Differential Case

Special Tool(s) Part 1 of 2





Special Tool(s) Part 2 of 2





Materials

Removal
1. Remove the axle shafts.
2. Wipe the lubricant from the internal working parts and visually inspect the parts for wear or damage.





3. Rotate the differential case to see if there is any roughness, which would indicate damaged bearings or gears.





4. NOTE: There is a space between the anti-lock speed sensor ring and the ring gear for measuring ring gear backface runout.

Position the special tool(s) and inspect ring gear a backlash and ring gear backface runout.





5. CAUTION: Mark the position of the bearing caps, as arrows may not be visible. The bearing caps must be installed in their identical locations and positions.

Loosen the differential case.
1. Remove the four bearing cap bolts.
2. Remove the two bearing caps





6. WARNING: Be careful not to allow the differential case to fall.

CAUTION: Place a wood block between the pry bar and the rear axle housing to protect the machined surface from damage.

Using a pry bar and wood block, pry the differential case from the rear axle housing.





7. Remove the 10 ring gear bolts





8. CAUTION: Care should be taken not to damage the ring bolt hole threads.

NOTE: The anti-lock speed sensor ring cannot be reused once removed.

Insert a punch in the bolt holes and drive off the ring gear and, if necessary, the anti-lock speed sensor ring.





9. Install the differential case.
^ Position the differential case assembly, including the bearing cups and shims, in the rear axle housing. Install the differential bearing caps and the differential bearing cap bolts.





10. Position the special tool.
1. Rotate the differential case to make sure the differential bearings are correctly seated.
2. Position the special tool.





11. Rotate the differential case and measure the differential case runout without the ring gear.
^ If runout is less than the specification, install a new ring gear and pinion.
^ If runout exceeds specification, the ring gear is true and the concern is due to either a damaged differential case or differential bearings.
^ Inspect the differential bearings. If the differential bearings are not damaged, install new differential case and differential bearings.





12. Remove the differential case from the rear axle housing and remove the differential bearings using the special tools.





13. Using the special tool, install the new differential bearings on the differential case.





14. Position the differential case assembly, including the bearing cups and shims in the rear axle housing.
^ Tighten bearing caps to specification





15. Measure the differential case runout without the ring gear. Check the case runout again with the new differential bearings.
^ If the runout is now less than the specification shown, use the new differential bearings for assembly.
^ If the runout is still excessive, the differential case is damaged and must be installed new.
16. Remove differential case from the rear axle housing.

Installation

All vehicles





1. CAUTION: Make sure that the notches on the case flange and the anti-lock speed sensor are aligned.

Press a new anti-lock speed sensor ring, if removed, and the ring gear on the differential case.





2. NOTE: Apply stud and bearing mount to the ring gear bolts.

Install the ring gear bolts.





3. With pinion depth set and pinion installed, place the differential case in the rear axle housing.





4. Install a (nominal) shim on the left side.





5. CAUTION: Mark the position of the bearing caps as arrows may not be visible. The bearing caps must be installed in their identical locations and positions.

NOTE: Apply pressure toward the left side to make sure the left bearing cup is seated.

Install the left bearing cap and loosely install the bearing cap bolts.





6. Install progressively larger shims on the right side until the largest shim selected can be assembled by hand.





7. Install the right side bearing cap and tighten the left side and right side bolts to specification.





8. Rotate the differential case to make sure it rotates freely.

Measuring backlash





9. Using the special tools, measure the ring gear backlash.
^ If the backlash is within specification, go to Backlash within specification. The specification shown is the full allowable range.
^ If a zero backlash condition occurs, go to Zero backlash.





^ If the backlash is not within specification, go to Backlash not within specification.

Zero backlash

10. If a zero backlash condition occurs, add 0.51 mm (0.020 inch) to the RH side and subtract 0.51 mm (0.020 inch) from the LH side to allow backlash indication. Check the backlash. Repeat Measuring backlash.

Backlash not within specification





11. To increase or decrease the backlash, remove the bearing caps and install a thicker shim or a thinner shim as shown.
^ 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.





12. Rotate the differential several times to make sure the differential bearings are correctly seated.

Backlash within specification





13. Using the special tools, recheck the backlash.
^ If the backlash is not within specification, go to Backlash not within specification.
^ The specification shown is the full allowable range.





14. Remove the bearing caps and bolts.
^ To establish differential bearing preload, increase both left and right shim sizes by the specification shown in the illustration.
^ Using the special tool, ensure the differential bearing shims are fully seated and the assembly turns freely.





15. Install the bearing caps and bearing cap bolts.





16. Using the special tool, recheck the backlash.
17. Install the axle shafts.