48RE - Front Planets Has a Recess in the Hub

[JVance]

I disassembled my 48re for a rebuild and I discovered my intermediate shaft is missing the section where the circlip groove would be (at least .125" is gone), and the hub for the front planets is recessed (maybe .030").

I believe the damage to the intermediate shaft was caused by a broken OD circlip. When I pulled the OD housing to replace the OD circlip earlier this month, the OD hub was cocked sideways (because only a bit more than half of the circlip was still in place) and bound against the intermediate shaft...the intermediate shaft came out with the OD housing.
I *think* that binding between the OD hub and intermediate shaft may popped off the circlip at the front of the shaft (where the front planets are retained), and excess thrust eventually ground away the front of the intermediate shaft. I suppose how it failed doesn't matter, as I need to replace it anyway.

My question, however, involves the recess in the hub of the front planetary. It's a minor recess, but inspecting a pic of another used 48re front planetary (similar year...2004), that planetary lacks any recess whatsoever. However, I've also found a pic of a 48re front planetary (2006) that has a similar recess.

So, is the recess in my front planetary damage, possibly grinding from excess thrust after the intermediate shaft began to grind away? Or is this just normal variation in production; i.e. including the other examples I've seen, are some planetaries produced with a recess, others not, but the total width of the hub remains the same?
Where might I find a spec for the width of the front planetary hub?

Thanks in advance!

 

[JVance]

(And I apologize for the multiple images...I'll try to edit the post when the forum quits giving me 'spam' errors)

 

[JVance]

Not much knowledge to be shared, I guess?

I wasn't going to risk the end-play being out of spec, so I replaced the planets and ring gear. In the end, it still took a thick selective thrust at the pump and input/intermediate shaft.

I'd still be interested to hear anybody's experience with similar intermediate shaft failure.

 

[Timd32]

I've not had that happen. But mines a 47RE, had some other internal failure and had a rough life overall.

Tossed a bunch of Goerend parts at it, I don't think I did all of the shafts new but maybe 2 of them.

Sounds like you are on top of these pretty well.

I know there was a user on here a few years back really top notch on these units. But have not seen them for a very long time around.

Also I have not kept up on M1973M's site, you might be able to get some good feedback over there. Not sure really also have not visited there in a really really long time. Maybe stop on over there and see what's happening.

Pretty fast turn around on your fix. Good luck with your repairs.

 

[JVance]

I also used a Goerend rebuild kit. Their annotated instructions alongside the ASTG manual made the rebuild fairly straightforward. All in all, back up and running again.

 

[JVance]

Around 28 minutes in, Richard @ Precision Transmission pulls an OD housing off of a 48RE...intermediate shaft comes out with it, having the same damage to the circlip groove as mine.

Anyway, he seemed puzzled altogether. Still, interesting to see documentation of a similar, peculiar failure. Hopefully this might help somebody else down the road.

 

[Timd32]

Around 28 minutes in, Richard @ Precision Transmission pulls an OD housing off of a 48RE...intermediate shaft comes out with it, having the same damage to the circlip groove as mine.

Anyway, he seemed puzzled altogether. Still, interesting to see documentation of a similar, peculiar failure. Hopefully this might help somebody else down the road.

Always great videos.

I always wished I took notes while watching his stuff. You could probably piece a lot together over time. It was probably a long time before I figured that part out, and was like yeah to go back and try that now would be an effort.