Differential Bearings

DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS - Front Drive Axle/Differential - Dana 35

















Removal

CAUTION: Many components and surfaces in the axle are precision machined. Careful handling during disassembly, cleaning, inspection, and assembly will prevent unnecessary damage to machined surfaces.

1. Remove the front drive axle assembly from the vehicle.
- Remove the front axle damper from the axle to frame bracket, if so equipped.





2. Attach the axle assembly to the special tool.





3. NOTE: Place a suitable drain pan under the axle.

Remove the differential housing cover.
1. Remove the bolts.
2. Remove the differential housing cover.
4. Drain the axle lubricant from the differential housing.





5. Using a jerking motion, remove the axle shaft.





6. CAUTION: The matched numbers or letters stamped on both of the differential bearing caps and the differential housing must correspond during assembly.

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





7. CAUTION: The Housing Spreader Adapter bolts have a minimum thread engagement as specified.

Install the special tool.





8. Install the special tools.
- Position the Clutch Housing Alignment Adapter needle in the Housing Spreader Adapter hole.





9. CAUTION: Over spreading can damage the differential housing.

Spread the differential housing to the specification.
1. Adjust the special tool to zero.
2. Tighten the Differential Carrier Spreader screw to spread the differential housing to the specification.
3. Remove the Dial Indicator with Bracketry and the Clutch Housing Alignment Adapter.





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

Remove the differential assembly from the differential housing.
1. Position the wood blocks.
2. Push downward on the pry bars.
3. Remove the differential assembly.
4. Remove the special tool.





11. Remove the differential ring gear bolts and the differential ring gear.
- Use a drift punch to separate the differential ring gear from the differential case.





12. Assemble the special tools.





13. Position the special tool on the differential bearing.





14. Using the special tool, remove the differential bearings.





15. Index-mark the pinion flange and the pinion stem.





16. Use the special tool to hold the flange while removing the nut.





17. Using the special tool, remove the pinion flange.





18. WARNING: The gear teeth have sharp edges. Handle the gear with care to avoid personal injury.

CAUTION: Never use a metal hammer on the pinion. Use a soft mallet to drive the pinion out of the differential housing.

Using a soft-face hammer, remove the pinion from the differential housing.
1. Hold the pinion inside the differential housing.
2. Use a soft-face hammer to remove the pinion from the differential housing.





19. Using the special tool and a suitable impact slide hammer, remove the pinion seal.





20. Remove the front axle drive pinion shaft oil slinger and the differential pinion bearing.





21. Remove the outer differential drive pinion bearing cup by tapping alternately on each side of the cup to prevent it from cocking in the bore.





22. Remove the inner differential drive pinion bearing cup by tapping alternately on each side of the cup to prevent it from cocking in the bore.





23. Remove the inner pinion bearing.
1. Position the special tool under the bearing.
2. Using a shop press, remove the inner pinion bearing.





24. Remove the pinion position shim from the differential pinion gear. Measure the pinion position shim thickness with a micrometer. Record the measurement.

Installation

CAUTION: Always install new gaskets and seals when assembling the axle. When building the subassembly, lubricate each component with clean rear axle lubricant. Also, lubricate the subassembly when installing it into the differential housing. Tighten all fasteners to specification.

1. Lubricate the new differential drive pinion bearing cups.





2. Using the special tools, install the differential drive pinion bearing cups.





3. NOTE: Apply a light film of oil to the differential pinion bearings before installing them. Assemble and position the following in the differential housing.

1. Position the Screw.
2. Position the Aligning Adapter.
3. Position the inner differential pinion bearing.
4. Position the Gauge Disc.
5. Position the Gauge Block.
6. Position the outer differential pinion bearing.
7. Thread on the Handle.





4. Using a Nm (lb-in) torque wrench, tighten the Handle.





5. NOTE: Offset the Gauge Block to obtain an accurate reading.

Rotate the Gauge Block several half turns to ensure the differential pinion bearings seat correctly, and position the Gauge Block as shown.





6. Install the special tool and the paper shipping tags.
1. Position the special tool and the paper shipping tags.
2. Install the differential bearing caps.
3. Install the bolts.
- Tighten to 61 Nm (45 lb-ft).





7. NOTE: Use a feeler gauge, or flat, clean drive pinion position shims as a measuring device.

NOTE: Selection of a shim that is too thick results in deep tooth contact at final assembly. Do not attempt to force the gauge or shim between the Gauge Block and the Gauge Tube. A slight drag indicates a correct selection.

Using a feeler gauge, or a flat, clean drive pinion position shim, measure between the Gauge Block and the Gauge Tube. Record the measurement.
- Remove the special tools after determining the correct shim thickness.





8. Select the correct thickness drive pinion position shim.
- New drive pinion position shims are available in 0.762 mm (0.030 in), 0.8128 mm (0.032 in), 0.8636 mm (0.034 in), 0.9144 mm (0.036 in), 0.9652 mm (0.038 in), 1.016 mm (0.040 in), 1.0668 mm (0.042 in), 1.1176 mm (0.044 in), 1.1684 mm (0.046 in), 1.2192 mm (0.048 in),1.27 mm (0.050 in) and 1.3208 mm (0.052 in) thickness.
- Notice the plus (+), minus (-) or zero (0) etching on the drive pinion, and adjust the thickness of the new shim. If the etching is positive, subtract the number from the selected position shim. If the etching is negative, add the number to the selected position shim.
- The selected shim thickness should be very close to the recorded thickness of the original position shim.





9. Install the pinion position shim and the differential pinion bearing.
- Using the special tool and a suitable press, seat the differential pinion bearing firmly against the pinion position shim.





10. Install a new collapsible spacer.





11. Install the differential pinion bearing and the front axle drive pinion shaft oil slinger.





12. CAUTION: Installing the pinion seal without the correct tool can result in early seal failure.

CAUTION: If the pinion seal becomes cocked during installation, remove it and install a new one.

NOTE: Pinion seal must be fully seated all the way around or pinion seal damage will occur. Using the special tool, install the pinion seal.

13. Lightly lubricate the pinion gear splines.





14. Position the pinion gear in the axle housing.





15. CAUTION: Never use a metal hammer on the pinion flange or install the flange with power tools. If necessary, use a plastic hammer to tap on a tight fitting flange.

Align the index marks and install the pinion flange.





16. Install the new pinion nut hand-tight.





17. CAUTION: Do not loosen the nut to reduce preload. Install a new collapsible spacer and nut if preload reduction is necessary.

NOTE: Remove the special tool before taking the differential pinion bearing preToad reading.

Use the special tool to hold the pinion flange while tightening the pinion nut to set the preload.
- Rotate the pinion occasionally to make sure the differential pinion bearings are seating correctly. Take frequent differential pinion bearing preload readings by rotating the pinion with a Nm (lb-in) torque wrench. The final rotational reading must be 1.7-3.4 Nm (15-30 lb-in).





18. Install the special tool.





19. Install the differential case in the differential housing.





20. NOTE: Repeat this step until obtaining a consistent reading.

Measure the total end play.
1. Install the special tool.
2. Force the differential case as far as possible away from the indicator. Position the indicator tip on the machined surface and adjust it to measure full travel. With force still applied, set the indicator to zero.
3. Force the differential case as far as possible in the opposite direction.
4. Record the total end play reading on the Differential Bearing Shim Selection Procedure Worksheet, Line A in this procedure.





21. Remove the special tool, and remove the differential case.
1. Remove the special tool.
2. Remove the differential case.





22. CAUTION: Do not reuse the original bolts.

Using a suitable press, install the differential ring gear.
1. Position the differential ring gear and the differential case. Start 2 or 3 new bolts to align the holes in the ring gear and the differential case.
2. Using a suitable press, install the differential ring gear.





23. Install the remaining new differential ring gear bolts. Tighten to 122 Nm (90 lb-ft).





24. Install the special tool and position the assembly in the differential housing.
1. Install the special tool.
2. Position the assembly in the differential housing.





25. Position the special tool.





26. Force the differential ring gear into mesh with the pinion gear (zero backlash). With force still applied, set the special tool to zero.





27. Force the differential ring gear away from the pinion gear as far as possible. Record the reading on the Differential Bearing Shim Selection Procedure Worksheet, Line D in this procedure.





28. Remove the special tool.





29. Remove the differential case from the differential housing. Remove the special tool from the differential case hubs.





30. Complete the worksheet, and select the appropriate thickness differential shims. New differential shims are available in 0.0762 mm (0.003 in), 0.127 mm (0.005 in), 0.25 mm (0.010 in) and 0.762 mm (0.030 in) thickness.





31. Install the differential shims and the differential bearing.
1. Position the differential shims and the differential bearing.
2. Using a suitable press, install the differential bearing.
- Repeat this step for opposite side of the differential case.





32. Install the special tools.
- Position the Clutch Housing Alignment Adapter needle in the Housing Spreader Adapter hole.





33. CAUTION: Over spreading can damage the differential housing. Spread the differential housing to the specification.





34. Remove the special tools.





35. NOTE: Push the differential case downward to fully seat the differential bearing cups in the differential housing.

Install the differential bearing cups and the differential case in the differential housing.
1. Position the differential bearing cups on the differential bearings.
2. Lower the differential case in place.





36. CAUTION: Do not tighten the bolts to specification at this time.

Install the differential bearing caps in their original positions.
1. Position the differential bearing caps.
2. Install the bolts hand-tight.
37. Remove the special tools.





38. Tighten the bolts. Tighten to 61 Nm (45 lb-ft).
39. Verify that the differential case rotates freely.





40. Using the special tools, measure the backlash at 3 equally spaced points on the differential ring gear.
1. Mount the special tool.
2. Position the special tool.
3. Zero the indicator.
4. Turn the differential ring gear without turning the pinion gear. Record the measurement.
- The backlash tolerance is 0.13 mm (0.005 in) to 0.20 mm (0.008 in) and cannot vary more than 0.05 mm (0.002 in) between points checked.
- If the backlash is not within specification, correct by increasing the thickness of one differential bearing shim and decreasing the thickness of the other differential bearing shim by the same amount.





41. Remove the special tools.
42. Apply marking compound and rotate the differential assembly 5 complete revolutions.
43. Verify an acceptable pattern check. For additional information, refer to Diagnosis and Testing in this section.
44. Install the RH axle shaft.





45. CAUTION: The machined surfaces on the differential housing and the differential housing cover must be clean and free of oil before applying the new silicone sealant. Cover the inside of the axle before cleaning the machined surface to prevent contamination.

CAUTION: Install the differential housing cover within 15 minutes of applying the silicone material.

CAUTION: Allow the sealant to cure for one hour before filling the axle with lubricant.

Apply a continuous bead of sealant, of the specified thickness, to the differential housing cover mounting surface.
46. Install the differential housing cover and the differential housing cover bolts.
- Tighten to 29 Nm (21 lb-ft).
47. Install the axle assembly. For additional information, refer to Axle Assembly in this section.
48. Fill the axle with 1.54 Titers (3.25 pints) of lubricant.