Differential Ring And Pinion: Installation
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2011 Ford Pickup. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- Install the inner and outer bearing cups.
- After placing the inner and outer bearing cups in their bores, place the Input Shaft Bearing Cup Installer on the inner pinion bearing cup.
- Place the Drive Pinion Bearing Installer on the outer pinion bearing cup.
- Install the Rear Axle Drawbar into the replacer tools.
- Tighten the Rear Axle Drawbar to install the pinion bearing cups into their bores.
- Make sure the cups are correctly seated in their bores.
- If a feeler gauge of the specification shown in the illustration can be inserted between a cup and the bottom of its bore at any point around the cup, the cup is not correctly seated.
- Assemble and position the Adapter, Drive Pinion Depth Gauge, Gauge Block Adapter, Gauge Tube and Pinion Depth Gauge.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.PARTS DESCRIPTION CHART
Item Part Number Description 1 4621 Pinion bearing (outer) 2 205-160 Adapter (T80T-4020-F43) 3 4630 Pinion bearing (inner) 4 205-423 Drive Pinion Depth Gauge 5 205-159 Gauge Block Adapter (2.1993-inch thick) (T80T-4020-F42) 6 205-D038 Gauge Tube (4.126-inch OD) (D81T-4020-F51) 7 205-937 Drive Pinion Depth Gauge/Aligner 8 4010 Rear axle housing 9 205-111 Handle (T76P-4020-A11) - Tighten the Adapter to achieve the specified rotational torque.NOTE: This step duplicates final pinion bearing preload.
- Tighten to 2.2 Nm (20 lb-in).
- Rotate the Adapter several half-turns to make sure of correct seating of the pinion bearings, and position the Adapter.NOTE: The Adapter must be offset to obtain an accurate reading.
- Install the Gauge Tube.
- Position the Gauge Tube.
- Install the 2 differential bearing caps.
- Install the 4 differential bearing cap bolts.
- Tighten to 118 Nm (87 lb-ft).
- Use a drive pinion bearing adjustment shim as a gauge for shim selection.NOTE: Drive pinion bearing adjustment shims must be flat and clean.NOTE: A slight drag should be felt for correct shim selection. Do not attempt to force the pinion shim between the Gauge Block and the Gauge Tube.
- Place the selected shim on the pinion and press the bearing until it is firmly seated on the shaft using the Bearing/Oil Seal Plate and Drive Pinion Bearing Installer.NOTE: The same differential pinion bearing used in the shim selection procedure must be used in the final assembly of the axle.
- Place a new collapsible spacer on the pinion shaft against the pinion stem shoulder.
- Install the outer drive pinion bearing and drive pinion shaft oil slinger.
- Lubricate the lip of the new drive pinion seal with grease.
- Using the Drive Pinion Oil Seal Installer, install the drive pinion oil seal.
- Install the drive pinion in the drive pinion carrier bore from inside the rear axle housing.
- With the drive pinion in place in the axle housing, install the pinion flange using the Drive Pinion Flange Holding Fixture and Drive Pinion Flange Installer.NOTE: The Drive Pinion Flange Installer must be used due to tight spline fit.
- Position the new pinion nut and washer.
- Use the Drive Pinion Flange Holding Fixture to hold the pinion flange while tightening the pinion nut.NOTE: Under no circumstances is the pinion nut to be backed off to reduce preload. If reduced preload is required, a new collapsible spacer and pinion nut must be installed.
- Tighten the pinion nut, rotating the pinion occasionally to make sure the drive pinion bearings are seating correctly. Take frequent drive pinion bearing preload readings by rotating the drive pinion gear with a Nm (lb-in) torque wrench. The final readings must be 0.56 Nm (5 lb-in) more than the initial reading taken during removal.
- After the torque reading is correct, using a round tip centerpunch, stake the pinion nut.
- Install the differential ring gear.
- Place the differential ring gear on the differential assembly.
- Hand-start 3 new ring gear bolts to align the holes in the differential ring gear and the differential assembly.
- Place the differential assembly and differential ring gear onto the press bed blocks with the differential ring gear teeth facing downward.
- Press the differential ring gear into place.
- Install the remaining 9 new differential ring gear bolts.
- Tighten to 63 Nm (46 lb-ft) and then tighten an additional 60 degrees.
- Position the differential case in the rear axle housing.
- Install a shim on the left side as shown in the illustration.
- Install the left bearing cap and loosely install the 2 bearing cap bolts.NOTE: The bearing caps must be installed in their original locations and positions.NOTE: Apply pressure toward the left side to make sure the left bearing is seated.
- Install progressively larger shims on the right side until the largest shim selected can be assembled by hand.
- Install the right side bearing cap with 2 bolts and tighten the 4 bolts.
- Tighten to 118 Nm (87 lb-ft).
- Rotate the differential case to make sure it rotates freely.
- Using the Dial Indicator Gauge with Holding Fixture and Clutch Housing Gauge, measure the ring gear backlash.
- If the backlash is within specification, go to Step 31.
- If a zero backlash condition occurs, go to Step 26.
- If the backlash is not within specification, go to Step 27.
- If a zero backlash condition occurs, add a 0.50 mm (0.020 in) shim to the RH side and subtract 0.50 mm (0.020 in) from the LH side to allow backlash indication. Repeat Step 25.
- To increase or decrease backlash, remove the bearing caps and install a thicker shim and a thinner shim as shown in illustration.NOTE: If backlash is not within specification, correct by increasing the thickness of one differential bearing shim and decreasing the thickness on the other differential bearing shim by the same amount.SHIMS SPECIFICATIONS
Backlash Change Required Thickness Change Required mm Inch mm Inch 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 - Install the 2 bearing caps and 4 bearing cap bolts.
- Tighten to 118 Nm (87 lb-ft).
- Rotate the differential several times to make sure the differential bearings are correctly seated.
- Using the Dial Indicator Gauge with Holding Fixture and Clutch Housing Gauge, recheck the backlash.
- Remove the bearing caps and bolts.
- To establish differential bearing preload, increase both left and right shim sizes by the specification shown in the illustration.
- Using the Differential Shim Installer, make sure the differential bearing shims are fully seated and the assembly turns freely.
- Install the 2 bearing caps and 4 bearing cap bolts.
- Tighten to 118 Nm (87 lb-ft).
- Using the Dial Indicator Gauge with Holding Fixture and Clutch Housing Gauge, verify the backlash.
- Apply marking compound and rotate the differential assembly 5 complete revolutions.
- Verify an acceptable pattern check. For additional information, refer to DRIVELINE SYSTEM - GENERAL INFORMATION .
- Install the axle shafts. For additional information, refer to WHEEL HUBS AND BEARINGS - FULL FLOATING AXLE - FORD .
- Clean the gasket mating surface of the rear axle and the differential housing cover.NOTE: Make sure the machined surfaces on both the rear axle housing and the differential housing are clean and free of oil before applying the new silicone. The inside of the rear axle must be covered when cleaning the machined surface to prevent contamination.
- Apply a new, continuous bead of silicone to the differential housing cover as shown in illustration.
- Install the differential housing cover and the 12 differential housing cover bolts.NOTE: The differential housing cover must be installed within 15 minutes of application of the silicone, or new sealant must be applied. If possible, allow one hour before filling with lubricant to make sure the silicone has properly cured.
- For stamped steel housing covers, tighten alternately and evenly to 45 Nm (33 lb-ft).
- For cast aluminum housing covers, tighten alternately and evenly to 32 Nm (24 lb-ft).
- Remove the filler plug, fill the axle to the level shown with axle lubricant and install the filler plug.NOTE: Service refill capacities are determined by filling the axle with the specified lubricant to the specified level below the bottom of the filler hole.
- Tighten to 30 Nm (22 lb-ft).
- Position the driveshaft flange and align the index mark on the pinion flange.
- Install the 4 new driveshaft flange bolts.NOTE: 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.
- Tighten to 103 Nm (76 lb-ft).