Disassembly

Part 1 Of 4:

Part 2 0f 4:

Part 3 Of 4:

Part 4 Of 4:

Special Tool(s)

Disassembly

Initial disassembly
1. Remove the differential housing cover and drain the lubricant into a suitable container.
2. Wipe the lubricant from the internal working parts and inspect the parts for wear and damage.





3. Using the special tool, measure and record the differential ring gear backlash between teeth at four places around the ring gear.
^ Remove the special tool.





4. CAUTION: Do not damage the aluminum differential housing while carrying out these procedures.

Using the special tools, mount the differential housing to a work bench.
1 Attach the special tools to the differential housing with four bolts that retain the differential housing cover to the differential housing.
2 Attach the special tools together with two 3/8 inch x 1-1/2 inch bolts.





5. Install the special tool by placing the spreader pins in the hole in the Housing Spreader Adapters.





6. Assemble the special tool.
1 Install the special tool.
2 Attach the special tool and position the tip in the Housing Spreader Adapter hole.





7. CAUTION: Overspreading can damage the differential housing.

NOTE: Tighten and loosen the Differential Carrier Spreader screw to normalize the Housing Spreader Adapters prior to taking the final Dial Indicator reading.

Spread the differential housing to the specification.
1 Adjust the special tool to zero.
2 Tighten the screw until the differential housing is spread to the specification.
3 Remove the special tool.





8. CAUTION: Mark the position and location of the differential bearing caps as the arrows may not be visible. Always install the differential bearing caps in their identical location and position.

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





9. CAUTION: Use wood blocks to avoid damaging the differential housing.

Remove the differential assembly.
1 Position wood blocks at the top and bottom of the differential case.
2 Pry the differential assembly and the differential bearing shims out of the differential housing.
3 Remove the special tool.

10. CAUTION: Record the torque necessary to maintain rotation of the drive pinion gear through several revolutions prior to removing the rear axle pinion flange.

Remove the rear axle pinion flange and the rear axle drive pinion seal.
11. Remove the rear axle drive pinion shaft oil slinger.





12. Using the special tool and a soft-faced hammer, drive the drive pinion gear out of the front pinion bearing and remove it through the rear of the differential housing.





13. Remove and discard the differential drive pinion collapsible spacer.





14. Using the special tool and a press, remove the pinion bearing.
1 Position the special tool under the pinion bearing.
2 Using a press, remove the pinion bearing.





15. NOTE: Using a micrometer, measure the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim thickness. Use this measurement as a reference to compare to the shim gauge reading taken prior to installing the pinion bearing.

Remove the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim.





16. Using a brass drift and a hammer, remove any damaged differential drive pinion bearing cup from the differential housing. Tap alternately on each side of the cup to prevent it from cocking' in the bore.
17. If the differential ring gear backlash measurement between teeth, taken at the beginning of this procedure, did not exceed the specification, proceed to Final disassembly. If the differential ring gear backlash measurement between teeth, taken at the beginning of this procedure, exceeded the specification, the cause may be a warped differential ring gear, a damaged differential case, or loss of differential bearing preload. Proceed to Excessive differential ring gear backlash to verify the cause of the excessive runout.





Excessive differential ring gear backlash between teeth
18. Remove the bolts.





19. CAUTION: Do not damage the bolt hole threads.

Insert a punch in the bolt holes and drive off the differential ring gear.





20. Install the differential case, differential bearings, cups and shims in their original location. Rotate the differential case to seat the differential bearings.





21. Install the special tool.





22. Using the special tool, measure the differential case flange runout.
^ If the runout does not exceed the specification, the cause of the original excessive runout is the differential ring gear. Remove the differential case. Discard the differential ring gear and the drive pinion gear. Proceed to Final disassembly.
^ 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. Remove the differential case. Discard the differential bearings/differential case. Proceed to Final disassembly.
^ Remove the special tool.





Final disassembly
23. If nod: done previously, remove the bolts.





24. CAUTION: Do not damage the bolt hole threads.

If not done previously, insert a punch in the bolt holes and drive off the differential ring gear.





25. Using the special tools, remove the differential bearing.
^ Repeat for the other side.





26. Remove the bolt and remove the differential pinion shaft.





27. WARNING: The differential clutch spring is under tension. Remove the spring carefully. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury.

Remove the differential clutch spring.





28. Remove the differential gears.
1 Remove the two differential pinion gears and pinion thrust washers.
2 Remove the two differential side gears with the clutch packs and the shims and tag them "left" and "right."





29. CAUTION: Keep the differential clutch packs in order. Do not mix them. Always reassemble them in the same sequence.

Remove the differential clutch packs and shims from the differential side gears.
^ Clean and inspect the remaining differential components for wear and damage. Install new parts as necessary.

30. CAUTION: Do not use acids or solvents when cleaning the differential clutch packs. Wipe the components only with a clean, lint-free cloth.

Clean and inspect the differential clutch packs for wear and damage. Install new parts as necessary.