Disassembly and Assembly
Special Tool:
Disassembly
1. Mount the carrier assembly in a suitable repair stand.
2. CAUTION: If reusing the ring gear and pinion, measure and record backlash before disassembly. Re-assembling the ring gear and pinion to the recorded backlash will match the established wear patterns. Hand rolled patterns will cover less area than the established patterns.
Measure and record the ring gear and pinion backlash.
^ Check the backlash in four equally spaced positions around the ring gear.
^ The acceptable backlash tolerance is ± 0.0508 mm (0.002 inch) from the backlash etched in the ring gear.
^ The tooth contact pattern can move only by adjusting backlash. The tooth contact pattern can move only in the direction of heel-to-toe, and toe-to-heel. Depth of the tooth contact pattern is not adjustable.
3. Remove the rear anti-lock brake sensor.
4. Remove the adjusting ring locks.
5. Match mark one differential bearing cap and leg.
6. Loosen, but do not remove, the four differential bearing cap retaining bolts.
7. Relieve the bearing preload,
^ Loosen each differential bearing adjusting, ring.
8. Remove the differential bearing cap retaining bolts, bearing caps and adjusting rings.
9. CAUTION: Use care not to damage the ring gear and pinion.
Carefully lift the differential subassembly out of the carrier using the Endless Lifting Sling.
10. Separate the differential case halves.
1 Match mark the case halves.
2 Remove the case bolts.
3 Separate the case halves.
11. Remove the gear assembly.
1 Remove the thrust washer and differential side gear.
2 Remove the differential cross shaft with the pinion mates and the thrust washers.
3 Remove the differential side gear and thrust washer.
12. If the differential side bearings require replacement, remove them with a suitable puller.
13. CAUTION: Do not use a chisel to remove the rivet heads. This will damage the differential case.
CAUTION: Use a soft hammer to strike the punch.
If the pinion/ring gear requires replacement, carefully center punch each ring gear rivet.
14. Drill the rivet heads to the depth shown using the specified size drill bit.
15. Separate the ring gear from the case half.
1 CAUTION: Use a soft hammer to strike the punch.
Drive out the remaining rivet portions with a rounded type punch.
2 Separate the ring gear from the case half.
3 WARNING: Replace the anti-lock speed sensor ring if separating it from the case half.
If necessary, remove the anti-lock speed sensor ring and discard it.
16. CAUTION: Alkaline cleaning solutions will damage machine surfaces. Use only emulsion cleaners or petroleum based cleaning solvent.
CAUTION: Use soft, clean, flintless towels to dry the components.
CAUTION: Never spin-dry bearings with compressed air. This will damage the mating surfaces due to a lack of lubrication.
CAUTION: After drying, lightly coat the parts with rust inhibitor or clean lubricant to prevent damage from corrosion. Wrap all parts that are going to be in storage for a prolonged period in wax paper.
Clean and dry the components.
17. Inspect the bearing surfaces for pitting, wear and overheating.
18. Inspect the differential case machine surfaces.
19. Inspect the thrust washers for scoring and cracking.
20. CAUTION: Replace all gears in sets If replacement is necessary.
Inspect the gears for pitting, scoring, wear and damage.
21. Inspect the shafts for nicks and scores.
22. Refer to Drive Pinion, Disassembly if disassembly is necessary.
Assembly
1. Assemble the ring gear and, if removed, a new anti-lock speed sensor ring to the differential case half.
1 Align the tab on the sensor ring with the notch in the case flange.
2 Bolt the ring gear to the case half in three places, 120 degrees apart.
2. NOTE: Proceed to the next step of this procedure if not installing a new anti-lock speed sensor ring.
Press the anti-lock speed sensor ring on the case flange.
3. CAUTION: Compress the rivet before removing the bolts from the ring gear and case half to prevent ring gear runout.
Install each rivet, using a suitable hydraulic or mechanical press and riveting fixture and applying the force specified.
4. CAUTION: Place the bearing cups on the differential side bearings after pressing the bearings on the case halves. This will prevent bearing damage during the remaining assembly process.
Press the differential side bearings on the differential case halves, and place the bearing,cups on the bearings.
5. NOTE: Lightly lubricate all of the mating surfaces with clean axle lubricant. This will aid in assembly and provide initial lubrication.
Install the gear assembly.
1 Position the thrust washer and the differential side gear into the case half.
2 Position the differential cross shaft with the pinion mates and the thrust washers into the case half.
3 Position the differential side gear and thrust washer on the differential pinion mates.
6. CAUTION: Be sure to align the match marks.
Assemble the differential case halves.
7. CAUTION: Use care not to damage the ring gear and pinion.
Carefully position the differential subassembly into the carrier using the Endless Lifting Sling.
8. CAUTION: Make sure the bearing cups have seated on the differential side bearings.
CAUTION: Be sure to align the match marks.
Install the differential bearing caps.
1 Position the bearing cap onto the leg.
2 CAUTION: Make sure the bolt threads are clean.
Apply Threadlock(R) 262 part number E2FZ-19554-B or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSK-M2G351-A6 to the bolt threads, and install the bolts.
^ Tighten the bolts enough to eliminate visible space between the bearing cap and leg. Do not tighten the bolts to the appropriate torque at this time.
9. CAUTION: Align the differential assembly within the bearing bores before applying preload or damage to the bearings will result.
Install the differential bearing adjusting rings.
^ Tighten both adjusting rings until there is zero end play, and some backlash between the ring gear and pinion. Make sure the adjusting ring tooth aligns so that installation of the adjusting ring lock is possible.
10. Set the backlash at zero.
^ NOTE: The adjusting ring tooth must always align so that installation of the adjusting ring lock is possible.
Loosen the adjusting ring on the tooth side of the ring gear one tooth and tighten the opposite adjusting ring one tooth. Repeat this process until backlash is at zero.
11. Set the backlash and the bearing preload to specifications.
^ With a new matched set installed, set the backlash to the specification etched in the ring gear.
^ With the original matched set installed, set the backlash to the specification recorded prior to disassembly.
^ NOTE: The adjusting ring tooth must always align so that installation of the adjusting ring lock is possible.
Tighten the adjusting ring on the tooth side of the ring gear until backlash is within specifications.
12. Check the ring gear and pinion backlash in four equally spaced positions around the ring gear.
^ The acceptable backlash tolerance is ± 0.0508 mm (0.002 inch) from the backlash etched in the ring gear.
^ If the backlash tolerance varies more than 0.080 mm. (0.003 inch) between the four positions, remove the differential and determine the cause.
13. Tighten the differential bearing cap bolts.
^ Check the ring gear and pinion backlash, as described in the previous step, after tightening the bolts.
14. Install the adjusting ring locks.
15. Install the rear anti-lock brake sensor.
16. Install the carrier.