Can anyone tell me how to get these spider gears back into place in order to reinsert the pin? I have a 9" rear open differential. When I try to rotate the gears back into place they hit the housing. What should I do?

 

I can't exactly visualize your problem, but the way I always do it is to hold one spider against the side gears as tight into the carrier as it will go then rotate one axleshaft (just the side gears in your case, I guess with the 9" center section out of the housing) while holding the other still. The spider usually will "walk" around the side gears right into place. Then the trick is to hold that one steady while you do the same thing for the other spider. You will have to let the first spider spin (around the cross pin that isn't there - ha ha) but not let it walk back out from between the side gears. Actually, with a 9" center section out of the axle housing you may be able to put the cross pin 1/2 way in to hold that first spider gear in place. Not sure, but that would make it easier.

The second one may go back in but not be exactly directly accross from the first (in line with the cross-pin hole). You can back it back out and start again, one side gear tooth over from where you were before. Walk it back in and it should be in place. If not, move one more tooth over and try again...or two teeth in the other direction if you got further out of line.

Good luck! While you're at it you can always toss those spiders and side gears and drop in a Lock-Right or No-Slip... :-) I'm a big fan!

 

Hey thanks, I was just wondering if this was a normal thing and what someone like you have done to get this done. I still have the differential in the axle but I think I am going to take it out for better access and try that. I just don't want to mess anything up causing me to spend more $$$

 

Woah, o.k. I think I've misunderstood you.

Do you have a Ford 9" rear from an older truck or do you mean a newer 9-3/4" rear like found in Expeditions and modern light-duty trucks? The old 9" has a drop-out center-section, often called a "3rd member" with a bunch of bolts (like diff cover bolts) on the PINION side of the housing. You pull the axle shafts, unbolt the 3rd member and remove it from the FRONT of the axle housing. It comes out as a big cast iron chunk that holds the pinion, bearings, carrier, ring/pinion/side/spider gears, etc. all together. The back of the housing (where a "normal" diff cover is) does not come off.

Some of my comments were intended only if you are working on a 9" and have the 3rd member up on a bench in your shop/garage.

The 9-3/4" is more like a Dana 44 or 60 or the 8.8" Ford, etc., etc. where there is a sheet metal cover on the back that you remove to access the works.

If you have that kind, DON'T remove the carrier unless you have a compelling reason to do so. You should be able to get the spider and side gears back into the carrier with a little bit of fiddling.

Good luck!

 

Yes I have the kind with the sheet metal cover on back and I am trying everything I can to get these gears to rotate back into place. Taking the carrier out is my next option. I think I am going to have to compress the clutches behind the side gears in order to get these babies in. Do you know any other fiddling I can do?

 

Aaack. Another misunderstanding. You said a "9' OPEN" diff. If you have clutch packs then you have a limited slip differential. Different animal from an open diff. I haven't ever fooled with one, though I am about to.

It sounds like there may be a tool of some sort needed. Can you explain the dissassembly procedure? You pulled the cross pin, pulled the axle shafts, rotated the gears in the carrier and ??? They popped out under spring force? Do the clutch packs come out and/or come apart if you remove the side gears?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

OK, cross pin, axle shafts out, rotated gears out of place. Yes, they had force on them. I'm sorry I have a limited slip diff verified by the dog tags on housing. Yes the clutch packs will come out if I remove the side gears.

 

Well, I'm not going to be much help...Still sounds like you need something to take the tension off the clutch packs. Could be that you can lock one shaft in place with a bar and put a breaker bar on the other shaft and force them to rotate together. Can't really see how you'd do that, but I'm sure someone will have the answer here in a bit...


Good luck!

 

Uuhhhh, call me silly, but it sounds to me like you need to get the shop manual out and find out the correct factory approved method of doing this.


You could end up with a real howler or a real "locker".