Differential Ring and Pinion

Differential Ring and Pinion














Special Tool(s)





Material








Removal
1. Remove the rear axle assembly.





2. Remove the 4 bolts retaining the torque arm to the rear axle housing.





3. Remove the differential housing cover and drain the lubricant.





4. Using the special tools, mount the differential housing to a work bench.





5. CAUTION: Mark the position and location of the differential bearing caps as the arrows may not be visible. Always install the differential bearing caps in their original locations and positions.

Remove the differential bearing caps.





6. CAUTION: Use wood blocks to avoid damaging the differential housing.

Remove the differential assembly.
1 Position wood blocks at the top and bottom of the differential assembly.
2 Pry the differential assembly and the differential bearing shims out of the differential housing.





7. Using the special tools, remove the differential bearing.
^ Repeat for the other side.





8. Remove the 12 ring gear bolts.





9. CAUTION: Do not damage the ring gear bolt hole threads.

Insert a punch in the ring gear bolt holes and drive the differential ring gear off.

10. WARNING: The speed sensor ring cannot be reused once removed. Remove the speed sensor ring only if damaged.

If necessary, remove the speed sensor ring.





11. Using the special tool, hold the pinion flange to remove and discard the pinion nut.





12. Using the special tool, remove the pinion flange.





13. Use a screwdriver to force up the metal flange of the drive pinion oil seal. Install gripping pliers and strike with a hammer to remove the drive pinion oil seal.





14. Remove the drive pinion oil seal deflector, drive pinion oil seal slinger and the outer pinion bearing.





15. Using the special tool and a soft-faced hammer, remove the differential pinion gear from the differential housing.





16. Using a brass drift and a hammer, remove any damaged differential drive pinion bearing cups from the differential housing. Tap alternately on each side of the cup to prevent it from cocking in the bore.

Installation





1. Position the special tools and the inner and outer drive pinion bearing cups in their respective bores.
1 Place the special tool on the outer drive pinion bearing cup.
2 Place the special tool on the inner drive pinion bearing cup.
3 Install the special tool.





2. Tighten the special tool to fully seat the differential drive pinion bearing.





3. NOTE: If a feeler gauge of the specification shown can be inserted between a cup and the bottom of its bore at any point around the cup, the cup is not correctly seated.

Make sure the differential pinion bearing cups are correctly seated.








4. CAUTION: Use the same drive pinion bearings and the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim from the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim selection procedure for final assembly.

NOTE: Install new drive pinion bearings without any additional lubricant since the anti-rust oil provides adequate lubricant without upsetting the drive pinion bearing preload settings.

Install the new drive pinion bearings and special tools as shown.





5. NOTE: This step duplicates drive pinion bearing preload.

Thread the special tool onto the screw.
^ Tighten to 2.2 Nm (20 inch lbs.).





6. CAUTION: Position the adapter so it does not contact the housing.

CAUTION: Offset the special tool to obtain an accurate reading.

Rotate the special tool several half turns to seat the drive pinion bearings. Position the special tool as shown.





7. Install the special tool and bearing caps.
^ Tighten to 105 Nm (77 ft. lbs.).





8. Use a drive pinion bearing adjustment shim as a gauge for shim selection. Check the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim thickness between the gauge block and the gauge tube. A slight drag indicates correct shim selection.
^ Notice the plus (+), minus (-) or zero (0) paint marking on the drive pinion stem and adjust the thickness of the new shim. If the marking is plus (+), subtract the number from the gauged shim thickness. If the marking is minus (-), add the number to the gauged shim thickness.





9. Position the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim and the inner pinion bearing on the drive pinion gear stem.





10. Using the special tools and a suitable press, firmly seat the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim and inner pinion bearing on the drive pinion gear stem.





11. CAUTION: Make sure the splines on the drive pinion gear stem are free of burrs. If burrs are evident, remove them using a fine crocus cloth.

Place a new differential drive pinion collapsible spacer on the drive pinion gear stem against the pinion stem shoulder.





12. Install the outer pinion bearing and the drive pinion oil seal slinger.





13. CAUTION: Installation without the correct tool can result in early drive pinion seal failure.

CAUTION: If the drive pinion seal becomes misaligned during installation, remove it and install a new drive pinion seal.

NOTE: Coat the drive pinion seal lips with long-life grease.

Using the special tool, install the new drive pinion seal.





14. Install the drive pinion gear with the differential drive pinion collapsible spacer in the differential housing.





15. Position the pinion flange.





16. Using the special tool, install the pinion flange.





17. CAUTION: Do not, under any circumstance, loosen the pinion nut to reduce drive pinion bearing preload. If it is necessary to reduce drive pinion bearing preload, install a new differential drive pinion collapsible spacer and pinion nut.

CAUTION: Remove the special tool while taking drive pinion bearing preload readings with the Nm (inch lbs.) torque wrench.

Use the special tool to hold the pinion flange while tightening the pinion nut.
^ Rotate the drive pinion gear occasionally to make sure the drive pinion bearings seat correctly. Take frequent drive pinion bearing preload readings by rotating the drive pinion gear with a Nm (inch lbs.) torque wrench.





18. Tighten the pinion nut to set the drive pinion bearing preload. Refer to the torque specification for drive pinion bearings in the Specifications portion.





19. Press the left and right differential bearing on the differential assembly.





20. NOTE: If removed, press the speed sensor ring on with the differential ring gear.

Install the differential ring gear.
1 Place the differential ring gear on the differential assembly.
2 Hand-start 3 ring gear bolts to align the holes in the differential ring gear and the differential assembly.
3 Place the differential assembly and differential ring gear onto the press bed blocks with the differential ring gear teeth facing downward.
4 Press the differential rind Rear into place.





21. Install the remaining ring gear bolts after applying stud and bearing mount to the bolt threads.
^ Tighten to 150 Nm (111 ft. lbs.).
22. Install the differential assembly.
1 Position the differential bearing cups on the differential bearings.
2 Lower the differential assembly in place.





23. Install a differential bearing shim of the thickness shown on the LH side of the differential case.





24. NOTE: Apply pressure toward the left side to make sure the left bearing cap is seated.

Install the left bearing cap and loosely install the bearing cap bolts.





25. NOTE: Apply pressure toward the left side to make sure the left bearing cap is seated.

Install progressively thicker differential bearing shims on the right side until the thickest differential bearing shim can be inserted by hand.
26. Install the right bearing cap and bolts.





27. Tighten the 4 differential bearing cap bolts.
^ Tighten to 105 Nm (77 ft. lbs.).





28. Rotate the differential case to make sure it turns freely.





29. Using the special tools, measure the differential ring gear backlash.
1 Attach the special tool.
2 Position the special tool tip centrally on a drive tooth.
3 Zero the indicator.
4 Turn the differential ring gear without turning the drive pinion gear. Record the indicator reading. The allowable backlash is mm (0.008 inch) to 0.305 mm (0.012 inch).
To correct for a high or low backlash, proceed as follows.





30. To correct for high or low backlash, increase the thickness of one differential bearing shim and decrease the thickness of the other differential bearing shim by the same amount. Refer to the following tables when adjusting the backlash.











Differential Shim Size Chart 4067





31. Remove the 4 differential bearing cap bolts.
^ Remove the differential assembly.
32. Measure the thickness of the selected right and left bearing shims.





33. To establish differential bearing preload, increase both the left and right differential bearing shim thickness by 0.152 mm (0.006 inch).





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





35. Rotate the differential assembly several time to verify the differential bearings have seated correctly.





36. Recheck the differential ring gear backlash.
37. Verify an acceptable pattern check.





38. CAUTION: The machined surfaces on the differential housing and the differential housing cover must be clean and free of oil before applying the new silicone sealant. Cover the inside of the axle before cleaning the machined surface to prevent contamination.

CAUTION: Install the differential housing cover within 15 minutes of applying the silicone material.

CAUTION: Allow the sealant to cure for 1 hour before filling the axle with lubricant.

Apply a continuous bead of sealant, of the specified thickness, to the differential housing cover mounting surface.
^ Use silicone gasket and sealant.
39. Install the differential housing cover.
40. Fill the axle assembly with the specified lubricant.
41. Install the rear axle assembly.