country2

OK once again after watching numerous youtube vids and lots of reading figured OK a 3 hour job to replace wheel bearings,inner seals and check everything else at the most. Well about 6 hours later minus a couple of breaks to go drink water and hit the punching bag while yelling out numerous words my kids don't need to hear seems nothing is going right.

Caliper bolts no issue as looks like they have been done before but the 3 12 point bolts well had to apply heat to all and looks like someone has already been there or attempted it as one bolt was not a 12 point but a 6 point 15mm head but threads were the same. Spent 2 hours trying to remove the diff had to rig up a slide hammer puller to remove as using pry bars and the rag trick did not work. Figured worst is over now EXCEPT how the hell am I gonna insert the diff back in? If it was that hard taking out putting it in will be worse!

So where people had made a spreader to force to opening well to open more to allow more clearance but all the ones I saw was with the front axle housing removed from vehicle. Is there any tricks to inserting it back in? Thanks.

00t444e

They can be tricky to get back in if the bearings are tight, I use a dead blow hammer or a regular hammer and block of wood, you can wrap a ratchet strap around the axle housing to hold the carrier in place while you beat on it.

country2

Ok I'll try that tomorrow as I'm done for today!

DFlintstone

My experience is a bit limited but I've done a few. Like allot of snug fits, if it's cocked you aint gonna force it. Carefully "persuading" with moderate "taps" with a real hammer on the high side can sometimes get things lined up so as not to bind. Like a stuck bolt, the shock-wave of a well metered "rap" can move things a lot of torque wont.

country2

Funny thing is I work at a plant that makes diffs. Even though I work in maintenance I do help them out on line when I get bored and never had one this tight getting out.

country2

well believe it or not the diff was easier going back in. Got most done except for wheel hub nut...only my 3/4 torque wrench goes up to 175 so I need a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter and I lost one of the spring washer. Is the spring washer really important?

PatHenry

The spring washer holds the cap to put the cotter pin in. Without it the cotter pin really won't do anything for you.

You may be able to find a replacement at the local hardware store or online if you can wait to get it back together. If it were me and I couldn't wait to put it back together "the right way", I'd put some blue loctite on the axle nut. The point of the cotter pin and all that is to basically to prevent the nut from backing off due to vibration (though on a 180 ft/lb nut that causes premature bearing failure if not fully torqued, it's hard to see how a dinky cotter pin and flimsy castle piece is doing all that much), so a little blue loctite will probably serve the purpose better than the spring washer stuff.

If you don't put it back together with all the pieces, I would probably leave the cap off and maybe not even put a cotter pin in.

That's just my opinion - with my limited knowledge of physics and automotives, I don't see any other good reason for the spring washer stuff or how it could affect anything else.