Differential Case and Ring Gear - Traction-Lok(R)

Differential Case and Ring Gear - Traction-Lok(R)

Special Tool(s):

Material:

Disassembly
1. Remove the differential carrier.
2. Remove the 12 differential ring gear bolts.

3. CAUTION: Care should be taken not to damage the differential ring gear bolt hole threads.

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

Insert a punch in the differential ring gear bolt holes. Drive off the differential ring gear and, if necessary, the anti-lock ring.

4. NOTE: The differential bearings need not be removed to overhaul the Ford limited slip differential.

If necessary, use the special tools to remove the differential bearings.

5. Remove the differential pinion shaft lock bolt and remove the differential pinion shaft.

6. Install the special tool in a suitable vise.

7. Install the differential case on the special tool.

8. NOTE: Apply a small amount of grease to the centering hole of the special tool.

Install the special tool in the bottom differential side gear.

9. Install the nut in the upper differential side gear. Hold the nut in position while installing the hex screw. Tighten the hex-head screw until contact is made with the step plate.

10. NOTE: The dowel bar is used to keep the nut from turning when the forcing screw is tightened.

Insert a suitable dowel bar in the hole of the nut. Tighten the forcing screw to force the differential side gears away from the differential pinion gears.

11. WARNING: Keep fingers/hands away from pinion gears when rotating the differential case with the differential rotating tool.

NOTE: Differential pinion gear thrust washers cannot be removed independently of the differential pinion gears.

Insert the special tool in the pinion shaft bore, and turn the differential case to "walk" the differential pinion gears and differential pinion gear thrust washers out to the differential case windows.

12. Remove the differential pinion gears and differential pinion gear thrust washers.

13. Remove the differential side gears and differential clutch packs with the selective shim and Belleville spring, tag them RH and LH.

14. CAUTION: When separating the clutch plates and clutch discs, note the sequence in which they are disassembled. They must be reassembled in the same sequence.

CAUTION: Do not use acids or solvents when cleaning the differential clutch pack. Wipe components with a clean, lint-free cloth only.

Separate the differential clutch discs and clutch plates for cleaning and inspection.

Assembly
1. Lubricate each steel clutch plate and soak all friction plates with friction modifier for at least 15 minutes.

2. NOTE: Do not mix the differential clutch packs or selective shims from one side with the other.

NOTE: The Belleville spring is a dished plate.

Assemble the differential clutch packs (without the selective shims and Belleville springs) on their respective differential side gears.

3. Clamp the bolt head of the special tool in a vise. Install the differential clutch pack and the differential side gear (without the selective shim or the Belleville spring) on the special tool.

4. Position the special tool on top of the differential clutch pack.

5. Install the special tool over the disc and differential clutch pack.

6. Install the nut over the top and base stud.
^ Tighten to 7 Nm (62 inch lbs.).

7. Use the feeler gauge and select the thickest blade that will enter between the tool and the differential clutch pack. The reading will be the thickness of the new selective shim.

8. Place the selective shim and Belleville spring on the differential clutch pack.
^ The dished or concave side of the Belleville spring must face up against the thrust face of the differential case.

9. Install the differential side gears with the differential clutch packs, selective shims and Belleville spring into the differential case.
^ Hold the differential side gear assembly in place to prevent it from falling out of the differential case.

10. NOTE: Apply a small amount of grease to the step plate bore.

NOTE: If necessary, insert the dowel bar in the nut bore to keep the nut from turning as the hex screw is tightened.

Assemble the special tool to the differential case.
1 Position the special tool in the bottom differential side gear.
2 Position the special tool in the top differential side gear and hold it in place.
3 Install the special tool and tighten it 2 turns after it contacts the bottom step plate.

11. NOTE: Lubricate both sides of the differential pinion gear thrust washers with axle lubricant.

NOTE: Make sure the differential pinion gears are 180 degrees apart so they will align correctly with the pinion shaft bore.

Position the differential pinion gears and differential pinion gear thrust washers in the window of the differential case so they mesh with the differential side gear teeth.

12. WARNING: Keep fingers and hands away from differential pinion gears when rotating the differential case with the differential rotating tool.

NOTE: It will probably be necessary to loosen or tighten the forcing screw to allow the differential pinion gears and differential side gears to rotate.

Insert the special tool into the pinion shaft bore, and turn the differential case. This will cause the differential pinion gears to engage the differential side gears and "walk" into the differential case. Rotate the differential case until the pinion shaft mating holes are lined up exactly with the holes in the differential pinion gears.

13. Remove the special tools.

14. NOTE: If a new differential pinion shaft lock bolt is unavailable, coat the threads of the original differential pinion shaft lock bolt with threadlock prior to installation.

Install the differential pinion shaft, then a new differential pinion shaft lock bolt finger-tight.
15. Install new differential bearings.

16. Check the torque required to rotate one differential side gear.
^ Install the special tools with the 1/2-inch drive hole as shown.
^ The initial break-away torque, if original clutch plates are used, must be at least the minimum specification. The rotating torque required to keep the differential side gear turning with new clutch plates may vary.

17. Install the differential ring gear and, if removed, a new anti-lock ring.

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

Install the 12 differential ring gear bolts.
^ Tighten to 150 Nm (111 ft. lbs.).

19. Install the differential carrier assembly in the axle housing.

20. NOTE: Install the differential bearings with the chamfer facing outboard.

Install a differential bearing shim on the LH side.

21. CAUTION: Index-mark the position of the differential bearing caps as arrows may not be visible. The differential bearing caps must be installed in their original locations and positions.

NOTE: Apply pressure toward the LH side to make sure the LH differential bearing cap is seated.

Install the LH differential bearing cap and loosely install the differential bearing cap bolts.

22. NOTE: Install the differential bearings with the chamfer facing outboard.

Install progressively larger differential bearing shims on the RH side until the largest differential bearing shim selected that can be installed by hand.

23. Install the RH side differential bearing cap and tighten the LH side and RH side differential bearing cap bolts.
^ Tighten to 105 Nm (77 ft. lbs.).

24. Rotate the differential assembly to make sure it rotates freely.

25. NOTE: If ring gear backlash is within specification, go to Step 30.

NOTE: Specification shown is the maximum ring gear backlash allowable.

Using the special tools, measure ring gear backlash.
^ Turn the ring gear without turning the pinion gear and record the measurement.

26. NOTE: The differential bearing caps must be removed before differential bearing shims can be installed.

To increase ring gear backlash, install a thicker differential bearing shim and a thinner differential bearing shim as shown.
^ If ring gear backlash is not within specification, correct by increasing the thickness of one differential bearing shim and decreasing the thickness on the other differential bearing shim by the same amount.

27. NOTE: The bearing caps must be removed before differential bearing shims can be installed.

To decrease ring gear backlash, install a thicker differential bearing shim and a thinner differential bearing shim of the same thickness change.

28. Rotate the differential assembly several times to make sure the differential bearings are seated.

29. Using the special tools, recheck the ring gear backlash.

30. Remove the differential bearing cap bolts and differential bearing caps.

31. NOTE: Install the differential bearings with the chamfer facing outboard.

NOTE: To establish differential bearing preload, increase both left and right differential bearing shim sizes as shown. Make sure differential bearing shims are fully seated and the differential assembly turns freely.

Using the special tool, install the differential bearing shims.

32. Install the differential bearing caps and differential bearing cap bolts.
^ Tighten to 105 Nm (77 ft. lbs.).

33. Apply Motorcraft High Contrast Hypoid Gear Marking Compound and rotate the differential assembly 5 complete revolutions.
34. Verify an acceptable pattern check.

35. CAUTION: Make sure the machined surfaces on both the axle housing and the differential housing cover are clean and free of oil before applying the new silicone sealant. The inside of the axle must be covered when cleaning the machined surface to prevent contamination.

Clean the gasket mating surface of the axle and the differential housing cover.
36. Install the axle shafts.
37. Apply a new, continuous bead of sealant to the differential housing cover.

38. NOTE: The differential housing cover must be installed within 15 minutes of application of the silicone, or new sealant must be applied. If possible, allow 1 hour before filling with lubricant to ensure the silicone sealant has properly cured.

Install the differential housing cover and the differential housing cover bolts.
^ Tighten to 45 Nm (33 ft. lbs.).

39. CAUTION: For Traction-Lok(R) axles, first fill the axle with 118 ml (4 ounces) of friction modifier.

NOTE: Service refill capacities are determined by filling the axle with the specified lubricant to the specified level below the bottom of the filler hole.

Fill the axle to the level shown with axle lubricant and install the filler plug.
^ Tighten to 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.).