Final Drive Gear Teeth Contact Adjustment: Notes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Check the final drive gear teeth contact in the following steps:

Apply the bearing blue on the drive gear teeth (on both sides) thinly and evenly.

Fig 1: Applying Bearing Blue On Drive Gear Teeth
Courtesy of MITSUBISHI MOTOR SALES OF AMERICA.
Insert special tool remover bar (MB990939) between the gear carrier and the drive gear installation side of the differential case. While applying load to the drive gear rotation so that approx. 2.5 to 2.9 N.m (22.2 - 25.6 in-lb) rotation torque is applied to the drive pinion, rotate the drive pinion by hand (360 degrees clockwise and counterclockwise respectively).
CAUTION: Do not let the drive gear rotated over 360 degrees. It makes the gear contact pattern unclear.
Check contact of the final drive gear teeth.

Fig 2: Inserting Special Tool Remover Bar Between Gear Carrier And Drive Gear Installation Side Of Differential Case
Courtesy of MITSUBISHI MOTOR SALES OF AMERICA.

Normal contact pattern	Cause	Measures
Small-end side Drive-side tooth face (the side to which the force is applied while driving forward) Large-end side Coast-side tooth face (the side to which the force is applied while driving backward)	Contact pattern indicating that the drive pinion height is too high Drive pinion is too much away from the center of the drive gear.	Increase thickness of the drive pinion rear shim to bring the drive pinion closer to the center of the drive gear. Then move the drive gear away from the drive pinion for the final drive gear backlash adjustment.
	Contact pattern indicating that the drive pinion height is too low Drive pinion is too close to the center of the drive gear.	Reduce thickness of the drive pinion rear shim to bring the drive pinion away from the center of the drive gear. Then move the drive gear closer to the drive pinion for the final drive gear backlash adjustment.

NOTE:

Checking the contact pattern is the method to check that the drive pinion height and the final drive gear backlash are or are not adjusted properly. Repeat the adjustments of the drive pinion height and the final drive gear backlash until the contact pattern similar to the normal pattern.
If the normal contact pattern cannot be obtained even after making the adjustments, the drive gear and the drive pinion have been worn exceeding the usage limit. Replace both gears as a set.