Differential Assembly: Description and Operation

Fig. 1 Integral carrier type rear axle assembly (typical):

Fig. 1 illustrates the rear axle assembly used on these vehicles. When necessary to overhaul these units, refer to the rear axle specifications table at the beginning of this chapter

The gear set consists of a ring gear and an overhung drive pinion which is supported by two opposed tapered roller bearings, Fig. 1. The differential case is a one-piece design with openings allowing assembly of the internal parts and lubricant flow. The differential pinion shaft is retained with a threaded bolt (lock) assembled to the case.

The roller type wheel bearings have no inner race, and the rollers directly contact the bearing journals of the axle shafts. The axle shafts do not use an inner and outer bearing retainer. Rather, they are held in the axle by means of C-locks. These C-locks also fit into a machined recess in the differential side gears within the differential case. There is no retainer bolt access hole in the axle shaft flange.