Differential Case

Differential Case

Special Tool(s):

Material:

Disassembly

1. Remove the differential carrier. For additional information, refer to Differential Carrier - Dana 60 Differential Carrier - Dana 60.

2. Using the Drive Pinion/Differential Carrier Puller, remove the differential bearings.






3. Remove the differential bearing shims.






4. NOTICE: Place shop towels under the ring gear to prevent ring gear damage.

NOTE: Discard the bolts after removing them from the differential case.

Remove the ring gear.
- Remove and discard 8 of the 12 ring gear bolts. Leave 4 loosely assembled bolts spaced equally apart from each other.
- Tap each of the 4 bolt heads alternately with a soft-faced hammer to loosen the ring gear. Remove the bolts and the ring gear. Discard the bolts.






5. Using a hammer and a small drift, drive out the differential pinion shaft lockpin.






6. Using a suitable tool, remove the differential pinion shaft.






7. Remove the differential pinion gears, pinion gear thrust washers, differential side gears and differential side gear thrust washers.






8. NOTE: If upon inspection, any component has score marks/chips, thoroughly clean the differential housing.

Carry out the following inspection.
- Thoroughly clean all parts.
- Inspect all parts for damage or discoloration from overheating.
- Discard the complete differential if excessive wear is visible on all parts.
- Discard both differential pinion gears and both differential side gears if any one of these gears are worn/damaged.
- Verify that the differential bearing bores are smooth. Remove any nicks/burrs from the mounting surfaces of the differential housing.

Assembly

1. Place the differential case into a vise with soft jaws.

2. Lubricate all components with axle lubricant.
- The differential side gear thrust washers.
- The differential side gear hubs and thrust faces.
- The differential pinion thrust washers.
- The differential pinion gears.
- Assemble the gears and their respective washers.

3. Lubricate the gears with axle lubricant, then install them into the differential case.
- Install and hold the differential side gears and thrust washers in the differential case. Then, install the differential pinion gears and thrust washers and rotate them until the pinion shaft bore in the case and gears align.
- If hand rotation of the gears is not possible, install an axle shaft into the differential side gear and turn the shaft with a pipe wrench.
- If necessary, use a drift to align the pinion shaft bores.






4. Install the differential pinion shaft, aligning the lockpin bore in the differential case and the pinion shaft.






5. Install the differential pinion shaft lockpin.
- Peen the differential case metal over the lockpin, in 2 places, 90 degrees from the slot in the lockpin.






6. Install the outboard spacers in the side from which they were removed.






7. NOTE: The rear axle uses a combination of differential bearing shims and selective outboard spacers to control differential case end play. The old outboard spacers provide a good starting point when setting end play. However, if additional shimming is necessary, beyond what the hardened differential bearing shims can provide, select and install different thickness outboard spacers.

NOTE: Remove all nicks, burrs and dirt from the differential case hubs to allow the special tools to rotate freely.

Place the Dummy Bearing Set on the differential case hubs and position the assembly into the differential housing.
- Position the remaining Dial Indicator Gauge with Holding Fixture.






8. NOTE: Repeat this and the following step until the same readings appear on the Dial Indicator Gauge each time. This is the total differential bearing shim thickness necessary, less preload. The final calculation occurs later during assembly.

Force the differential case as far as possible toward the Dial Indicator Gauge. With force applied, set the Dial Indicator Gauge at 0. Force the differential case as far as it will go in the opposite direction. Record the total differential case end play reading.






9. After making sure the reading is repeatable, remove the differential case from the differential housing. Do not remove the Dummy Bearing Set from the differential case at this time.

10. Start 2 new bolts through the differential case flange and into the differential ring gear to make sure the differential ring gear and the differential case align.






11. Install the remaining 10 new ring gear bolts and draw up the new ring gear bolts alternately and evenly.
- Tighten to 183 Nm (135 lb-ft).






12. Position the differential case with the Dummy Bearing Set into the differential housing.






13. NOTE: Repeat this step until there is a consistent reading.

Using the Dummy Bearing Set, Dial Indicator Gauge with Holding Fixture and Clutch Housing Gauge, determine the total thickness of differential bearing shims to install under the differential bearing on the ring gear side of the differential case. Record this measurement, as the shim thickness required for the ring gear side of the differential case.
- Force the ring gear away from the pinion and zero the Dial Indicator Gauge.

- Force the ring gear into mesh with the pinion.
- Rock the ring gear to allow the teeth of the gears to mesh.

- Record the reading.






14. Remove the differential case with the Dummy Bearing Set from the differential housing.






15. Place the required thickness of differential bearing shims on the ring gear side of the differential case. Refer to the measurement recorded, as the shim thickness required for the ring gear side of the differential case. Differential bearing shims are available in the thickness shown in the following chart.
- For example, a reading of 1.14 mm (0.045 in), requires that 1.14 mm (0.045 in) shims be placed on the ring gear side of the differential case.

Available Differential Bearing Shims







16. Using the Differential Carrier Bearing Installer, install the selected differential bearing shim and the differential bearing.






17. Determine the total thickness of differential bearing shims to install under the differential bearing on the drive pinion side of the differential case.
- Subtract the measurement recorded, as the shim thickness required for the ring gear side of the differential case, from the total case end play measurement taken at the beginning of the assembly procedure. Then, add 0.38 mm (0.015 in) to the total. This is the total amount of differential bearing shims to install under the differential bearing on the drive pinion side of the differential case.

18. Place the amount of differential bearing shims, as determined by the calculation made in the previous step, on the drive pinion side of the differential case.

19. Using the Step Plate and Differential Carrier Bearing Installer, install the selected differential bearing shim and the differential bearing on the drive pinion side of the case.

1. Place the Step Plate under the bearing to protect it during the bearing installation.
2. Using the Differential Carrier Bearing Installer, install the bearing.






20. Install the differential carrier. For additional information, refer to Differential Carrier - Dana 60 Differential Carrier - Dana 60.