Rear Drive Axle and Differential: Description

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Ford Pickup. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The rear axle assembly has the following features:

An integral-type housing hypoid gear design (center of the pinion set below the centerline of the ring gear).
The hypoid differential ring gear and pinion consisting of a ring gear and an overhung drive pinion that is supported by 2 opposed tapered roller bearings.
Drive pinion bearing preload, which is maintained by a drive pinion collapsible spacer on the pinion shaft and adjusted by the pinion nut.
The axle housing assembly consists of a cast center section with 2 steel tube assemblies and a stamped differential housing cover.
The differential housing cover uses silicone sealant as a gasket.
The differential pinion shaft, which is retained by a differential pinion shaft lock bolt is assembled to the differential case.
The differential case, which is mounted in the axle housing between 2 opposing differential bearings that are retained in the axle housing by removable bearing caps.
Uses SAE 75W-140 High Performance Rear Axle Lubricant F1TZ-19580-B meeting Ford specification WSL-M2C192-A.
Differential bearing preload and ring gear backlash are adjusted by differential bearing shims located between the differential bearing cups and the axle housing.
Axle identification is an embossed metal tag bolted to the differential housing cover.

The Traction-Lok® axle assembly, except for the differential case and its internal components is identical to the conventional rear axle. The Traction-Lok® differential case employs 2 multi-disc differential clutch packs to control differential action. The mounting distance of the differential side gear is controlled by 8 plates on each side: 4 steel and 4 friction. Also included is 1 steel selective shim to control the position of the differential side gear (shim selection may determine that 2 select shims be used), and 1 Belleville spring plate which, because of its slight concave design, provides initial preload to the differential clutch pack. Additional clutch pack capacity is delivered from the thrust loads of the differential side gear. Steel clutch plates are splined to the side gear hub which, in turn, is splined into the axle shaft. Tabs on the friction plates are captured in the case by matching slots, thus providing continuous engagement of the differential clutch packs.