Ford 7.5-Inch Ring Gear - Rear Drive Axle/Differential

Differential Case








Removal
1. Remove the axle shafts.

2. NOTE: Inspect the removed lubricant for metallic particles which indicate wear or damage.

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

Remove the 4 bolts and the 2 bearing caps.





5. 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.





6. Remove and discard the 10 ring gear bolts.





7. NOTE: 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.





8. Position the differential case assembly, including the bearing cups and shims, in the rear axle housing. Install the 2 differential bearing caps and the 4 differential bearing cap bolts.
^ Tighten to 112 Nm (83 lb-ft).





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





10. 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.





11. Remove the differential case from the rear axle housing. Using the special tools, remove the differential bearings.





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





13. Position the differential case assembly, including the bearing cups and shims in the rear axle housing.
^ Tighten to 112 Nm (83 lb-ft).





14. Measure the differential case runout without the ring gear. Check the case runout again with the new differential bearings.
^ If the runout is now within specification, use the new differential bearings for assembly.
^ If the runout exceeds the specification, install a new differential case.





15. Remove differential case from the rear axle housing.

Installation

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





2. Install the 10 new ring gear bolts.
^ Tighten to 105 Nm (77 lb-ft).





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. NOTE: Always install the bearing caps in their original 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 2 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 2 left side and 2 right side bolts.
^ Tighten to 112 Nm (83 lb-ft).





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.
^ If a zero backlash condition occurs, go to Zero backlash in this procedure.
^ 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 in this procedure.

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.





13. Using the special tools, recheck the backlash.
^ If backlash is within the specification, refer to Backlash within specification in this procedure. If backlash is not within the specification, repeat Backlash not within specification in this procedure.





Backlash within specification
14. Remove the 4 bolts and 2 bearing caps.
^ To establish differential bearing preload, increase both left and right shim sizes by the specification shown in the illustration.





15. Using the special tool, fully seat the differential bearing shims.





16. Install the 2 bearing caps and 4 bearing cap bolts.
^ Tighten to 112 Nm (83 lb-ft).





17. Using the special tool, recheck the backlash.





18. Install the axle shafts.