sierra diff driveshaft bearings?

[onedayTM]

can anyone tell how you change bearings and seals on rear diff, I assume there's a special tool for unlocking castellated outer part, I tried gently tapping round but snapped one off. Is it left or right handed thread?
cheers
tony

[twinturbo]

did you remove the locking plate?

TT

[onedayTM]

yes I did that! what next?

[alga]

I believe you need this: http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/rearaxle/DiffOverhaul.pdf

[alga]

I've bought another diff and installed a Quaife ATB LSD in it. Getting the castellated nut thingies out was the hardest part of the job in my case. Here's a tool I made:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dcoEoJCRkFU/VCh6QYbgOzI/AAAAAAAAGgw/jnHcnDRZkjE/s640/IMG_20140825_041314.jpg

That's the fourth version. The previous ones had the nut welded just on the inside, then additionally a couple of tacks outside, then more, and finally this full weld. Anything less than a full weld and the nut did not stay attached to the plate for more than about one turn of the nut. I had to strap the diff to a big plank and turn the nut with a ~1.5 metre pipe. The o-ring got caked in place and sheared and crumbled as I undid the one of the nuts.

[onedayTM]

cheers albert, not really looking forward to doing that now!
cheers
tony

[twinturbo]

Get a quote from a local transmission shop ;) probably an hours labour.

TT

[twinturbo]

I've bought another diff and installed a Quaife ATB LSD in it. Getting the castellated nut thingies out was the hardest part of the job in my case. Here's a tool I made:

There was a brief discussion on ATB in sierras on either the FSOC or XROC forum this week..

I think the consensus was that the Plate diff suited the sierra better. Although I can't fully recall the thread.

TT

[twinturbo]

not sure if you can read without logging in

http://www.xrstyle.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?51424-Quaife-atb-diffs-in-rwd-cars&highlight=diff

TT

[alga]

There was a brief discussion on ATB in sierras on either the FSOC or XROC forum this week..

I think the consensus was that the Plate diff suited the sierra better. Although I can't fully recall the thread.


I've done quite a bit of reading about LSDs. The plate LSD is a fraction of a second faster on track and definitely better for drift. But the plate diff needs the plate preload constantly adjusted as the clutches wear out, whereas Quaife or Torsen are completely maintenance free and good for the whole lifetime of the car normally.

Re diff side bearings, they need a special remover. Generic bearing pullers usually have hooks on the legs that are either too wide or too short. So, in my case it was easier to get 2 new bearings rather than remove existing ones (which were like new).

Update: ATB/Torsen have a property that they become an open diff if one of the wheels is in the air or on a very slippery surface, like ice. Viscous or clutch LSD would lock up and if one wheel is on solid ground and that wheel would have traction, not so with helical gear LSDs. It's not a big deal for a summer car that will mostly have all four wheels on the asphalt but would be a letdown for winter driving.