Differential Output Shaft Bearing: Service and Repair

RENEW

Remove the road wheel.

Fig.1:

Turn the drive shaft for access to the first securing nut (1, Fig.1) and remove the drive shaft to final drive flange securing nut.

Turn the shaft for access and remove the remaining nuts.

Place a suitable stand to the front. Reposition the drive shaft from the flange and position the hub on the stand.

CAUTION: Ensure that the brake hose is not stressed.

Displace and remove the spacer from the flange. Undo and remove the first output shaft securing bolt. Reposition the output flange for access.

Repeat for the remaining securing bolts.

Displace and remove the output shaft assembly and remove and discard the '0' ring seal. Clean the output shaft and final drive faces.

Displace and remove the output shaft shims from the final drive. Carefully fit the output shaft assembly into a vice.

Mark the bearing retaining collar with a punch.

Fig.2:

Pilot drill the bearing retaining collar, then open out to 1/2in.(12.7mm) (1, Fig.2)taking care not to drill the output shaft. Using a suitable chisel, break the retaining collar at the drilling (2, Fig.2). Remove from vice.

Fig.3:

Position the output shaft assembly on a press with the press retaining plates under the seal housing (Fig.3).

Press the shaft from the seal housing and collar. Remove the shaft, seal housing, bearing and retaining collar from the press.

Position a suitable block of wood. Place the seal / housing to the wood and using a suitable drift, displace and remove the seal from the housing.

Clean the shaft and seal housing, together with the shims.

Fig.1a:

Position the output seal housing to the press and place the seal replacer tool JD550-1 (1, Fig.1a) and driver handle 18G 134 (2, Fig.1a) to the front. Fit and align the new seal to the tool.

Using the press, fit and align the tool / seal assembly to the housing. Fully seat the seal to the housing ensuring the seal is square to the housing when fitting.

Remove the housing/tool assembly from the press and place tool JD 550-1 aside. Place the output shaft to the front and lubricate the seal. Fit and align the seal housing assembly to the output shaft. Place a new bearing to the front and lubricate the bearing. Align the bearing to the output shaft assembly. Position a suitable block of wood to press fit and align the output shaft assembly to the press / wooden block. Ensure that the flange securing studs do not rest on the press plate.

Fig.2a:

Place the bearing replacer tool SL 7 to the output shaft / bearing (Fig.2a).

Press the bearing fully home and displace and remove tool SL 7. Fit a new bearing retaining collar to the shaft assembly and fit and align tool SL 7 to the collar.

Press the retaining collar fully home and displace and remove tool SL 7.
Remove the output shaft assembly from the press and fit and align the shims to the final drive.

Offer up the output shaft assembly without the 'O' ring seal. Fit and fully seat the assembly. Do not fit the securing bolts.

Measure the gap between the bearing housing and the casing. The correct gap is 0.003 to 0.005 in. (0.0762 to 0.127mm).

If the gap is correct, remove the shaft assembly, fit the 'O' ring seal and refit the assembly to the casing.

Fit and tighten the securing bolts. If the gap is incorrect, remove the shaft assembly and re-shim until the correct clearance is obtained.

Note: There should always be three shims behind the bearing.

When the clearance is correct, fit the '0' ring seal and fit the assembly to the casing. Fit and tighten the securing bolts.

Fig.3a:

Fit a magnetic dial test indicator to the output flange and measure the end float (Fig.3a).

The correct end float should be O.OO1-O.OO6 in. (this end float is pre-set, built into the bearing). If the end float is outside the given tolerances, the output shaft bearing must be replaced.

Reconnect the output shaft. Fit and tighten the securing bolts.

Refit the road wheel.

Ensure fixings / fastenings are torque tightened to the specified tolerances.

DATA

Bearing housing gap 0.003 to 0.005 in. (0.0762 to 0.127 mm)
Output shaft end float 0.001 to 0.006 in. (0.0254 to 0.1524 mm)