Getting the diff (housing) out..
Discussion
Logical progression time!
Apart from the obvious: i.e. disconnect the propshaft, take note of the exact configuration of spacer washers.. I'm pondering the best way to remove the driveshafts.
Seems like if I un-bolt the de-dion ears from the ends of the tube I can just swing the entire hub/brakes etc assembly outboard to remove the drive shafts from the diff, and thereby avoid messing around with hubs, brakes etc. Am I over-simplifying or missing something major - unusually googling isn't turning up any information (other than a lot of guides on how to put the diff housing into the car..)
Apart from the obvious: i.e. disconnect the propshaft, take note of the exact configuration of spacer washers.. I'm pondering the best way to remove the driveshafts.
Seems like if I un-bolt the de-dion ears from the ends of the tube I can just swing the entire hub/brakes etc assembly outboard to remove the drive shafts from the diff, and thereby avoid messing around with hubs, brakes etc. Am I over-simplifying or missing something major - unusually googling isn't turning up any information (other than a lot of guides on how to put the diff housing into the car..)
Thanks - seems almost too simple..
Any other tips? I think I'll take both driveshafts out rather than risk tweaking anything if I drop the diff with one shaft in.. was planning to drop the 'A' frame off the central point at the back of the car, and I guess it's a bad idea to put oil in the diff before installing it?
Any other tips? I think I'll take both driveshafts out rather than risk tweaking anything if I drop the diff with one shaft in.. was planning to drop the 'A' frame off the central point at the back of the car, and I guess it's a bad idea to put oil in the diff before installing it?
I remembered making notes of how to do it last time, so here they are in case you're interested. My car has a metric chassis.
Diff removal
Jack up car and place on axle stands
Remove propshaft bolts (from below)
Remove rear wheels.
Remove speedo sensor O/S
Remove cable ties that locate handbrake cables and note their positions.
Remove A frame keeping washers together.
Disconnect callipers blocking the brake pipe entries and sealing the ends of the pipes.
Remove complete callipers and hang from springs with handbrake cables attached.
Remove De Dion Ear bolts and rear hub carrier bolts
Remove driveshaft, hub carrier, disc and De Dion ear as a unit each side.
Remove the boot floor
Remove rear trailing arm bolts and use a cable tie to pull De Dion tube as far back as possible
Drain oil from diff
Support diff (used rope over roll bar)
Remove lower diff bolts carefully keeping washers together
Remove nut from top bolt and drive bolt out
Lower diff to floor
Diff removal
Jack up car and place on axle stands
Remove propshaft bolts (from below)
Remove rear wheels.
Remove speedo sensor O/S
Remove cable ties that locate handbrake cables and note their positions.
Remove A frame keeping washers together.
Disconnect callipers blocking the brake pipe entries and sealing the ends of the pipes.
Remove complete callipers and hang from springs with handbrake cables attached.
Remove De Dion Ear bolts and rear hub carrier bolts
Remove driveshaft, hub carrier, disc and De Dion ear as a unit each side.
Remove the boot floor
Remove rear trailing arm bolts and use a cable tie to pull De Dion tube as far back as possible
Drain oil from diff
Support diff (used rope over roll bar)
Remove lower diff bolts carefully keeping washers together
Remove nut from top bolt and drive bolt out
Lower diff to floor
This being my first cat I was thinking they'd be flexi from the bodyshell to the caliper and I could remove without disturbing. Oh well.So, it's out.. wasn't as bad as I expected.
Jack it under here - cautionary note 1 - you will need two 19mm sockets to get the a-frame bolt undone, socket and spanner will not do - pure chance 19mm is the only size I have two of! I also had to loosen the A-frame front bolts to get it to drop down.
Axle stands here (yes, they're padded)
Wheels off and under the floor/side rail further forward just in case..
Now, as downsman mentioned, this would be a good time to disconnect the propshaft while the handbrake can help hold it. Unfortunately I missed that bit.. engine in reverse proved enough fortunately. Sidenote - propshaft was attached to diff with 8mm hex bolts. A standard hex key will not allow enough force, I had to buy a hex that fitted on the ratchet wrench.
Pop off the ARB mounts if you have them - just lever it with something between the joint and the ARB end..
De-dion ears. If you have solid brake lines, these would need disconnecting and plugging now. I'm feeling a lot of love for the person who built mine with braided flexi.. no need to touch anything, just unbolt the ears and pull to one side.
17mm. Rears easy. Bottom middle OK - stubby extension gets a ratchet wrench on the back side. Top middle can only be accessed with spanners. 2x17mm again.
Tie it to the top of the shock/spring before pulling all the bolts out - swing it wide and the driveshafts just pull clear with a little wiggling.
Ta-da..
If you weren't paying attention, this is the point you go to disconnect the propshaft and realise you messed up!
Next, photograph the washers so you know how the diff was spaced/shimmed, and handbrake routing and so on. Take out the bottom bolts one at a time, carefully putting everything in grouped piles / containers / whatever so you don't confuse what went where.
Then finally push the top (long) bolt out. I pushed it part way, then caught the washers and put them in a container so I didn't mix with the other side..
After a bit of an experimental push I decided the diff probably wasn't that heavy. Laid under the car with my feet to the drivers side and head to the passenger side of the diff - right arm across my chest supporting under the diff / jiggling it while I pulled the bolt out towards the drivers side with my left hand. It wasn't too heavy in my opinion, but I did spill some oil. Freed from the suspension by turning slightly sideways and arse down.. no idea how it really cleared, just gravity and some jiggle..
Overall went more easily than I expected - about 3 hrs, could halve that on a second try..
[ETA] - I didn't remove the boot floor. Mainly through laziness, and having a plumbed in fire extinguisher - after pushing the diff up a bit on loose bolts I decided it wasn't so heavy that I needed to. Happy with that decision.
No idea why all the photos are sideways, sorry.. can't be bothered with fixing that
Jack it under here - cautionary note 1 - you will need two 19mm sockets to get the a-frame bolt undone, socket and spanner will not do - pure chance 19mm is the only size I have two of! I also had to loosen the A-frame front bolts to get it to drop down.
Axle stands here (yes, they're padded)
Wheels off and under the floor/side rail further forward just in case..
Now, as downsman mentioned, this would be a good time to disconnect the propshaft while the handbrake can help hold it. Unfortunately I missed that bit.. engine in reverse proved enough fortunately. Sidenote - propshaft was attached to diff with 8mm hex bolts. A standard hex key will not allow enough force, I had to buy a hex that fitted on the ratchet wrench.
Pop off the ARB mounts if you have them - just lever it with something between the joint and the ARB end..
De-dion ears. If you have solid brake lines, these would need disconnecting and plugging now. I'm feeling a lot of love for the person who built mine with braided flexi.. no need to touch anything, just unbolt the ears and pull to one side.
17mm. Rears easy. Bottom middle OK - stubby extension gets a ratchet wrench on the back side. Top middle can only be accessed with spanners. 2x17mm again.
Tie it to the top of the shock/spring before pulling all the bolts out - swing it wide and the driveshafts just pull clear with a little wiggling.
Ta-da..
If you weren't paying attention, this is the point you go to disconnect the propshaft and realise you messed up!
Next, photograph the washers so you know how the diff was spaced/shimmed, and handbrake routing and so on. Take out the bottom bolts one at a time, carefully putting everything in grouped piles / containers / whatever so you don't confuse what went where.
Then finally push the top (long) bolt out. I pushed it part way, then caught the washers and put them in a container so I didn't mix with the other side..
After a bit of an experimental push I decided the diff probably wasn't that heavy. Laid under the car with my feet to the drivers side and head to the passenger side of the diff - right arm across my chest supporting under the diff / jiggling it while I pulled the bolt out towards the drivers side with my left hand. It wasn't too heavy in my opinion, but I did spill some oil. Freed from the suspension by turning slightly sideways and arse down.. no idea how it really cleared, just gravity and some jiggle..
Overall went more easily than I expected - about 3 hrs, could halve that on a second try..
[ETA] - I didn't remove the boot floor. Mainly through laziness, and having a plumbed in fire extinguisher - after pushing the diff up a bit on loose bolts I decided it wasn't so heavy that I needed to. Happy with that decision.
No idea why all the photos are sideways, sorry.. can't be bothered with fixing that
Edited by upsidedownmark on Monday 8th May 11:11
'Refitting is the reverse of removal' - my a**e..
So, to add to the above, if you have an ARB take it off. It may come out past it, but getting it in is a different matter.. and it's only 4 bolts.
No idea how people balance it on a jack - in the end I padded the bar at the bottom of the tunnel, hooked the nose of the diff over it and pushed the back up forward past the de-dion - it's a pig. Before you do that, push the propshaft up in the tunnel and hold it there with something - but not so far up as it jams... If you put it in with the propshaft lying on the bottom of the tunnel, you can't reconnect it and have to start again..
Push the diff into place, hold off the top mounts using two screwdrivers and do the washer dance..
So, to add to the above, if you have an ARB take it off. It may come out past it, but getting it in is a different matter.. and it's only 4 bolts.
No idea how people balance it on a jack - in the end I padded the bar at the bottom of the tunnel, hooked the nose of the diff over it and pushed the back up forward past the de-dion - it's a pig. Before you do that, push the propshaft up in the tunnel and hold it there with something - but not so far up as it jams... If you put it in with the propshaft lying on the bottom of the tunnel, you can't reconnect it and have to start again..
Push the diff into place, hold off the top mounts using two screwdrivers and do the washer dance..
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