 5" OD, 7/8" wide.

They are available from KAMANDIRECT.com in Steel (~$75), aluminium (~$83), and stainless ($150), plus shipping.

I have not gotten around to ordering one (waiting on my Landy Hitch and just had my local NAPA order me the proper plastic rivets and rivet-setter for the bumper), so I could not tell you what the actual shipping would be.

Diff Collar

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