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Home >> Mercury >> 2008 >> Milan Base, 3.0 1, FWD >> Repair and Diagnosis >> External Pages >> Different car >> Section 691 (Rear Drive Axle/Differential - Ford 10.25-Inch Ring Gear -- F150 & Mark LT) >> In-Vehicle Servicing >> Differential Ring And Pinion >> Installation >> All vehicles

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WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2007 Lincoln Mark LT and 2007 Ford Pickup. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
  1. Measure and record the stack height of the new inner pinion bearing and cup.
  2. Position the special tools and the inner and outer drive pinion bearing cups in their respective bores.
    • After placing the inner and outer drive pinion bearing cups in their bores, place the special tool on the inner drive pinion bearing cup.
    • Place the special tool on the outer drive pinion bearing cup.
    • Install the special tools.
    3. Fig 1: Placing Special Tool On Outer Pinion Bearing Cup
    GF0003195Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  3. Tighten the special tool to seat the drive pinion bearing cups into their bores.
    4. Fig 2: Tightening Special Tool To Seat Drive Pinion Bearing Cups Into Their Bores
    GF0003196Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  4. Make sure the drive pinion bearing cups are correctly seated in their bores.
    • If a feeler gauge of the specification shown in the illustration can be inserted between a drive pinion bearing cup and the bottom of its bore at any point around the drive pinion bearing cup, the drive pinion bearing cup is not correctly seated.
    5. Fig 3: Checking Clearance Between Cup And Bore
    G03878664Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.


  1. Tighten the special tool to the specified rotational torque.
    • Tighten to 2.2 Nm (20 lb-in).
    2. Fig 1: Checking Differential Pinion Bearing Preload
    G03878601Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    NOTE: The special tool must be offset to obtain an accurate reading.
  2. Rotate the special tool several half-turns to make sure of correct seating of the drive pinion bearings, then position the special tool.
    3. Fig 2: Rotating Special Tool
    G03883649Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  3. Install the special tool.
    • Position the special tool.
    • Install the 2 differential side bearing caps.
    • Install the 4 differential side bearing cap bolts.
      • Tighten to 105 Nm (77 lb-ft).
    4. Fig 3: Installing Differential Side Bearing Cap Bolts
    GF0003199Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    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 the special tools. This will minimize selection of a drive pinion bearing adjustment shim thicker than required, which results in a deep tooth contact in the final assembly of integral axle assemblies.
  4. 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 the special tools from the axle housing.
    5. Fig 4: Identifying Drive Pinion Bearing Adjustment Shim
    GF0003085Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  5. Using a press and the special tools, press the pinion bearing until it is firmly seated on the pinion gear and the drive pinion bearing adjustment shim.
    6. Fig 5: Identifying Special Tools On Pinion Bearing
    GF0003200Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  6. Place a new drive pinion collapsible spacer on the pinion gear against the pinion gear shoulder.
    7. Fig 6: Identifying Drive Pinion Collapsible Spacer
    GF0000836Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  7. Install the outer drive pinion bearing and drive pinion shaft oil slinger.
    8. Fig 7: Identifying Outer Drive Pinion Bearing And Drive Pinion Shaft Oil Slinger
    GF0000839Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  8. Lubricate the new drive pinion seal with grease.
    9. NOTE: If the new drive pinion seal becomes misaligned during installation, remove the drive pinion seal and install a new drive pinion seal.
  9. Using the special tool, install a new drive pinion seal.
    10. Fig 8: Installing Drive Pinion Seal
    G03884437Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  10. Install the pinion gear in the pinion gear bore from inside the axle housing.
    11. Fig 9: Locating Drive Pinion Gear
    GF0000840Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  11. Using the special tool, install the pinion flange.
    12. Fig 10: Installing Pinion Flange Using Special Tool
    G03884510Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  12. Position the new pinion nut.
    13. Fig 11: Identifying Pinion Nut
    GF0003128Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    CAUTION: Under no circumstances is the pinion nut to be backed off to reduce drive pinion bearing preload. If reduced drive pinion bearing preload is required, a new drive pinion collapsible spacer and pinion nut must be installed or damage to the component may occur.
    NOTE: Remove the special tool while taking drive pinion bearing preload readings with the Nm (lb-in) torque wrench.
  13. Using the special tool to hold the pinion flange, tighten the pinion nut.
    • Rotate the drive pinion occasionally to make sure the drive pinion bearings are seating correctly.
    • Install a Nm (lb-in) torque wrench on the pinion nut.
    • Rotating the drive pinion through several revolutions, take frequent drive pinion bearing preload readings until the original recorded drive pinion bearing preload reading is obtained.
    14. Fig 12: Holding Pinion Flange With Special Tool
    G03883491Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  14. Press the left and right differential bearing on the differential assembly.
    15. Fig 13: Pressing Differential Bearings On Differential Case Using Special Tool
    G03884442Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    NOTE: If removed, press the speed sensor ring on with the differential ring gear.
  15. Install the differential ring gear.
    1. Place the differential ring gear on the differential assembly.
    2. Hand-start 3 new ring gear bolts to align the holes in the differential ring gear and the differential assembly.
    3. Place the differential assembly and differential ring gear onto the press bed blocks with the differential ring gear teeth facing downward.
    4. Press the differential ring gear into place.
    16. Fig 14: Pressing Differential Ring Gear Into Place
    G03884443Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  16. Install the 12 new differential ring gear bolts.
    • Tighten to 150 Nm (111 lb-ft).
    17. Fig 15: Identifying 12 Differential Ring Gear Bolts
    GF0003136Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  17. Install the differential assembly in the axle housing.
    18. Fig 16: Positioning Differential Assembly In Axle Housing
    GF0000841Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    NOTE: Differential bearing shims are to be installed with the chamfer facing outboard.
  18. Install a differential bearing shim on the LH side.
    19. Fig 17: Identifying Differential Bearing Shim On LH Side
    G03884446Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    NOTE: Index-mark the position of the differential bearing caps as arrows may not be visible. The differential bearing caps must be installed in their original locations and positions.
    NOTE: Apply pressure toward the LH side to make sure the LH differential bearing cap is seated.
  19. Install the LH differential bearing cap and loosely install the 2 differential bearing cap bolts.
    20. Fig 18: Identifying LH Differential Bearing Cap And Bolts
    GF0000842Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  20. Install progressively larger differential bearing shims on the RH side until the largest differential bearing shim selected that can be installed by hand.
    21. Fig 19: Identifying Differential Bearing Shim
    GF0000843Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  21. Install the RH side differential bearing cap and tighten the 2 LH side and 2 RH side differential bearing cap bolts.
    • Tighten to 105 Nm (77 lb-ft).
    22. Fig 20: Identifying Differential Bearing Cap And Differential Bearing Cap Bolts
    G03878679Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  22. Rotate the differential assembly to make sure it rotates freely.
    23. Fig 21: Rotating Differential Assembly
    GF0000844Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    NOTE: If ring gear backlash is within specification, go to Step 33.
  23. Using the special tools, measure ring gear backlash.
    24. Fig 22: Measuring Ring Gear Backlash Using Special Tools
    G03884451Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    NOTE: The differential bearing caps must be removed before differential bearing shims can be installed.
  24. To increase ring gear backlash, install a thicker differential bearing shim and a thinner differential bearing shim as shown.
    • If ring gear 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.
      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
    25. Fig 23: Identifying Differential Bearing Shims
    G03884521Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  25. Rotate the differential assembly several times to make sure the differential bearings are seated.
    26. Fig 24: Rotating Differential Assembly
    GF0000870Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  26. Using the special tools, recheck the ring gear backlash.
    27. Fig 25: Measuring Ring Gear Backlash Using Special Tools
    G03884451Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  27. Remove the 4 differential bearing cap bolts and 2 differential bearing caps.
    28. Fig 26: Locating Differential Bearing Cap Bolts & Differential Bearing Caps
    GF0003144Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    NOTE: Differential bearing shims are to be installed with the chamfer facing outboard.
    NOTE: To establish differential bearing preload, increase both left and right differential bearing shim sizes as shown. Make sure differential bearing shims are fully seated and the differential assembly turns freely.
  28. Using the special tool, install the differential bearing shims.
    29. Fig 27: Identifying Special Tool On Differential Bearing
    GF0003145Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  29. Install the 2 differential bearing caps and 4 differential bearing cap bolts.
    • Tighten to 105 Nm (77 lb-ft).
    30. Fig 28: Identifying Differential Bearing Cap And Differential Bearing Cap Bolts
    G03878679Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  30. Apply marking compound and rotate the differential assembly 5 complete revolutions.
  31. Verify an acceptable pattern check.
  32. Install the axle shafts. For additional information, refer to Axle Assembly  in this article.
  33. Position the driveshaft and align the index mark on the pinion flange.
    34. Fig 29: Identifying Index Marks On Pinion/Driveshaft Flanges
    GF0000845Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
    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.
  34. Install the driveshaft flange bolts.
    • Tighten to 103 Nm (76 lb-ft).
    35. Fig 30: Locating Driveshaft Flange Bolts
    GF0000834Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
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