1. Remove the pinion shaft.
2. Pull each axle shaft out by about three inches.
3. Remove the spider gears and side gears and all thrust washers
4. Proceed to the section below entitled Examination and Preparation of the Parts.
REMOVAL OF THE DIFFERENTIAL—THICK RING GEAR
If the ring gear is too thick to be able to pull out the pinion shaft, the differential case must be removed
from the carrier and the ring gear removed from the case This process requires removal of the differen-
tial bearing caps and outer races. In some differentials the differential bearing pre-load and ring and pinion
backlash are set by shims, while in others these values are set by bearing adjusters. Both the pre-load
and backlash must be correct for your differential assembly to operate properly. Assuming that your
differential has already been operating satisfactorily, the following removal steps are a guide to help you
re-install your differential case into the carrier without having to measure and set up these values again.
Be sure to refer to your shop manual for additional information.
INTEGRAL CARRIER
(Carrier is a part of the axle housing—holds the axle tubes, diff case and drive gears)
1. Check your shop manual for the proper procedure for removing the differential case. In the Spi er (Dana)
line f r exampl the shop manual will usually recommend the use of a large tool called a “carrier
spreader;” however, many mechanics will instead remove the case with a pry bar. Consult your club and
nternet sources for the procedure for you to use.
2. Mark the differential bearing caps as to orientation and side with a punch or marker. Remove the bearing
cap bolts and caps
3. Pull out the axl shafts by about six inches
4. Pry out (remove) the case. As the ase is being removed, BE SURE TO NOTE THE LOCATIONS OF THE
DIFFERENTIAL BEARING SHIMS ( ote that in some Da a Sp cer axles the shims are located under the
carrier bearings a d thus can ot be removed or lost unless the bearing is pressed off). It is extremely
mportant to put these shims back in the same location and order during re-assembly.
5. Mark the differential bearing outer races as the case is coming out so that they can be re-installed on the
same sides
6. Mark the ring gear to case location
7. Remo th ring gear from the case
8. Remove the pinion shaft retaining pin/bolt.
9 Remov th pinion shaft
10. Remove the spider gears and side gears and all thrust wa hers
11. Proceed to the section below entitled Examination and Preparation of the Parts.
REMOVABLE CARRIER (THIRD MEMBER)
(Carrier is not a part of the axle housing—holds only the diff case and drive gears)
1. If your particular axle hou ing has a over, and the pinion shaft can be removed without removing the ring
gear (such as in Land Cruis r rear C-clip axles), do not remove the third member but refer to “C-clip Axles”
or to “Thin Ring Gear” above (depending on your particular design) Otherwi e, remove the third member
from the vehicle and place it on the bench (See the shop manual for the steps required, which will include
pulling the axle shafts out a few inches, disconnecting the drive shaft, draining the gear oil and unbolting
the carrier.)
NOTE: If your third me ber h s been taken out of the vehicle but has a thin ring gear such that the pinion
shaft can be removed (many Land Cruiser front axles, for example), DO NOT remove the case from the carrier,
but proceed to step 9 below.
2. Mark the differential bearing caps as t orientation and side with a punch or marker Also, and this is
extremely important, mark the left or right side and rotational position of the bearing adjusters so that
they can be re-installed in exactly the same way.
1 em h pini sh ft
ull h a le shaft ut y b ut th in h s
3 m e th spid e d s d r n ll hru t sh rs
4 Pr d t th s ti n b l ntitl d E min ti n nd Pr p r ti n f th P rts
REMOVAL OF THE DIFFERENTIAL THICK RING GEAR
If the ing ear is to thick to be abl t pull out e ini n shaft the differential se must be rem ed
f om the arrier and the rin ear rem ed fr m the ase This process equires rem al f the diffe en
ial bearing caps and u er races In s me differentia s the differential bearing pre l ad and ring and pini
back ash are set b shims hile in thers hese alues a e se b bearing adjusters Both the pre l ad
and ba klash must be orrect for ur iffe ential asse bl t perate pr perl ssum ng that our
differential has alread been op r ting s tisfa tor l he foll win emo al steps ar a guide to help ou
e instal ur differential ase int the carr er without ha ing t measure and set up these alues again
Be sure to refer to our shop manual for additional information
INTEGRAL CARRIER
( arrier is a part of the axle housing holds the axle tubes diff case and dri e gears)
1 he k y ur h p manu l f th r r pr du e f r m i g h diff nti l se I th Spi r (D n )
lin f mpl th sh p manual ill su ll r m d h us f l rg t l ll d rri
pr ad r; h e er many me h ni l in t ad r m th s ith pr b r nsult ur lub nd
nt n s ur th r d r f u t se
2 k h fer ti l b ring ps s t ri nt ti n nd sid ith pun h r m rk r R m th b ring
p b ts nd aps
3 P ll ut the sh fts by b t si in h
4 ry ut (r m ) h s As th as is b n r d BE SURE T N TE HE L ATI NS F THE
FFEREN I BE R NG SH MS ( t h in s m D Sp a l s h shi s a l ted u d th
a ie b in d thu an t b r m ed l t nl s h b ar ng s pr s ed ff) It is tr m l
m rta t t put h se hims ba k in h s m l at n nd rd u n r ssembly
5 Ma k the diff r nti l b ring ut r r s s th s is ming ut s th t th n b r inst ll d n th
id s
6 M rk t ng ge t s l ati
R m th in g r fr m th ase
R m th pini n sh ft r t ining pin b lt
9 R m th pi s ft
10 m e th spid e r d s d r nd ll t r st rs
11 Pr d t th s ti n b l ntitl d E min ti n nd Pr p r ti n f th P rts
REMOVABLE CARRIER (THIRD MEMBER)
( arrier is not a part of the axle housing holds onl the diff case and dri e gears)
1 If ur p rti ular le h u g has n the p i n shaft n b m d ith ut m ing th ri g
a (su h s n Land s r l le ) d t m t thi d m b but f t lip l s
r t Thin Ri g Ge b ( p ndi g n y u ti l r d ign). th i r th th d memb r
m h hi l an pl it t e b n h (S the h m nu l f r th s eps qu d h h ill in l d
llin th l sh fts ut f in h s dis nn ting th dri sh ft dr ining th g r il nd unb lting
th rri r )
N TE f y ur thi d m b b t k ut f th hi l t h t in r n su h h t he ini n
haft be r m d ( y L nd ruis r fr nt l s f r mpl ) DO NOT r m th s fr m th rri r
but pr d t st p 9 b l
2 Ma k th d ffe t al b i g ps t rient t n nd ide ith un h m k r Als d this is
t ly imp rt nt m k th lef i ht si and r t ti n l p siti n f th b ring djust rs s th t
th n b r inst ll d in tl th s m
2. Pu each ax e shaft out
3. Re ove he s ider ears and s de gear and a
4. Proceed to the section be ow entit ed xaminat on an repara
from he carrie and the r n ea remo e from the case h s p o ess requires emova of the differen-
tia bearing ap an o ter ra es. In s me d ferential the iffer nt a bearin pre loa an r n and pini n
ba k ash a e se by shims wh l n others these values re set by ear n justers Bo h the pre-load
an ba ash m st be o ect for o r i ferent al ass mb y to o erate p oper y A s m ng that y ur
differential has a re y een o er n at sfact r ly the fol o n remo steps a a guide t hel y
re nstal your f erent al ca e into the a rier w thout h ng to measure and se up these v l es again
Be sure to re r to your shop manual fo a d i na n mat n
ine, for ex mp e the sh p manua w usua y ecommend the use f a arge too ca ed a carr er
spreader however, many mechan cs wi nstead remove the ase w t a pr ba Consu your c
nternet s urces or the procedure or you to use
Mark h d fferentia bear n caps s t or entatio
cap o ts and caps.
u out t e a e sh
4. Pry out remove the case As the c se is b
D RE L BEARING IMS note that n some Dana picer axl s t e shims a e located under the
carrier bea ings and thus canno be removed or ost un ess the bearing is pressed off) It is extreme
important to put these sh ms back i the sam cation and order during re-assemb y
Mark the i ferentia bear ng oute races as the case is coming out so t at they can
same sides.
Mark the ri
7. Rem ve he r ng g ar from the case
8. Remove the p nion sh ft retaining pi
9. Remove the pinion shaft
1 Remove the spider gears
11. Proceed to the section be ow entit ed xaminat on and repara
g ar such as n Land Cru ser ear C c ip ax es) do not remove he hird member but refer to C-c p Ax es
or to “Thin R ng ear” above (dep n ing on you p rticu ar design). Otherwise, remove the th d member
r m the vehic e and ace it on the ben h ( ee the shop manua r the step required which wi inc u
pu ing t e ax e ha ts out a few inches disconnecting he drive s aft dr ining the gear and unbo ting
the carrier.
shaft can be r moved (many Land Cru ser front a les, for examp e DO NOT remove t e ca e rom the carr
but proceed to step 9 be ow
extr me y important, mark the eft o r ght side nd rota iona pos t on of the be ing djusters so
they can b re-insta ed in exact y the same ay.
2 P l each x e h f
3 Re ve h ider e r a d d r d
4 P oceed t e ec io belo ntit ed Examin t n Pre a
f h carr e a d t r ea r mo ed f om the c h s r s r i es emo o h di
tia e i g d t r races s m d er nti l the fer n ia in r d n r n pini
b sh a s b him wh l ot er the l re t y r d ers h the re lo d
nd b k h m st r f r o r di fer n l s mb t oper p op r m ng h t yo r
diff rent l h lre d b n o r in at fact r l the follo in remov ep ar uide t el o
r n t l y r iff r nt al c e in o e arr r i h ut h i g t m a u nd se p hes l a ai
Be e to r f r to our sho m n f r ddi i n in m ti n
li e f r ex mple th sh p m nu l w l s a ly r m d th se of l r e ool a ed “carr r
s re d ” how ny mecha c il n t ad remov h s w h pr b C s yo r c
internet s rc for he r ced re for ou u
M rk th d ffe e ti be r g c p s t o i ntatio
cap b lt and c ps
P ll out t e a le sh
4 Pry o t (r mov the c se A th c s s
D FFERE TIAL BE R NG S MS t t n ome Dana picer axl th s i a e l ca d e
c rrier be ing nd t c nno be m e or lo t unless the b ari i pre se ff) It i extr mel
im rtant t pu the e sh m b c i the s me l cation and rder d r ng re a embly
Mark he diffe e t al b r g t r ce as h ca e c mi g t o that h y ca
s m s d s
M rk he rin
7 Rem v h r ng g ar f om the ca e
8 R m ion sh f r t ning pin
9 R m th pini n sh ft
10 R m th spider g ar
11 P oceed t e ec ion belo ntit ed Examinat on Prep r t
g ar ( ch as n nd C uiser ar lip xle ) do no r o he hird membe re r “C- p A es”
or t “Thi R ng Ge ” bo p n ing you p rticu de ign) Other i e r mo th th d membe
fr m e v hicl and lace it on th ben h (Se th shop m nu for he e equi d wh ch ll ncl
p li g the xle h fts ou w in he di conn c i g the d ive s aft r i in the g r il and olting
the carri r )
c be r m d (many L nd Cru er fr nt xl s f r mple) D OT rem v t e c fr m the carr
b t oc ed t tep 9 elow
ext m ly import nt m r h le r g sid nd r ta i n po o o he be r ng djus r
th can b r in tall n exactl th me y
