Differential Bearings: Installation
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Ford Ranger. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- Press the left and right differential bearing on the differential assembly.
- Position the differential bearings.
- Using the special tool, press the differential bearings on the differential assembly.
- Position the special tool and the inner and outer bearing cups in their respective bores.
- After placing the inner and outer bearing cups in their respective bores, place the special tool of the inner bearing cup.
- Place the special tool on the outer bearing cup.
- Install the special tool.
- Tighten the special tool to seat the pinion bearing cups in their bores.
- Make sure the differential pinion bearing cups are correctly seated.
- Assemble and position the drive pinion depth gauge set.
- Position the screw.
- Position the aligning adapter.
- Position the gauge disc.
- Position the gauge block.
- Position the inner drive pinion bearing.
- Position the outer drive pinion bearing.
- Thread on the handle and tighten.
- Tighten to 2.2 Nm (20 lb-in).
- Rotate the gauge block several half turns to make sure of correct seating of the drive pinion bearings and position the gauge block.
- Install the special tool.
- Position the gauge tube and the paper shipping tabs.
- Install the differential bearing caps.
- Install the differential bearing cap bolts.
- Tighten to 105 Nm (77 lb-ft).
- Use a drive pinion bearing adjustment shim as a gauge for drive pinion bearing adjustment shim selection.
- After the correct drive pinion bearing adjustment shim thickness has been determined, remove all of the special tools.
- Using the special tool and a shop press, drive the inner drive pinion bearing and drive pinion bearing adjustment shim until they are firmly seated on the pinion shaft.
- Install a new drive pinion collapsible spacer on the pinion shaft against the pinion shaft shoulder.
- Install the drive pinion assembly into the axle housing.
- Install the outer drive pinion bearing and the drive pinion shaft oil slinger.
- Using the special tool, install the drive pinion seal.
- Using the special tools, install the drive pinion flange.
- Use the special tool to hold the pinion flange while tightening the pinion nut.
- Rotate the pinion occasionally to make sure the differential pinion bearings are seating correctly. Take frequent differential pinion bearing preload checks by rotating the differential pinion with a Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench. Tighten the pinion nut in small increments to avoid excessive pinion bearing preload. Tighten the pinion nut until the drive pinion bearing preload is in specification.
- Place the differential carrier assembly with the new differential carrier bearing cups in the axle housing.
- Install a differential bearing shim on the LH side.
- Install the LH differential bearing cap and loosely install the differential bearing cap bolts.
- Install progressively larger differential bearing shims on the RH side until the largest differential bearing shim selected can be inserted by hand.
- Install the RH side differential bearing cap and tighten the differential bearing cap bolts.
- Tighten to 105 Nm (77 lb-ft).
- Rotate the differential assembly to make sure it rotates freely.
- Install the special tools and measure the ring gear backlash.
- If a zero backlash condition occurs, add 0.50 mm (0.020 in) to the RH side shim and subtract 0.50 mm (0.020 in) from the LH side shim to allow a backlash indication. Go back to step 22.
- 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 BACKLASH SPECIFICATIONS when adjusting the backlash. When the backlash is within specifications, proceed to step 25.BACKLASH SPECIFICATIONS
Backlash Change Required Thickness Change Required mm in mm in 0.025 0.001 0.050 0.002 0.050 0.002 0.050 0.002 0.076 0.003 0.101 0.004 0.101 0.004 0.152 0.006 0.127 0.005 0.152 0.006 0.152 0.006 0.203 0.008 0.177 0.007 0.254 0.010 0.203 0.008 0.254 0.010 0.228 0.009 0.304 0.012 0.254 0.010 0.355 0.014 0.279 0.011 0.355 0.014 0.304 0.012 0.406 0.016 0.330 0.013 0.457 0.018 0.335 0.014 0.457 0.018 0.381 0.015 0.508 0.020 DIFFERENTIAL SHIM SIZE CHART 4067Stripes & Color Code Dimension A mm in 2 - C-COAL 7.7978-7.8105 0.3070-0.3075 1 - C-COAL 7.7470-7.7597 0.3050-0.3055 5 - BLU 7.6962-7.7089 0.3030-0.3035 4 - BLU 7.6454-7.6581 0.3010-0.3015 3 - BLU 7.5946-7.6073 0.2990-0.2995 2 - BLU 7.5458-7.5565 0.2970-0.2975 5 - PINK 7.4422-7.4549 0.2930-0.2935 4 - PINK 7.3914-7.4041 0.2910-0.2915 3 - PINK 7.3406-7.3533 0.2890-0.2895 2 - PINK 7.2898-7.3025 0.2870-0.2875 1 - PINK 7.2390-7.2517 0.2850-0.2855 5 - GRN 7.1882-7.2009 0.2830-0.2835 4 - GRN 7.1374-7.1501 0.2810-0.2815 3 - GRN 7.0866-7.0993 0.2790-0.2795 2 - GRN 7.0358-7.0485 0.2770-0.2775 1 - GRN 6.9850-7.0485 0.2750-0.2755 5 - WH 6.9342-6.9469 0.2730-0.2735 4 - WH 6.8834-6.8961 0.2710-0.2715 3 - WH 6.8326-6.8453 0.2690-0.2695 2 - WH 6.7818-6.7945 0.2670-0.2675 1 - WH 6.7310-6.7437 0.2650-0.2655 5 - YEL 6.6802-6.6929 0.2630-0.2635 4 - YEL 6.6294-6.6421 0.2610-0.2615 3 - YEL 6.5786-6.5913 0.2590-0.2595 2 - YEL 6.5278-6.5405 0.2570-0.2575 1 - YEL 6.4770-6.4897 0.2550-0.2555 5 - ORNG 6.4262-6.4389 0.2530-0.2535 4 - ORNG 6.3754-6.3881 0.2510-0.2515 3 - ORNG 6.3246-6.3373 0.2490-0.2495 2 - ORNG 6.2738-6.2865 0.2470-0.2475 1 - ORNG 6.2223-6.2357 0.2450-0.2455 2 - RED 6.1722-6.1849 0.2430-0.2435 1 - RED 6.1214-6.1341 0.2410-0.2415 - Rotate the differential assembly several times to make sure the differential bearings are seated.
- Using the special tools, recheck the ring gear backlash.
- Remove the differential bearing cap bolts and differential bearing caps.
- To establish differential bearing preload, increase both LH and RH differential bearing shim sizes as shown.
- Using the special tool, fully seat the differential bearing shims. Make sure the assembly rotates freely.
- Install the differential bearing caps and differential bearing cap bolts.
- Tighten to 105 Nm (77 lb-ft).
- Using the special tools, recheck the backlash.
- Apply marking compound and rotate the differential assembly 5 complete revolutions.
- Verify an acceptable pattern check.
- Install the axle shafts. For additional information, refer to AXLE SHAFT .
- Position the driveshaft and align the index marks on the pinion flange.
- Install the driveshaft flange bolts.
- Tighten to 103 Nm (76 lb-ft).
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.
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.
NOTE:
The gauge block must be offset to obtain an accurate reading.
NOTE:
Drive pinion bearing adjustment shims must be flat and clean.
NOTE:
A slight drag should be felt for correct drive pinion bearing adjustment shim selection. Do not attempt to force the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim between gauge block and gauge tube. This will minimize selection of a drive pinion bearing adjustment shim thicker than required, which results in a deep tooth contact in final assembly of integral axle assemblies.
CAUTION:
Do not, under any circumstance, loosen the drive pinion nut to reduce pinion bearing preload. If it is necessary to reduce the preload, install a new drive pinion collapsible spacer and drive pinion nut.
CAUTION:
Remove the special tool while taking rotational pinion bearing preload checks with the Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench.
NOTE:
Apply pressure toward the LH side to make sure the left differential bearing cup is seated.
CAUTION:
The driveshaft centering socket yoke fits tightly on the pinion flange pilot. To make sure that the driveshaft centering socket yoke seats squarely on the pinion flange, tighten the driveshaft flange bolts evenly in a cross pattern.