Differential Carrier Inspection Procedures

Fig. 8 Checking left driveshaft or inner shaft splines for looseness. 1984 front drive axle:

1. Check differential gear tooth contact. Replace the gear if worn or damaged. There are two types of differential cases, side gears and pinion gears. When replacing them, be careful not to select wrong parts.
2. Check the bearing race for discoloration caused by seizure and rough surface. Replace the bearing if defective.
3. On 1984 front wheel drive axles, install differential side gear on axle shaft and check axle shaft splines for looseness using a dial indicator. The service limit for axle shaft spline looseness is 0.020 inch for models except Pickup truck and 0.024 inch for Pickup truck.
4. Check the differential pinion to pinion shaft clearance. Clearance should be 0.0006-0.0024 inch. Replace worn or damaged components.
5. On limited slip differentials, proceed as follows:
a. Clean all components in a suitable solvent.
b. Inspect sliding and mating surfaces of clutch plate and pressure ring for pitting or damage.
c. Inspect contact surfaces of friction plates, friction discs, spring plates and spring discs. If any signs of seizure, severe friction or color from heat damage, replace components as required. Worn area around circumference of friction surfaces is due to spring plate and spring disc and wear is not abnormal.
d. Check the six projections on the inner circumference of the friction disc for nicks and dents, then repair as necessary using a suitable oil stone or replace as necessary.
e. Check the four projections on the outer circumference of friction disc for nicks and dents, then repair as necessary using a suitable oil stone or replace as necessary.
f. Inspect the sliding surfaces of the thrust washers and differential case, spring contacting surfaces of differential case, contacting surfaces of pressure rings, sliding surface of thrust washers and sliding surface of hole in side gears and repair as necessary using a suitable oil stone.
g. Check spherical surface of pinion gears and I.D. of pressure rings, then the V-shaped groove in the pressure rings and pinion shaft. Check O.D. of pinion shaft and hole in pinion gear, then the outer and inner circumference of differential case. Inspect sliding surface of thrust block, then if any damage is found on the preceding components, repair as necessary using a suitable oil stone or replace as necessary.
h. Inspect friction plates, friction discs, spring discs and spring plates for flatness using a suitable dial indicator. If found to be worn more than 0.003 inch on friction plate or 0.004 inch on clutch plate, replace worn components.