DIY Network

Rear Wheel Differential: Disassembly Rear Wheel Differential: Disassembly From "Trade School" episode DTRS-104

In this segment, Sarah continues to inspect and rebuild a rear axle differential. After performing some checks, she prepares to disassemble the component ....

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Basic Tools:

White Correction Fluid
Dial Indicator
Torque Wrenches
Socket Wrenches
Blue Transfer Fluid
Brass drifts
Hammers

• Using white correction fluid, Sarah first marks the caps where the axles fit so that she can properly aligns components later (figure A). Then using a socket wrench, she removes the lock bolts to remove the ring gear section (figure B). The remaining pinion gear is now visible in the housing (figure C).

  Figure A

  Figure B

  Figure C

  
  

• The pinion bearing housing contains the pinion gear as well as the companion flange, which is what the driveshaft connects to. Sarah carefully removes the locknuts on the housing with a socket wrench (figure D). To remove the pinion gear from the housing, Sarah taps it out with a brass drift, or rod and a hammer. Brass will not spark or mar steel items. With the pinion gear removed, she verifies the gear teeth engagement by examining the blue ink (figure E).

  Figure D

  Figure E

  
  

• Next Sarah clamps the ring gear housing into the table vise, making sure not to damage the bearing. Using white correcting fluid, she indexes the ring gear for later reassembly (figure F). She continues by removing the bolts using a socket wrench (figure G). Then she carefully taps the case off using the brass drift and a hammer (figure H).

  Figure F

  Figure G

  Figure H

  
  

• With the ring gear separated from the casing, Sarah can now inspect the side gear and smaller spider gears within (figure I). She finds no wearing and finds the gears to be in good working order. After inspecting each component, Sarah correctly determines that the ring gear, pinion gear and two side gears have worn and will need to be replaced for the differential to work properly (figure J).

  Figure I

  Figure J

  
  

  Figure K

• As this differential is a model for class illustration, Sarah moves on to putting it back together, worn parts and all. She reassembles the differential in reverse order, making sure to align the components she marked earlier. To secure a series of bolts, she uses a criss-cross pattern. This protects the casing and ring gear from warping under strain. Once the bolts have been hand-tightened with a socket wrench, Sarah uses torque wrenches, which measure foot/pounds of pressure, to tighten each bolt to the proper spec (figure K).