Don't Let Her Rear End Scare You

by Dick Zakrzewski

Remove any burrs from the mating surfaces ring gear and the differential case a fine file or honing stone to. Wipe and blow free of all foreign particles.
Press new Timken cone assemblies on the differential case-back faces in. Position the bearing cups on the cone assemblies and place differential case assembly in differential carrier.
Bolt the ring gear on to the differential case and torque the bolts (see torque specification at the end of this article).
Install the side bearing caps and threaded ring nuts. Torque cap bolts (see torque specification at the end of this article).
Advance the ring gear toward the pinion gear until you have about .020" - .030 backlash between the gears. See Photo #7.
Remove the drive pinion retainer assembly.
Tighten one or both of the adjusting nuts until you achieve a ring gear rotating torque of 20 - 25 inch pounds. See Photo #8.

Photo #7

Photo #8

Note: Do NOT use a punch to rotate the threaded ring nuts. The holes will become burred and these particles will break off and fall into the bearings while making adjustments. These metallic particles in a bearing will significantly shorten its life. I suggest you use a spanner like the one I made from a piece of bar stock and two 3/8" cap screws. See Photo #9.

Photo #9
Reinstall the drive pinion retainer assembly bolts (include the O-ring and shims) and torque the pinion retainer.

Center punch marks on each locking nut opposite the interface of the side bearing cap and differential carrier. See photo #10.
Check for the backlash setting etched on the side of the ring gear. See Photo #11.

Photo #10

Photo #11
Advance the ring gear toward the pinion by loosening (rotate counterclockwise) the pinion side ring nut a few degrees and taking a measurement using bow dividers. See photo #12. Now advance (rotate clockwise) the other nut an equal amount using the same setting on the dividers to assure an equal amount of rotation. This process maintains the correct bearing pre-load while seeking the correct backlash. Continue to advance the ring gear in small increments until you achieve the backlash etched on the ring gear +/- .004".

Photo #12