Differential Assembly: Service and Repair
DIFFERENTIAL CARRIER REMOVAL1. Remove the axle shafts.
2. Drain gear oil and remove driveshaft. Refer to "Pinion Oil Seal Replacement".
3. Remove ABS sensor mounting bolt.
4. Remove eight bolts and remove differential carrier assembly.
Carrier Disassembly
1. Mount differential carrier assembly on a work stand.
2. Mark both differential side bearing caps and carrier housing for identical installation position.
3. Remove the six bolts, two locking plates, and both bearing caps.
4. Remove side bearing screws and side bearing outer races. Mark for identical installation as shown.
Side Bearing Disassembly
1. Mark bearings and carrier case for identical installation position.
2. Using a bearing puller, remove side bearings from carrier.
Ring Gear Disassembly
1. Secure carrier assembly in a vise, using vise jaw caps to protect carrier from damage. Secure with the ring gear as shown.
2. Mark the ring gear and differential case for identical installation position.
3. Remove the ring gear mounting bolts and ring gear.
Caution: If Limited-Slip Differential (LSD)-equipped, restrain ABS sensor ring-plate to spring-loaded carrier while removing cross recess screws.
4. Unscrew four cross recess screws to remove ABS sensor ring-plate.
If LSD replacement, no further disassembly required.
Pinion Shaft Disassembly
1. Using a suitable drift punch, drive out pinion shaft lock pin.
2. Mark side and pinion gears for identical installation position.
3. Remove pinion shaft, pinion gears, side gears, thrust washers, and if equipped, Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) springs and clutch plates.
Companion Flange Disassembly
Required Special Service Tool (SST)
- Companion Flange Holder: K9513-5013-D.
1. Using SST K9513-5013-D, remove lock nut and washer.
2. Remove the companion flange.
Pinion Disassembly
1. Drive the pinion out of the carrier with a plastic hammer.
2. Remove oil seal.
3. Remove the front bearing.
NOTICE: To prevent pinion damage, support pinion so that when the rear bearing comes off the pinion shaft, the pinion will not fall to the floor.
4. Using a bearing splitter and a hydraulic press, remove rear bearing and spacer.
5. Using suitable drift punch, alternately placed in two opposing carrier grooves, remove front and rear outer bearing races.
Mark the bearing races for identical installation.
Differential Parts Inspection
After cleaning, check for the following and replace parts if necessary:
1. Poor meshing, worn or damaged ring gear and drive pinion. Replace ring and pinion as a set.
2. Worn or damaged bearings.
3. Damaged adjustment shim.
4. Damaged oil seal.
5. Damaged carrier and differential housing.
6. Worn or damaged side gear and thrust washer.
7. Incorrect crush spacer length.
Length of crush spacer: 2.16 - 2.21 inches (54.80 - 56.09 mm)
Differential Assembly
If Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) replacement, begin assembly procedure at "Ring Gear Assembly."
1. Mount thrust washers on the side gears.
2. Install pinion gears, side gears, and if equipped, LSD clutch plates and springs into carrier.
3. Install pinion shaft.
Do not install pinion lock pin here.
4. Adjust side and pinion gear backlash as follows:
a. Mount the gear case in a vise with dial indicator plunger touching ring gear.
b. Lock one of the side gears.
c. Read dial indicator while turning the pinion gear.
d. Change thrust washer thickness until dial indicator reading does not exceed maximum value.
Maximum backlash: 0.008 inch (0.2 mm)
5. Install pinion shaft lock pin.
6. Using a punch, stake lock pin in place.
Ring Gear Assembly
1. Mount ABS sensor ring onto case with four cross recess screws.
2. Apply thread locking compound to ring gear back face mounting holes.
3. Bolt ring gear onto the gear case. When torquing bolts, alternate sides to prevent any warping.
Tighten ring gear mounting bolts to 56 ft. lbs. (76 Nm).
DIFFERENTIAL CARRIER ASSEMBLY
Pinion Height Adjustment
Required Special Service Tool (SST):
- Universal Handle: K94U-0001-G
- Bearing Outer Race Installer: K95B-5000-D
- Bearing Outer Race Installer: K95B-5001-D
- Drive Pinion Model: K95B-5006-D
- Pinion Gauge Tube: K95B-5005-D
1. Using SSTK94U-0001-G and K95B-5001-D, install front bearing outer race.
2. Using SST K94U-0001-G and K95B-5000D, install inner bearing outer race.
3. Put the front and rear bearings onto the drive pinion model SST K95B-5006-D.
4. Install the pinion model assembly SST K95B-5006-D into the carrier as shown.
5. Install pinion gauge tube SST K95B-5005-D into the carrier as shown.
6. Install bearing caps and hand-tighten bolts.
7. With the model's gauge block 90 degrees to the gauge tube, measure the space between the gauge block and the gauge tube.
8. From the available spacers, choose and install a pinion spacer (bevel next to pinion gear) with a thickness that equals the just-measured space plus 0.078 inch (2 mm)
9. Remove pinion model and gauge tube.
Pinion Preload
Required Special Service Tool (SST)
- Companion Flange Holder: K95B-5013-D
1. Put spacer on pinion shaft and using a press, install pinion rear bearing.
Do not install the oil seal here.
2. Install pinion, crush spacer, front bearing, and companion flange into carrier housing.
3. Hold assembly in place with lock nut hand tightened and hand turn companion flange to seat the pinion bearings.
4. Using SST K9513-5013-D and a torque wrench, tighten lock nut.
5. Measure the pinion bearing preload by turning the pinion with a torque wrench.
Pinion bearing preload: 10 inch lbs. (1.1 Nm)
Tighten nut to no more than 210 Ib4t (284 Nm), but not less than 94 ft. lbs. (128 Nm).
6. Remove the lock nut, washer, and companion flange.
7. Using SST K95U-0003-G and K9513-5003-D, install new oil seal.
8. Install companion flange, washer, and new lock nut.
9. Tighten lock nut.
Tighten nut to no more than 210 ft. lbs. (284 Nm), but not less than 94 ft. lbs. (128 Nm).
10. Measure run-out of the companion flange.
Maximum run-out: 0.0027 inch (0.07 mm)
Side Bearing Installation
Required Special Service Tool (SST)
- Universal Handle: K94U-0001-G
- Bearing Installer: K95B-5004-D
- Adjuster Nut Wrench: K95B 0001-U
- Carrier Diameter Gage: K95B-5007-D
Install all parts into their original positions using disassembly reference marks.
1. Using SST K94U-0001-G, K95B-5004-D, and a hydraulic press, install side bearing.
2. Install the differential gear assembly into the carrier.
Tighten end bearing cap bolts to 10 ft. lbs. (113 Nm).
3. Mount a dial indicator with its plunger contacting a ring gear tooth face.
4. With indicator zeroed at one direction of the ring gear maximum rotation (a locked pinion will prevent the ring gear moving beyond any backlash), reverse the ring gear rotation. The indicator reading is the backlash value.
5. Using SST K95B-0001-U, adjust left and right adjusters equally until correct backlash is achieved.
Backlash: 0.0035 - 0.0043 inch (0.09 - 0.11 mm)
If SST K95B-5007-D will not fit over carrier measuring pads, carrier will not fit into the differential housing.
6. As shown, use SST K9513-5007-D to inspect differential carrier diameter. If SST K9513-5007-D does not fit over measuring pads, side bearing preload must be relieved until it does.
7. Tighten side bearing caps.
Tighten bolts to 31 ft. lbs. (42 Nm).
8. Measure the ring gear backlash.
Backlash: 0.0035 - 0.0043 inch (0.09 - 0.11 mm)
Ring Gear-To-Pinion Gear Contact Adjustment
1. Coat both surfaces of 6-8 ring gear teeth with Prussian blue or white grease.
2. Rotate the marked ring gear teeth back and forth past the pinion.
3. If the ring gear pinion marks are not near the center of the ring gear teeth, disassemble, and adjust pinion in or out:
a. Heel and face contact marks: use thicker pinion spacer to move pinion in.
b. Toe and flank contact marks: use thinner pinion spacer to move pinion out.
Tighten lock plate bolts to 16 ft. lbs. (21 Nm).
Differential Carrier Installation
1. Apply RTV sealant (or equivalent) and install the differential carrier assembly.
Tighten M8 bolts to 18 ft. lbs. (24 Nm).
Tighten M10 bolts to 38 ft. lbs. (51 Nm).
2. Install ABS sensor with retainer bolt.
Tighten ABS retainer bolt to 15 ft. lbs. (20 Nm).
3. Install axle shafts.
4. Install brake assembly.
5. Install brake drum.
6. Install wheels and lower vehicle.
7. Install driveshaft.
Tighten transfer-to-universal joint nuts to 40 ft. lbs. (54 Nm).
Tighten differential-to-universal joint nuts to 21 ft. lbs. (28 Nm).
8. Fill differential with oil to the bottom of the filler hole.
Oil capacity: 1.6 quarts (1.5 L)
Oil specification above 0° F (-18° C): API GIL-5, SAE 90
Oil specification below 0° F (-18° C): API GL-5, SAE 80
9. Install the filler plug with a new washer.
Tighten filler plug to 27 ft. lbs. (36 Nm).
10. Install differential drain plug with new washer.
Differential Housing Removal
1. Raise vehicle; remove wheels and brake drums.
2. Remove axle shafts.
3. Remove the drain plug and drain gear oil into container. Install drain plug.
Tighten drain plug to 27 ft. lbs. (36 Nm).
4. Remove ABS sensor.
5. Using a line wrench, disconnect brake line from differential housing splitter block.
6. Mark for identical installation position and remove driveshaft.
7. Remove emergency brake cable restraining strap.
8. Using a line wrench, disconnect brake line from each brake assembly.
9. Move backing plate with attached brake assembly aside and tie it to the chassis with wire.
10. Support the housing with a jack.
11. Remove both shock absorber lower mounting bolts.
12. Remove both lower trailing link-to-rear axle housing bolts.
13. Remove the upper bolt.
14. Remove the panhard bar-to-rear axle housing bolt.
15. Lower jack and remove coil springs and rubber seats.
16. With housing on a suitable work surface, remove differential carrier.
17. Remove brake line from housing.
18. Remove breather.
INSTALLATION
1. Attach brake line to housing.
2. Apply RTV sealant (or equivalent) and install differential carrier assembly.
Tighten M8 bolts to 18 ft. lbs. (24 Nm).
Tighten M10 bolts to 38 ft. lbs. (51 Nm).
3. Using a jack, place rear axle housing in preliminary installation position and install coil springs with upper and lower rubber seats.
4. Jack housing up into final mounting position.
5. Attach panhard bar to axle housing and tighten bolt.
6. Attach upper trailing link and tighten bolt.
7. Attach both lower trailing links and tighten bolts.
8. Attach both shock absorbers and tighten bolts.
Tighten panhard bar, trailing links and shock absorber mounting bolts to 66 ft. lbs. (90 Nm).
9. Place brake assemblies in mounting position.
10. Install nuts.
Tighten nuts to 74 ft. lbs. (100 Nm).
11. Install breather.
12. Using a line wrench, attach brake line to both brake assemblies.
13. Attach emergency brake cable restraining strap to chassis.
14. Install both axles.
15. Using a line wrench, attach brake line to rear axle housing splitter block.
16. Install ABS sensor.
17. Align reference marks and install driveshaft.
18. Fill differential with oil to the bottom of the filler hole.
Oil capacity: 1.6 quarts (1.5 L)
Oil specification above 0° F (-18° C): API GL-5, SAE 90
Oil specification below 0° F (-18° C): API GL-5, SAE 80
19. Install the filler plug with a new washer.
Tighten filler plug to 27 ft. lbs. (36 Nm).
20. Bleed the brake system.