Rear Drive Axle and Differential
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Ford Ranger. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- The differential housing (4141) consists of a cast center section with two steel tube assemblies and a stamped differential housing cover (4033). The differential housing cover uses silicone sealant as a gasket.
- The hypoid-design gearset consists of a 8.8-inch differential ring gear and a drive pinion gear. Two opposed pinion bearings (4621) (4630) support the drive pinion in the differential housing.
- A drive pinion collapsible spacer (4662), located on the drive pinion shaft, maintains pinion bearing preload. The pinion nut adjusts the preload.
- Differential bearing shims (4067), located between the differential bearing cups (4222) and the differential housing, adjust the differential ring gear backlash and the differential bearing preload.
- The differential case (4204) is a one-piece design with two openings to allow for assembly of the internal components and lubricant flow. Two opposed differential bearings (4221) support the differential case in the differential housing. Removable bearing caps retain the differential assembly in the differential housing.
- Inside the differential case, the differential pinion shaft (4211) supports two differential pinion gears (4215). The pinion gears engage the differential side gears (4236), to which the axle shafts (4234) are splined. The differential pinion shaft lock bolt retains the differential pinion shaft in the differential case.
- The rear axle uses SAE 80W-90 Premium Rear Axle Lubricant XY-80W90-QL or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSP-M2C197-A.
- An embossed metal tag, bolted to the differential housing cover, contains rear axle identification. For additional information, refer to DRIVELINE SYSTEM - GENERAL INFORMATION article.