Getting my ducks in a row

[dvanbramer88]

Lock the wheel (steering wheel) with the wheel lock straight ahead before you remove the rack/shaft. So that way the steering wheel is straight. If you drop the rack with tie rods still attached ( I think you can but have never done it so i wouldn't know) your toe adjustment should be kept as long as you don't separate the outer tie rod from the inner tie rod.

[Trail X]

Oh, by the way... when I go to put the axles back together, what do you do to get those C-clips to snap back in again? I noticed there seems to be some sort of slider inside the CV boots... do you just use that with the weight of the axle as a ram to snap it back in place?

That's what I have always done. It's like a built in slide hammer for reassembly.

And just for semantics, it's a tripod joint on the inside, not a CV joint.

[Shdwdrgn]

Gah! What size are the nuts in the deeply recessed pocket that faces front-to-rear? Right out at the sides, I think these are the hangers for the steering rack. I thought it was going to be a 21mm, but the socket didn't fit.

Also, the steering wheel is not locking. I tried putting it in gear, turning the wheel, removing the key, turning the wheel, still not locking. (Yes it did lock before I took everything apart)

[Shdwdrgn]

Got the cross-member out of the way and found a 21mm bolt head on the back side, so I'm good there. I'm working on getting the two hanger bolts out of the steering rack, but I don't see any way to disconnect it from the steering wheel linkage above. I also don't know if I should leave the fluid lines connected, or unhook them (is the steering system self-bleeding?)

Also, I'm having to move real slow today... body is killing me and my back feels like it wants to go out at any moment. Taking lots of breaks, and started taking some pictures. While I have everything apart, are there any requests? I figure at some point someone will have the ambition to put together a how-to thread from everyone's pictures on methods of removing the front diff, and I can attach socket sizes with the pictures.

[Trail X]

The SMEs are working on a writeup, so I'd PM Bacon to see if there's any additional pictures he may need.

[TBYODA]

The SMEs are working on a writeup, so I'd PM Bacon to see if there's any additional pictures he may need.

Give poor guy a rough draft

[dvanbramer88]

but I don't see any way to disconnect it from the steering wheel linkage above.

I found this image for you.


This is behind a boot that is around the steering shaft.

[Shdwdrgn]

Ah thank you!!! That helps a lot!

I just had to run out for tools again. The nut on the steering rack hanger was spinning, and I had to find a *deep* deep-well socket. Needed 2-1/4 inches of depth to clear the bolt.

[Shdwdrgn]

All right, I'm stuck again. The lines on the steering rack are hanging me up, I can't figure out how to pull the whole thing down more than a couple inches, but that's still not getting the lines out of my way so that I can get the diff past them.

And when you guys talk about rolling the diff 180 degrees to get it out... you mean rolling the inside to the outside, but keeping front/back in the same orientation, right? I've got the nut of the engine mount backed off to about the last thread, but I'm temped to pull it off on the driver's side to get another inch of clearance from the engine. I just can't seem to find a way to get the diff between the engine and the steering lines.

[mikekey]

Jeff you are not encouraging me to do my own swap, lol.

[Shdwdrgn]

Jeff you are not encouraging me to do my own swap, lol.

Oh come on! It's a piece of cake! Honestly there hasn't been anything 'difficult' about what I've done so far, its just trying to figure out how things are supposed to come apart. I think I've stopped and posted questions at just about everything that I've gotten stuck on. I was initially trying to leave the front axle hanging out of the way, but there is no 'out of the way', so I finally used a drift and popped it out of the transfer case. If I can just get the diff around these steering lines, I could still get wrapped up by supper time...

[Trail X]

Jeff, from my talking with Mario while he did his, I believe there is a single bolt or screw holding the hydraulic lines to the rack. That bolt comes out and allows the lines to come out without much drama, which will allow you to drop the rack.

Get a picture of that sucker.

[Moots1288]

Jeff, from my talking with Mario while he did his, I believe there is a single bolt or screw holding the hydraulic lines to the rack. That bolt comes out and allows the lines to come out without much drama, which will allow you to drop the rack.

Get a picture of that sucker.

correct.. I believeit is in between both hoses if I remember

[Shdwdrgn]

Must have been on the back side of what I could see. However, I did find a way! I pulled the bracket off the fender that holds the aluminum part of the line, which gave me room to bring the whole rack down a bit. Then I was able to rotate the whole unit around so the passenger side of the steering rack swung out the front of the truck. This gave me plenty of room around the line to push them back up against the outside of the frame, completely out of the way.

AND I STILL CAN'T GET IT OUT... I pulled the nut on the driver's side engine mount, and have the engine jacked up against the firewall padding, so it won't go any higher. I've tried bringing the diff out straight (as it sits when mounted), and rolled 180 degrees, but I just can't find the sweet spot where it clears the engine and frame.

Suggestions, please? My arms can't take much more of this.

[dvanbramer88]

viewtopic.php?f=72&t=4227

There's a 4th option that Jon A put forward. I used it to install my front locker after the gears were run in. You can pull the diff off the oil pan and leave it sitting in the subframe. Then remove the actual diff case bolts (12 or so) and pull the diff out in 3 pieces. Installation is the reverse.

As long as you don't mess with the tensioners (leave the outer seals in), you won't mess up any of the preload/backlash doing it this way.

It's a dirty, tight job and you'll want to set aside some extra swear words for the job, but it's possible and you don't have to disassemble the truck.

Basically the way fishsticks recommends doing it, and they way Caleb did it, is to split the diff into three pieces where it sits and remove it that way. each case half and the carrier.

and here are 3 other options for removing the diff

Got my front diff in the mail yesterday and hopefully its going in this weekend. I've done a bit of research on how to remove the front diff and there are like 3 different ways.
#1.http://forums.trailvoy.com/showthread.php?t=70562
#2.http://forums.trailvoy.com/showthread.php?t=85414
#3. http://www.forums.offroadtb.com/viewtop ... =40#p30255

#1. looks the easyest from my point of view.

Anyone got any suggestions? Donnys is just way to lengthy for me to try and attempt IMO.

[Shdwdrgn]

Just a quick update... my sister came over to help, and we tag-teamed it until the diff fell out. And like Bacon said, after all that the new one practically sucked itself right up into position without a fuss. Now we're just fighting with tightening down the four bolts, keeping the diff square to the engine, but it is very stiff drawing back in place.

Hopefully in a few hours you'll hear from me with a successful test-drive!

[Moots1288]

Just a quick update... my sister came over to help, and we tag-teamed it until the diff fell out. And like Bacon said, after all that the new one practically sucked itself right up into position without a fuss. Now we're just fighting with tightening down the four bolts, keeping the diff square to the engine, but it is very stiff drawing back in place.

Hopefully in a few hours you'll hear from me with a successful test-drive!

Yay can't wait to hear your report

[RyansTBLS]

Hope you got lots of pictures.

[Shdwdrgn]

I have returned, still in one piece! (sanity doesn't count.) We got it together, no leftover bolts, no warnings on the dash. Took it for a road test, check 4WD and 4LO... all checks out. Holy HELL does that thing do a harsh 1-2 shift in 4LO! Then again its been kind of rough in 2WD as well, but now I can play with the tuning and see if I can smooth that out.

The final results... sorry, not THAT many pictures. I'll post what I have when I'm sane again. I should be going to bed about now, but still need to wind down and take a long shower. But the front diff feels like it is working as expected. I'll be watching for leaks and anything to shake loose, taking it in on Thursday to get the 4-wheel alignment re-done (its been slightly off since I changed the back axle), and then see if I can touch base with the 4x4 shop in town that might be able to help update my gears in the computer...

Ugh, need sleep. THANKS YOU EVERYONE for all the moral and expert support in getting through this. Somebody remind me to NEVER do it again!

[dvanbramer88]

Congrats man.