Exactly. The balls, diff and thrust, are carbide -- very hard -- so the rings and washers wear out much faster.
The diff balls drive the car while the thrust balls give it the diff action. But the thrust balls also hold the thing together, there are only half as many thrust balls and they are much smaller. Result is the thrust balls wear faster than the diff balls.
IMHO, the thrust bearing assemblies where the bearings are held in a retainer and the washers have little grooves for the balls to run in, like LOSA3018, are much better.
|