Assembly

NOTE: Before assembly, wash all parts and dry with compressed air. Apply Mercon transaxle fluid to all surfaces following assembly.

1. Install speedometer drive gear to gear case, aligning locating tang on gear with groove in case.
2. Install front differential bearing to gear case with a press and driver handle tool No. T80T-4000-W and bearing cone replacement tool No. T87C-77000-C or equivalents.
3. Install rear differential bearing to gear case with a press, using driver handle tool No. T80T-4000-W and bearing cone replacement tool No. T87C-77000-C or equivalents.

Side Gear Thrust Washer Thickness Availability:

4. Locate and record identifications number on each side gear thrust washer. The image gives thickness of the thrust washers. This information may be used with setting backlash of side and pinion gears.
5. Coat pinion gear thrust washers with transaxle fluid. Install thrust washers to pinion gears. Install pinion gear assemblies to gear case.
6. Coat pinion gear thrust washers with clean transaxle fluid. Install pinion gears to the gear case so that they are parallel to each other. Install the thrust washers to the gears.
7. After installing thrust washers on the pinion gears, turn the gears back on the side gear and install them into the gear case. The pinion gears and pinion shaft hole must be aligned on both sides of the gear case. If the gears and gear case shaft hold do not line up, remove the pinion gears and re-install into the case.

Pinion Shaft Installation:

8. Install pinion shaft into gear case.
9. Install roll pin through gear case and into the pinion shaft using a suitable drift and hammer. Sink the pin until it is approximately 1/16 inch below the surface of the gear case.
10. Stake gear case to prevent pin from coming out. Install ring gear to gear case, with the depression on the gear towards the gear case.
11. Align threaded holes in gear with the holes in the case. Install ring gear bolts and hand-tighten all of them.
12. Torque bolts to 51-61 ft lbs, in tow stages, marking the first bolt tightened and working in a clockwise direction until all bolts have been properly tightened.
13. Check and adjust side gear and pinion gear backlash as follows:
a. Install both axle shafts into the differential assembly.
b. Support axle shafts on V-blocks.
c. Measure backlash of both pinion gears. Correct backlash measurement is less than 0.004 inch.

Side Gear Thrust Washer Thickness Availability:

d. If backlash is more than specified, adjust by selecting a thrust washer from the chart.
e. Thrust washer should be same thickness at each side gear.