Differential Assembly: Service and Repair

Final Drive Unit, Renew

- Disconnect vehicle battery ground lead.

- Support the vehicle at the rear and remove the rear road wheels.

- Disconnect brake pad wear sensor multi-plug at RH hub carrier and remove tie straps from wishbone. Release ABS speed sensors at RH and LH hub carriers and remove tie straps from wishbones.

- Remove rear brake calipers and support at bump stop. Disconnect main handbrake cable at compensator, short cables at joining piece and remove compensator.

- Remove fixings, FLEXIBLE coupling to differential DRIVE FLANGE.

CAUTION: Under no circumstances must the flexible coupling (or its fixings) be loosened or removed from the drive shaft flange.

Fig.1:

- Remove fixings center bearing to crossmember (1, Fig.1) and push drive shaft rear section forward to disengage from pinion spigot.

Note: Take account of any shims located between the center bearing and the crossmember.

- Release fixings and remove, over axle exhaust pipe mounting from wide mounting bracket.

- Support the rear suspension assembly from below and remove fixings from RH and LH sides in the following order:

1. Shock absorber to body upper fixings.

Fig.2:

2. Differential strut to body (1, Fig.2).

3. 'A' frame bush (2, Fig.2).

4. Lower mounting bracket assembly to body (3, Fig.2).

- Carefully lower the unit clear of the vehicle and place in a safe working location.

- Release handbrake cable to wide mounting bracket clips.

- Disconnect RH and LH axle shafts from differential couplings, note camber shim and discard fixings. Remove wishbone pivot bolt, washers and remove wishbone / hub / axle shaft assembly RH and LH.

- Remove upper link assembly from differential and wide mounting bracket / 'A' frame.

- Release fixings, 'A' frame to differential, 'A' frame to wishbone tie and wide mounting bracket to 'A' frame.

- Remove wishbone tie assembly, rear mounting bracket and pendulum assembly.

- Release fixings differential nose to wide mounting bracket.

- Assembly and fitting is the reversal of this procedure, taking note of the following:

• Drive shaft must be aligned.

• Renew all self locking nuts.

• Renew all bolts that were originally fitted with thread locking adhesive.

• Replace all locking wire and split pins (cotter pins).

• Tighten all fixings to the specified torque.

• Correct the final drive oil level if required.

• Check and adjust rear wheel camber setting as required.