Differential Case

Differential Case





Special Tool(s)





Material

Removal and Installation

1. CAUTION: Reinstall the differential pinion shaft and the bolt in the differential case after removing the axle shafts.

Remove the axle shafts.
2. Wipe the lubricant from the internal working parts and inspect the parts for wear and damage.





3. Rotate the differential assembly to check for roughness indicating bearing or gear damage.





4. Using a suitable dial indicator and the special tool, measure and record the differential ring gear backlash at four evenly spaced sections of the ring gear.





5. CAUTION: Mark the position of the bearing caps, as the arrows may not be visible. Always install the bearing caps in their identical locations and positions.

Remove the bearing caps.
1. Remove the bolts.
2. Remove the bearing caps.





6. WARNING: Do not allow the differential assembly to fall.

CAUTION: Place a wood block between the pry bar and the differential housing to protect the machined surface.

Using a pry bar and a wood block, remove the differential assembly from the differential housing.





7. Remove the bolts.





8. CAUTION: Do not damage the differential ring gear bolt hole threads.

CAUTION: If removing the anti-lock speed sensor ring, discard it, and install a new anti-lock speed sensor ring during installation.

Insert a punch in the bolt holes, and drive off the differential ring gear and, if necessary, the anti-lock speed sensor ring.

9. If the differential ring gear backlash variation between teeth measurement, taken at the beginning of this procedure, did not exceed the specification, proceed to the appropriate procedure as necessary: Drive Pinion, Differential Case and Ring Gear- Conventional or Differential Case and Ring Gear-Traction-Lok(R), or to Installation in this procedure. If the differential ring gear backlash variation between teeth measurement, taken at the beginning of this procedure, exceeded the specification, the cause may be a warped differential ring gear, differential case or differential bearing damage. Proceed as follows to verify the cause of the excessive variation.





10. Position the differential assembly, including the differential bearing cups and differential bearing shims, in the differential housing. Install the bearing caps and the bolts.





11. Position the special tool.
1. Rotate the differential case to verify that the differential bearings have seated correctly.
2. Position the special tool.





12. Measure and note the differential case runout.
^ If the runout does not exceed the specification, install a new differential ring gear and pinion.
^ If the runout exceeds the specification, the differential ring gear is true and the concern is due to either differential case or differential bearing damage. Proceed as follows.





13. Using the special tools, remove the differential bearings.





14. Using the special tool, install the new differential bearings.





15. Position the differential assembly, including the differential bearing cups and differential bearing shims in the differential housing. Tighten bearing caps to specification.





16. Position the special tool.
1. Rotate the differential case to verify that the differential bearings have seated correctly.
2. Position the special tool.





17. Measure the differential case runout.
^ If the runout does not exceed the specification, use the new differential bearings for assembly.
^ If the runout exceeds the specification, install a new differential case.

Installation
All axles
1. Position the differential ring gear, the anti-lock speed sensor ring, and the differential case. Align the bolt holes by starting two bolts through the holes in the differential case and the differential ring gear. Press the new anti-lock speed sensor ring, if removed, and the differential ring gear on the differential case.





2. Install the bolts.
^ Apply stud and bearing mount to the bolt threads.





3. With the pinion depth set and pinion installed, place the differential assembly in the differential housing.





4. Install a differential bearing shim on the left side.





5. CAUTION: Always install the bearing caps in their identical locations and positions.

NOTE: Apply pressure toward the left side to make sure the left differential bearing cup seats correctly.

Install the left bearing cap and loosely install the bolts.





6. Install progressively larger differential bearing shims on the right side until the largest shim selected can be installed by hand.





7. Install the right side bearing cap and tighten the left side and right side bolts to specification.





8. Rotate the differential case to make sure it turns freely.

Measuring backlash








9. Using the special tools, measure and note the differential ring gear backlash.
^ If backlash is within the specification, refer to Backlash Within Specification in this procedure. The specification shown is the full allowable range.
^ If a zero backlash condition occurs, refer to Zero Backlash in this procedure.
^ If backlash is not within the specification, refer to Backlash Not Within Specification in this procedure.

Zero backlash





10. If a zero backlash condition occurs, add 0.51 mm (0.020 inch) to the RH side and subtract 0.51 mm (0.020 inch) from the LH side to allow backlash indication. Measure the backlash. Refer to Measuring Backlash in this procedure.

Backlash not within specification





11. To increase or decrease backlash, remove the bearing caps and install a thicker shim and a thinner shim accordingly.
^ If backlash is not within the specification, increase the thickness of one differential bearing shim and decrease the thickness of the other differential bearing shim by the same amount.





12. Rotate the differential assembly several times to verify that the differential bearings seated correctly.





13. Using the special tools, recheck the backlash.
^ If backlash is within the specification, refer to Backlash Within Specification in this procedure. If backlash is not within the specification, repeat Backlash Not Within Specification in this procedure.
^ The specification shown is the full allowable range.

Backlash within specification
14. Remove the bolts and the bearing caps.





15. To establish differential bearing preload, increase both left and right differential bearing shim sizes by the specification shown.





16. Using the special tool, fully seat the differential bearing shims. Make sure the assembly rotates freely.





17. Install the bearing caps and bolts.





18. Using the special tools, recheck the backlash.
^ The specification shown is the full allowable range.
19. Install the axle shafts.