Differential Assembly: Service and Repair

DISASSEMBLY

Fig. 16 Disassembled View Of AWD Differential.:

1. Place differential carrier into a suitable working fixture.
2. Remove side gear shafts, Fig. 16.
3. Remove side gear shaft oil seals.
4. Using suitable tools, remove companion flange.
5. Remove front oil seal and oil slinger.
6. Remove front bearing and bearing spacer.
7. Remove differential case. Proceed as follows:
a. Place alignment marks on the bearing cap and differential carrier.
b. Remove the two bearing caps.
c. Using tool 09504-22011 or equivalent, remove the two side bearing preload adjusting plate.
d. Measure adjusting plate washer and note thickness.
e. Remove differential case and bearing outer race from carrier.
f. Tag bearing outer races for identification.
8. Remove drive pinion from differential carrier.
9. Remove drive pinion rear bearing, front and rear bearing outer races.
10. Remove ring gear and side bearings.
11. Remove straight pin, pinion shaft, two pinion gears, side gears and thrust washers from differential case.

ASSEMBLY
1. Assemble differential case as follows:
a. Install thrust washers to the side gears.
b. Install side gears with thrust washers and pinion gears with thrust washers.
c. Install pinion shaft. Check side gear backlash. Measure backlash while holding one pinion gear toward the case. Backlash should be .0020-.079 inch. If backlash is not as specified, install side gear thrust washer of different thickness. The available washers are as follows, .037, .039, .041, .043, .045 and .047 inch.
d. Use washers of the same thickness on both right and left sides.
e. Install straight pin through case and hole in pinion shaft.
f. Stake case.
2. Install ring gear onto differential case. Heat gear to approximately 212°F, in oil bath before installing. Align marks on ring gear and differential case. Install and torque attaching bolts to 71 ft. lbs.
3. Stake lock plates. Stake one claw flush with the flat surface of the nut. For the claw contacting the protruding portion of the nut, stake only half on the tightening side.
4. Install side bearings.
5. Using a dial indicator, check ring gear runout. Ring gear runout should be .0028 inch.
6. Install front and rear bearing outer races.
7. Install rear bearing to drive pinion. Temporarily adjust drive pinion preload.
8. Install drive pinion and front bearing. Assemble the spacer, oil slinger and oil seal after adjusting gear contact pattern. Install companion flange. Adjust drive pinion preload by tightening companion flange nut. Using torque wrench, measure preload, Preload (at the start of tightening) should be 10.4-16.5 inch lbs. for new bearings or 5.2-8.7 inch lbs. for used bearings.
9. Install differential case into carrier. Place bearing outer races on their respective bearings. Ensure the left and right outer races are not interchanged.
10. Install the differential case into carrier.
11. Check ring gear backlash, backlash should be .0051-.0071 inch. If not, adjust backlash by either increasing or decreasing the number of washers on both sides by an equal amount. There should be no clearance between plate washer and case.
12. Adjust side bearing preload, as follows:
a. Remove ring gear teeth side plate washer and measure thickness.
b. Install a new plate washer approximately .0024-.0035 inch thicker than the removed washer.
c. Select a washer that can be pressed in 2/3 of the way in by hand.
d. Using a suitable tool, tap in side washer.
e. Install side bearing caps. Align marks on cap and carrier. Torque attaching bolts to 58 ft. lbs.
f. Check ring gear backlash. Backlash should be .0051-.0071 inch. Backlash will change approximately .0008 inch with a .0012 inch alteration of the side washer. If backlash is incorrect, adjust by either increasing or decreasing the number of washers on both sides by equal amounts.
13. Measure total preload. Total preload (at the start plus drive pinion preload) should be 2.6-4.3 inch.
14. Check ring gear tooth contact pattern. If teeth are not contacting properly, use proper washers for correction.
15. Remove companion flange and front bearing.
16. Install new bearing spacer and front bearing. Install oil slinger and a new oil seal.
17. Install companion flange. Torque attaching nut to 80 ft. lbs.
18. Check drive pinion bearing preload. Preload (at the start) should be 8.7-13.9 inch lbs. for new bearings or 4.3-6.9 inch lbs. for used bearings. If preload is greater than specified, replace bearing spacer. If preload is less than specified, tighten nut 9 ft. lbs. at a time until specified preload is reached. If maximum torque is exceeded (174 ft. lbs.) while tightening nut, replace bearing spacer and repeat preload procedure. Do not back off the pinion nut to reduce preload.
19. Check total preload.
20. Check ring gear backlash. Backlash should be .0051-.0071 inch.
21. Check tooth contact pattern.
22. Check companion flange runout. Maximum lateral runout should be .0039 inch. Maximum radial runout should be .0039 inch.
23. Stake drive pinion nut.
24. Install new side gear shaft oil seals.
25. Install side gear shafts.
26. Install differential carrier cover. Torque attaching bolts to 34 ft. lbs.