A. Replace Rear Axle Ring and Pinion
1. Raise the vehicle on an appropriate hoist.2. Remove the rear wheel hub caps.
3. With a drain pan located below the rear differential, carefully remove and save the differential cover bolts (Figure 1).
4. Carefully remove the differential cover (Figure 1)
5. Mark the pinion flange and propeller shaft for installation alignment.
7. Remove and save the axle shaft flange bolts from both rear axle shaft flanges (Figure 2).
8. Place a large shop towel under each of the axle shaft flanges and slide the right and left axle shafts out of the axle.
9. Remove the adjuster lock bolts and the adjuster locks from the differential case bearing caps.
10. Mark the differential case bearing caps, left and right, for installation reference.
11. Loosen, but do not remove, the differential case bearing cap bolts and bearing caps.
12. Using a hammer and punch to turn the differential bearing adjusters, unscrew the adjusters to relieve the preload from the differential bearings (Figure 3).
13. Remove the differential case bearing caps and bolts from the differential housing and remove the differential case assembly.
CAUTION:
Once the bearing cap bolts are removed the differential case and ring gear assembly may fall out of the axle housing.
14. Mark one of the differential bearing cups so the right side bearing cup can be identified from the left side bearing cup when installing the differential case (Figure 4).
NOTE:
Both right and left side differential bearing cups and cones will be reused.
15. Replace the differential ring gear using the following procedure:
a. Place differential case in a vise with soft metal jaw protectors.
b. Remove the bolts holding ring gear to differential case.
c. Partially install four of the old ring gear bolts back into the differential case 90 degrees apart (Figure 5).
d. Drive the old ring gear from the differential case by alternately hitting the four bolt heads to drive the ring gear off the differential case (Figure 5).
e. Discard all of the old ring gear bolts.
f. Remove the differential case from the vise.
g. Clean the differential case housing ring gear seat at the tone wheel (Figure 6).
h. Place the ring gear on differential case and start two new ring gear bolts at opposite sides of the ring gear to hold the ring gear in
position.
i. Install the rest of the new ring gear bolts and tighten them alternately to seat the ring gear to the differential case.
j. Once the ring gear is fully seated, tighten the ring gear bolts to 175 ft. lbs. (237 N.m).
k. Set differential case assembly aside for later installation.
16. Remove the pinion gear from the differential housing using the following procedure:
a. Install Pinion Flange Wrench 8979 onto the pinion flange (Figure 7).
b. Remove and discard the pinion flange nut and washer (Figure 7).
c. Remove the Pinion Flange Wrench 8979 from the pinion flange.
d. Remove pinion flange from the pinion with pinion flange Puller 8992 (Figure 8).
e. Remove the pinion gear from the axle housing with pinion Driver 8977 and a hammer (Figure 9).
NOTE:
Thread the pinion driver onto the pinion shaft until it bottoms out on the pinion shaft.
17. Discard the pinion gear, rear pinion bearing and collapsible spacer.
18. Remove and discard the pinion seal with a slide hammer or pry bar.
19. Remove and discard the front pinion bearing.
20. Remove and discard the front pinion bearing cup from the differential housing using a punch and hammer.
21. Remove and discard the rear pinion bearing cup from the differential housing using a punch and hammer.
22. Clean the inside of the differential housing using brake cleaner spray and compressed air.
23. Install a new front pinion bearing cup into the differential housing with Installer 8960 and Driver Handle C-4171 (Figure 10).
24. Install a new rear pinion bearing cup into the differential housing with Installer 8968, Driver Handle C-4171 and C-4171-2 (Figure 11).
25. Determine the correct pinion depth shim for the new drive pinion using the following procedure:
NOTE:
Use Pinion Depth Gauge Set 6730 and Dial Indicator C-3339A.
a. Assemble Pinion Height Block 6739, Pinion Block 8897 and rear pinion bearing onto Screw 6741 (Figure 12).
NOTE:
Lube both pinion bearings with gear oil before installing.
b. Insert assembled pinion block, pinion height block, rear pinion bearing and screw into the housing through pinion bearing cups.
c. Install front pinion bearing and cone-nut 6740 onto the screw. Tighten cone-nut until torque to rotate the screw is 15-20 in. lbs. (1.7-2.26 N.m).
d. Place Arbor Discs 8289 on Arbor D-115-3 in position in the differential housing side bearing cradles (Figure 14).
e. Install differential bearing caps on arbor discs and snug the bearing cap bolts. Then cross tighten cap bolts to 207 ft. lbs. (281 N�m).
NOTE:
The arbor should rotate freely in the arbor discs.
f. Assemble Dial Indicator C-3339A into Scooter Block D-115-2 and secure the set screw (Figure 13).
g. Position the scooter block/dial indicator flush on the pinion height block. While holding the scooter block against the pinion height block, zero the dial indicator against the pinion height block face (Figure 14).
h. Slowly slide the scooter block up the pinion height block over the arbor. Move the scooter block until the dial indicator crests the arbor, then record the highest reading (Figure 14).
NOTE:
The objective is to measure the height difference between the face of the pinion height block and the highest point on the arbor (Figure 14).
i. Select a shim equal to the dial indicator reading.
j. Remove the pinion gauge set from the axle housing.
26. Install the shim selected in Step 25i between the rear pinion bearing and the pinion gear head (Figure 15).
27. Install the rear pinion bearing onto the pinion with Installer D-389 and a hydraulic press (Figure 15).
28. Install a new crush sleeve on the pinion.
29. Lubricate the pinion bearings with gear oil.
30. Install the pinion into the housing and place front pinion bearing onto the pinion shaft. Draw the pinion shaft into the front bearing with Installer 8981 (Figure 16).
31. Remove front bearing Installer 8981.
32. Apply a light coat of grease to the lip of the pinion seal and then install the new pinion seal with Installer 8896 and Driver Handle C-4171 (Figure 17).
33. Clean out all of the old teflon sealant from the pinion flange splines.
34. Apply a light coat of teflon sealant (P/N 04318034) to the pinion flange splines.
35. Hold pinion and lightly tap the pinion flange onto the pinion, until a few threads are showing.
36. Install the pinion flange washer and new pinion nut.
37. Hold the pinion flange with Flange Wrench 8979 and tighten pinion nut until the pinion end play is eliminated.
38. Rotate pinion several times to seat pinion bearings.
39. Measure pinion torque to rotate with an inch pound torque wrench. Tighten pinion nut in 5 ft.lbs. (6.8 N.m) increments until pinion torque to rotate is achieved. Pinion torque to rotate for new pinion bearings is 15 - 25 in.lbs. (1.7 - 2.8 N.m).
40. Rotate the pinion several times and then verify the pinion rotating torque again.
41. Apply gear lube to the bearing cup races and the differential case bearing cones. Then place the new differential case bearing cups onto the differential case bearing cones.
NOTE:
Be sure that the bearing cup that was marked in Step 14 is installed on the marked bearing.
42. Install the differential case assembly with bearing cups into the differential housing (Figure 18).
43. Install the differential case retaining caps into position and snug the retaining bolts (Figure 18).
44. Slide differential case toward the pinion gear until the gears make contact/zero backlash.
NOTE:
If zero backlash cannot be obtained, turn the ring gear side adjuster until zero backlash is obtained.
45. While holding the differential case toward the pinion gear, turn bearing adjusters with Adjuster Wrench 8883A until adjuster makes contact with the differential bearings/cups (Figure 18).
46. Back off the ring gear bolt side bearing adjuster four holes, to obtain initial ring gear backlash (Figure 18).
47. Install the ring gear bolt side bearing adjuster lock and bolt. Do not tighten adjuster lock bolt at this time.
48. Tighten the ring gear side bearing adjuster firmly against the differential case bearing cup.
49. Rotate the pinion several times to seat the differential bearings.
50. Loosen the ring gear side bearing adjuster until it is no longer in contact with the bearing cup, then tighten it until it makes contact (Figure 18).
51. Tighten the ring gear side bearing adjuster an additional six adjuster holes
52. Tighten the bearing cap bolts to 207 ft. lbs. (281 N.m).
53. Install the ring gear side bearing adjuster lock and bolt.
54. Tighten the bearing adjuster lock bolts to 18 ft. lbs. (25 N.m).
55. Again, rotate the pinion several times to seat the differential bearings.
56. Measure the ring gear backlash with Dial Indicator C-3339A and Pilot Stud L-4438 at eight points around the drive side of the ring gear. The backlash should be 0.003-0.010 in. (0.08-0.25 mm) with a preferred backlash of 0.005-0.007 in. (0.13-0.18 mm) (Figure 19).
NOTE:
Backlash measurement should not vary more than 0.002 in. (0.05 mm) between measuring points. If measurement does vary, inspect the gears for burrs, the differential case flange and ring gear mounting.
57. Measure the total torque to rotate at the pinion nut with an inch pound torque wrench. The total torque to rotate is 30 - 50 in. lbs. (3.4 - 5.6 N.m).
NOTE:
If the total torque to rotate is too high, back off the adjusters evenly on both sides slightly and recheck. If the total torque to rotate is too low, tighten the adjusters evenly on both sides slightly and recheck.
58. Check the gear tooth contact pattern using the following procedure:
a. Wipe clean each tooth of the ring gear.
b. Apply gear marking compound (P/N 04883065) to all of the ring gear teeth (Figure 20).
c. Create an additional 10 ft. lbs. (14 N�m) pinion rotating torque.
d. Rotate the pinion/pinion yoke four full revolutions in each direction.
e Read gear tooth contact pattern.
> The gear contact pattern is correct. Backlash and pinion depth is correct (Figure 21).
> The ring gear is too far away from the pinion gear, coast side toe (1) and drive side heel (2). Decrease the backlash, by moving the ring closer to the pinion gear using the adjusters (Figure 22).
> The ring gear is too close to the pinion gear, drive side toe (1) and coast side heel (2). Increase backlash, by moving the ring away from the pinion gear using the adjusters (Figure 23).
> The ring gear is too far away from the pinion gear, drive side heel (1) and coast side heel (2). Decrease the backlash, by moving the ring closer to the pinion gear using the adjusters (Figure 24).
> The ring gear is too close to pinion gear, drive side toe (1) and coast side toe (2). Increase the backlash, by moving the ring away from the pinion gear using the adjusters (Figure 25).
> The pinion gear is set too low. Increase the pinion gear height, by increasing the pinion depth shim thickness (Figure 26).
> The pinion gear is set too high. Decrease the pinion depth, by decreasing the pinion depth shim thickness (Figure 27).
59. Clean the right and left side axle flanges and hubs.
60. Install new axle shaft gaskets.
61. Slide the axle shafts into the axle tubes.
62. Install the axle shaft flange retaining bolts and tighten them to 95 ft. lbs. (129 N.m).
NOTE:
The axle flange retaining bolts must have Mopar Lock N' Seal (P/N 04318031) or Loctite(R) 242 applied to the bolts.
63. Clean the rear axle cover with brake cleaner.
64. Install a new rear axle cover gasket.
65. Install rear axle cover bolts and tighten to 30 ft. lbs. (40 N.m).
66. Install the rear wheel hub caps.
67. Remove the rear axle fill plug and fill axle with Mopar Synthetic Gear Lubricant SAE 75W-90 (P/N 05102232AA) until the axle lube is 1/4 inch below the bottom of the fill plug hole.
> The gear lubricant capacity on axles equipped with an open differential is 4.4 quarts (4.2 liters).
> The gear lubricant capacity on axles equipped with an anti-spin differential is 4.2 quarts (4.0 liters).
68. Install the rear axle fill plug.
69. Align the marks made on the propeller shaft, apply thread locker to the bolt threads and install. Tighten the bolts to 85 ft. lbs. (115 N.m).
70. For vehicles equipped with four wheel drive, continue with Section B. Replace Front Axle Ring and Pinion. For vehicles equipped with two wheel drive, lower the vehicle from the hoist and continue with Section C. Program Tire Size and Axle Ratio.