COMPLETED: 4.56's and lockers.

[bartonmd]

Today was disassembly day.

Since most reports I could find of front diff removal were sketchy at best, I had to come up with my own plan of attack. I was set on not dropping the oil pan. My first plan was to jack the engine up as some have talked about and try to pull the front diff out from the rear of the motor. I ended up changing plans midway through as I just couldn't get the clearance to get it out that way. When all was said and done I removed the diff from the top of the engine bay.

Here's a roughly reorganized step by step for someone who wants to do this.

1. Jack front of truck up and support by the frame with jackstands placed approximately at the seam of the fenders/doors.
2. Remove front wheels.
3. Drain front diff fluid.
4. Drain cooling system.
5. Disconnect both outer tie rods from hub assemblies.
6. Disconnect ABS and brake lines from holddowns.
7. Disconnect upper control arms from upper balljoints. Allow hub assemblies to hang on lower ball joints. Make sure you aren't stressing ABS or brake lines.
8. Pop axle tripod joints out of diff and splined disconnect. (Letting the hubs hang first puts a little outward pressure on the CVs and makes this SO EASY).
9. Remove splined disconnect.
10. Remove intermediate shaft. I bought a slide hammer for this purpose and expected a fight. I didn't need it. I screwed one of the bolts that holds the PCM into the hole in the shaft and pulled. The shaft came right out.
11. Disconnect the front driveshaft from the front differential yoke. Tie up and out of the way.
12. Remove driver side strut assembly. (Makes a lot of room to work.)
13. Unbolt radiator shroud support brackets.
14. Remove accessory belt.
15. Loosen PCM bolts.
16. Remove alternator and engine lift bracket. Also remove bolt from wiring harness tiedown nearby.
17. Disconnect battery and remove battery and tray.
18. Loosen top nut of passenger side motor mount. Remove top nut of driver's side motor mount.
19. Place jack and block of wood under oil pan. Jack up motor until driver side mount is free.
20. Unbolt driver side motor mount bracket. These are the 3 large bolts on the outside of the frame. Remove mount and bracket.
21. Use jack to move motor up and down to get at hard to reach bolts for next steps.
22. Remove driver's side coolant hose.
23. Remove idler pulley.
24. Remove thermostat.
25. Disconnect wiring plugs (2) from AC compressor.
26. Unbolt AC compressor. Pull up to top of engine through hole you've made. Leave lines connected (they'll flex).
27. Unbolt differential from oil pan. (2 bolts in front, 1 on bottom, 1 in rear near driveshaft yoke).
28. Lightly pry differential away from oil pan.
29. Pull differential up through top of engine bay.
30. Drink a beer, you deserve it.


Aside from that, I got to look over some original parts on my truck while they are off. Everything looks/sounds/spins surprisingly well for a 100K mile truck with a history of offroading.

I got some initial measurements off the front diff and then split the case. Turns out my right side carrier bearing race had some scuffing on it. I didn't get bearings when I ordered everything but the local Oreilly's had them in stock. Other bearings looked OK.

Not much in the way of pics today. Tomorrow I'll try to take some pics of the innards when I'm assembling.

Um... Buddy of mine works at a transmission shop, and is the R&R guy...

He said all you have to do is take the half shafts out (take ball joints apart to do this), and splined disconnect, and intermediate shaft; take the steering rack out, along with it's crossmembers. At that point, you just unbolt the diff from the oil pan, and rotate it around, and it drops out the back, where the rack would be... Takes like 2 hours to get it out, total, said and done. (and that was the first one he'd done... He said the rest have taken like an hour and a half or so)

Mike

[fishsticks]

Um... Buddy of mine works at a transmission shop, and is the R&R guy...

He said all you have to do is take the half shafts out (take ball joints apart to do this), and splined disconnect, and intermediate shaft; take the steering rack out, along with it's crossmembers. At that point, you just unbolt the diff from the oil pan, and rotate it around, and it drops out the back, where the rack would be... Takes like 2 hours to get it out, total, said and done. (and that was the first one he'd done... He said the rest have taken like an hour and a half or so)

Mike

Dunno man. I tried to figure a way to get it out that way. Even with the steering rack unbolted it wasn't coming out.

If I wouldnt have dicked around trying it that way and just done what I laid out above I probably wouldn't be too far behind him. It went fast once I committed to pulling it out the top.

I found a lot of "I heards" and "he saids" when I was searching for someone who'd actually done this. This is what "I did".

[bartonmd]

Um... Buddy of mine works at a transmission shop, and is the R&R guy...

He said all you have to do is take the half shafts out (take ball joints apart to do this), and splined disconnect, and intermediate shaft; take the steering rack out, along with it's crossmembers. At that point, you just unbolt the diff from the oil pan, and rotate it around, and it drops out the back, where the rack would be... Takes like 2 hours to get it out, total, said and done. (and that was the first one he'd done... He said the rest have taken like an hour and a half or so)

Mike

Dunno man. I tried to figure a way to get it out that way. Even with the steering rack unbolted it wasn't coming out.

If I wouldnt have dicked around trying it that way and just done what I laid out above I probably wouldn't be too far behind him. It went fast once I committed to pulling it out the top.

I found a lot of "I heards" and "he saids" when I was searching for someone who'd actually done this. This is what "I did".

I actually did call him and ask him again, exactly what he did, right before I posted that (He did it like 2 weeks ago)... He said the rack did have to come completely out (along with its 2 crossmembers), and that you have to flip the diff 180 degrees (the part that bolts to the oil pan facing away from the oil pan), and it slides right out...

Mike

[fishsticks]

There was no way the diff was flipping like that for me, even with the engine jacked up a bit. I wonder if the earlier trucks' subframes are different.

[bartonmd]

They are the same, but it was an 02 that he was working on... I asked because there was talk of the locker install around here, but he one we were looking at installing it on is an 06 and I was concerned about what the sway bar would do to that equation...

Mike

[bgwolfpack]

I for one am looking forward to seeing the pics you've got Fish and your ending write up. This could become a real important how-to for any of us. One more step towards making these trucks last.

[fishsticks]

Pics are incoming, though sparse, as this has become a real nightmare of a project.

Today I had to pull the diff back out. The crush sleeve provided with the installation kit I ordered didn't fit right on the pinion and created some slop in the pinion bearings. I didn't realize this until I had the diff in the truck.

I got everything back in, bolted up and ready. I have a a brand new P1481 code to figure out tomorrow.

Everything works great. Too great. The Lockrite refuses to unlock so turning the truck is impossible. This is in 2WD mind you. I thought perhaps I just needed to get a "normal" splined disconnect to resolve the problem. Not sure now, since I can't get the wheels to unlock indepently even on the jack, which they did before I put the truck on the ground.

[Trail X]

P1481 - No EV Fan Speed Input activity is detected

Check your fan clutch electrical connections.

Good luck with the rest - sounds like a frustrating day.

[fishsticks]

P1481 - No EV Fan Speed Input activity is detected

Check your fan clutch electrical connections.

Good luck with the rest - sounds like a frustrating day.

I think I may have hurt the fan clutch wiring harness when jacking up the engine... My fan was STOPPED (but not stuck) when I ran the engine today. That's new. My truck also informed me that it would like it's throttle body cleaned again.

The Lockright problem I've already figured out... there are thrust washers that were stuck to the original side gears with diff oil. Those were supposed to go back in the carrier with the Lockright. I didn't notice them so they are currently still stuck to said side gears in my garage, not in the diff like they should be.

Frustration only mounts when you realize your own oversight is what caused your problems.

Tomorrow I'll pull the diff for the THIRD time and get this done with. I'm really good at it now, only took me an hour to get it out today...

[fishsticks]

I did things a bit differently the second time pulling the diff out. It saved me some time. I edited the post instructional post.

[Jon A]

Sorry to hear of the difficulties. I know the feeling well; when you get something all put back together after a hard job only to realize you left something out—something important enough you can’t just say “screw it,” but must take everything back apart…. It’s a sick feeling. But that’ll make the feeling of accomplishment that much greater when you’re finally done!

I’ve been wondering if you’d end up wanting to change your disconnect for a working one anyway. I don’t think you’ll have any problems, but even with the Lockright working properly the noise and wear from having it on 100% of the time might get old. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out for you.

Anyway, good luck getting the job finished. You might need it this week!

[fishsticks]

Sorry to hear of the difficulties. I know the feeling well; when you get something all put back together after a hard job only to realize you left something out—something important enough you can’t just say “screw it,” but must take everything back apart…. It’s a sick feeling. But that’ll make the feeling of accomplishment that much greater when you’re finally done!

I’ve been wondering if you’d end up wanting to change your disconnect for a working one anyway. I don’t think you’ll have any problems, but even with the Lockright working properly the noise and wear from having it on 100% of the time might get old. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out for you.

Anyway, good luck getting the job finished. You might need it this week!

I actually used your method to pull the carrier out this time. Works pretty well and saved me from having to drain the cooling system again. Looks like my mistake caused me to shear off the safety pins inside the LockRight. (I didn't even make it down my driveway.) The wife was out so she's stopping by the Woody's 4x4 to grab me a spring and pin kit. Did I ever mention how awesome she is?

I fixed my fan problem. Must have loosened a connector... fiddling around with my arm through the fan seems to have fixed it.

I'm hoping to beat the snowstorm. Of course my wife's VW decided to eat its waterpump last night. Sigh.


We'll see how it goes with a permanently connected disconnect...

[fishsticks]

It's together and back on the ground.

No one in the Portland Metro area had a spring and pin kit, so I ordered one from justdifferentials.com since they are here in WA. I put my spider gears back in for now.

I think I'm going to season the new gears with an open diff and install the lockright when I do the initial fluid change. It worked out well doing that with the rear end.

The gears are quiet at least... I'm 2 for 2 on gear installs now.

[dirty anton]

good stuff! keep it up fish!

[fishsticks]

LockRight is IN!

Amazing how with the proper thrust washers, the disengagement is butter smooth. I could hear the ratcheting sound when I tested the disengagement by hand, but it's quiet as a mouse in the cab.

In 2WD you really wouldn't know it's there, even with my axles always engaged. I may still return my disconnect to "normal" someday to save on wear, we'll see.

I did a small test at around 2mph in 4WD. Wow. I won't be using 4WD on pavement ever again. It works fine, but it really gives the steering a workout.

Got a week to run around on it and make sure there aren't any crazy noises, then off to TSF to get some use out of it.


Now I get to start my next project, which just arrived today in 2 TrailGear boxes.

[janesy86]

Awesome dude! Looking forward to hearing how it works out for you, and for the comparison to an unlocked front...

Now I get to start my next project, which just arrived today in 2 TrailGear boxes.

And what would this be?! Sliders, or am I off the mark? Since mine only came in one box.

[dirty anton]

good news! man im really curious how this works out for you and jon a. deff keep us posted on it.

[fishsticks]

Awesome dude! Looking forward to hearing how it works out for you, and for the comparison to an unlocked front...

Now I get to start my next project, which just arrived today in 2 TrailGear boxes.

And what would this be?! Sliders, or am I off the mark? Since mine only came in one box.

Nope you're on. I ordered the gusset kit too... separate box.

[janesy86]

Nice, bout time you got sliders!

[lupisnegris77]

Sorry to hear bout all the difficulties you've had man. One of the drawbacks of trying something new though, But definately helps everyone else on the forum with future gear work and great walk through by the way! Hope everything pans out for you.

All the best,
Mike B.