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Can You Say CARNAGE?

When you take the diff cover off, and the differential falls apart all over the ground is that bad?


Seriously though. We had a stock trans with a CYA Racing limited slip had 350k on it. It finally was having solenoid problems when it was removed. (STILL DROVE AND EVERYTHING). I wanted to inspect the diff for wear. I removed the cover and all the parts fell out on the ground. None broken but nothing was holding it. It was quite funny!
 


Just curious Synthetic, did you lower the passenger side of the cradle to get the housing off? I'll be doing this in my driveway in the next few days. Unfortunately I'm too far from my shop to do it there. I just can't remember if it sits up too high or not.
 
No, I was able to do it all as is. The hardest part of all is just getting that bracket off from the engine block to the differential housing. Be sure to take your oil pressure sending unit off as well or you wont be able to pull the housing out.

You will need either a medium to large size chisel or a large type screwdriver to differential and the output shaft. You will hammer that in there and it will force the differential off the C clip that is on the output shaft (Like the clip that is on the end of the axle shaft).
 
Scotty, you are braver than me. Trannys scare me and I avoid messing with them LOL That part of the car I know the least. Glad to see it is going well.
 
Cool, since I'll be doing it in the driveway I'm trying to do as little as possible. Did you remove the axle nut, separate the ball joint, and remove the passenger CV axle? Or were you able to pop the axle out of the transmission without removing it from the spindle? The only time I did this, I dropped the entire cradle out. I'll post pictures as soon as I get the differential housing off, I'm hoping that it doesn't look as nasty as yours.
 


Oh yeah, I did remove the axle nut because I removed the brake caliper and bracket and rotor. I dont believe you can get the axle shaft out otherwise. I did not disconnect the ball joint or the tie rod. I do take the two strut to spindle bolts out and that allows the spindle to swing enough out of the way that you can free the axle. I then popped it from the transmission and pulled it on out.

Do post pictures. The one thing I am not sure about, and Trannyman would have to answer this, is how to get the differential back on to the shaft with that C clip. The only options I see are pound it back on, but that would seem back for the rest of the tranny or at the very least the other side of the output shaft and whatever is on it, or take the C clip off and slide the differential on and then put the C clip back on. But that is going to be a chore I imagine with the confined space to work in.

Hopefully Trannyman can pop in here and answer that. If he does then I can do a write up on how to remove the differential.
 
I always just remove the ball joint nut and crack it lose and pry down on the control arm and pull the whole knuckle out of the way. You need to tap the axle out of the bearing as you are pulling it away and its pretty easy this way, just the ball joint nut and nothing else needs to be removed, well other than the axle nut lol.
 
Its no more difficult to install than remove. You MUST remove the park gear that goes behind the sun gear-the gear that sits in the center of the trans end of the differential. There is a bearing on the back side of the park gear and you need to put some type of goo on it whether it be vasoline or trans assyembly gel, otherwise the bearing can fall out of place if it hasnt already and when you go to bolt the diff cover on you can break it! After that has been goo'd and put back on then you can reistall the diff. Sometimes the output shaft can fight you and you need to reach to the drivers side and hold the axle from being pushed out while you push or tap the diff back into the shaft. Make sure all the gears are lined up properly first! Spinning the diff a few times usually allows the gears to fall into place.
 
Thanks for the info Dave, I really appreciate it.

I have looked all up in that area and I do not see what you speak of Dave with regards to the park gear. I just went out there and looked and Im either overlooking or just plain not seeing it. You have any pics of this?
 


Do you think it would be worth it to lower the back of the cradle with a floor jack (firewall side) to allow for easier differential access? I'm doing the swap this afternoon and I'm just trying to strategize. I guess it really won't make much of a difference as the steering rack is in the way?
 
I really do not think there would be any advantage at all. The hardest thing to get to wat the bracket and that wasn't really horrible and Trannyman had advised that you could unbolt the power steering pump and lift it up out of the way since its the power steering lines that kinda give you the obstacle, but its not impossible to do. They are on there tight, so I would use some kind of breaker bar if you can.

If all you are doing is replacing the differential, then you shouldnt have to slower the sub frame any. Take some pics of how you do it if you decide to lower the sub frame some, there's always more than one way to skin a cat.
 
You're probably right, I'm going to leave the cradle where it is. I'm trying to do it with as minimal disassembly as possible. I'll take some pictures to the best of my ability. It'll be dark by the time I finish, and the temperature will be in the teens. I had literally JUST installed a new stereo an hour before this disaster happened, can't wait to be able to drive it again and listen to it.
 
LOL. I hear ya bud. I wish I was there I would help out in a heartbeat. Its not hard at all. Just take your time as much as you can, label anything you think you might have a hard time remembering where it goes and so on. I use the crap out of masking tape, a sharpie and zip lock bags if Im doing something for the first time. Probably adds a ton of time to the project but at least I can get it all back together.
 


We had some reps from CAT come to our dealership yesterday. All they could talk about was how nice the weather is in Texas right now. According to them, they're dealing with average temperatures in the 70s at the moment. They looked at me a little funny when a single tear rolled down my cheek.
 
JCGT said:
We had some reps from CAT come to our dealership yesterday. All they could talk about was how nice the weather is in Texas right now. According to them, they're dealing with average temperatures in the 70s at the moment. They looked at me a little funny when a single tear rolled down my cheek.
Click to expand...

ROFL. Thats funny right there.
 
Well, it's 9PM and in the upper 20s. I finally got my differential out and I look to be in good shape. Only one of the little gears has been damaged, it just broke in two. All other gears are in perfect shape with normal wear. The big pin broke loose and came out the side as you had suspected. I'm a bit concerned because the output shaft came out with the differential, I don't know if that's normal. I was able to get it back in okay, I hope everything works out.

diff2.jpg


Diff.jpg


diff4.jpg


diff5.jpg


diff6.jpg


diff3.jpg


What are you doing in there cat? Uhh, it's not really green inside the housing. Just a weird camera/lighting effect. Or perhaps I have the RAREST GP of all with it's KRYPTONITE aluminum alloy trans case? Stupid roll pin....
 
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