Rear Diff Swap
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 181
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Rear Diff Swap
I'm planning to swap out my open carrier with a limited slip. The job looks pretty straight forward - is there anything I'm missing?
1) Remove cover, drain fluid.
2) Remove bolts at hub and slide axle shafts out a little.
3) Unbolt the carrier bearing retainers and pull out the differential.
4) Swap ring gear and put a new timing ring on new diff.
5) Installation is reverse - don't forget the limited slip additive.
Does anything need to be done with the pinion gear in the process?
Any advice is appreciated.
1) Remove cover, drain fluid.
2) Remove bolts at hub and slide axle shafts out a little.
3) Unbolt the carrier bearing retainers and pull out the differential.
4) Swap ring gear and put a new timing ring on new diff.
5) Installation is reverse - don't forget the limited slip additive.
Does anything need to be done with the pinion gear in the process?
Any advice is appreciated.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,864
Likes: 0
From: STEPHENVILLE,TX!!!!!
you will have to make sure the gear mesh is still where it needs to be. also need new preload spacers on the sides of the bearings to keep the bearing preload correct.
if you have that many miles on it i would put a new ring and pinon and bearings in it if there still original.
if you do replace the r&p get the factory ford ones there the only gears that are worth anything and timken bearings.
if you have that many miles on it i would put a new ring and pinon and bearings in it if there still original.
if you do replace the r&p get the factory ford ones there the only gears that are worth anything and timken bearings.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 9,236
Likes: 12
From: Senoia, GA
yea you'll need to reset the gears which is a prety tedious job, set aside an afternoon and make sure you have your dial caliper, torque wrench, and pinion depth tool as well as your standard everyday tools
it'd bout be just as easy to swap in the whole rear axle if you have another
-cutts-
it'd bout be just as easy to swap in the whole rear axle if you have another
-cutts-
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
Check out this site for good tips:
http://www.ring-pinion.com/HowTo.aspx
You don't need to remove the pinion gear unless you are replacing the pinion seal or bearings. The pinion depth won't change even if you did remove it. If you do remove it use a dial type inch pound wrench to get a pre-load on the pinion. Take the reading with everything else removed from the diff. The reading should be ~ 10 in lb with an old seal and bearings and ~ 18-20 in lb with a new seal & bearings.
The carrier preload (shims) can be tricky but with a little patience it can be done. You will need a dial indicator with a magnetic base. You are looking for ~.010 back lash on the ring gear. Start with the shims that where on the old carrier. Be sure to keep the shims in the location they came from. If you need to add or replace the shims with a different size you will need to determine the size needed and get them from a local diff rebuilder. They usuall have all sorts of shims
http://www.ring-pinion.com/HowTo.aspx
You don't need to remove the pinion gear unless you are replacing the pinion seal or bearings. The pinion depth won't change even if you did remove it. If you do remove it use a dial type inch pound wrench to get a pre-load on the pinion. Take the reading with everything else removed from the diff. The reading should be ~ 10 in lb with an old seal and bearings and ~ 18-20 in lb with a new seal & bearings.
The carrier preload (shims) can be tricky but with a little patience it can be done. You will need a dial indicator with a magnetic base. You are looking for ~.010 back lash on the ring gear. Start with the shims that where on the old carrier. Be sure to keep the shims in the location they came from. If you need to add or replace the shims with a different size you will need to determine the size needed and get them from a local diff rebuilder. They usuall have all sorts of shims
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 181
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Thanks for all the advice. The swap was quite simple. Fortunately the backlash was where it needed to be when I put the posi in. Having to reset the backlash would have added a bit of time.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,608
Likes: 13
From: Belair md
9 times out of 10 i never have to reset side shims, i even swapped the 10.25 carrier in mine to a superduty 10.5 and reused the bearings that were on it and had to change nothing, backlash and gear wear pattern were perfect as was preload
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,795
Likes: 1
From: Rogue River, OR
Originally Posted by StevensPoint
Thanks for all the advice. The swap was quite simple. Fortunately the backlash was where it needed to be when I put the posi in. Having to reset the backlash would have added a bit of time.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,608
Likes: 13
From: Belair md
if possible get a superduty 10.5 posi, it is much heavier duty then the 10.25 posi,
price it new from ford, sometimes you would be surprised, the last time i checked a new 10.25 was only 250. but here is what the 10.5 looks like.
rather then have the typical guts, it is a 2 piece housing, containing a 3-pinion planetary set-up vs the stocker spider gear set-up, it has almost twice the clutches that a 10.25 has and weighs almost twice as much too. best part.....it drops right in, re-use your ring gear, bearings are the same too
price it new from ford, sometimes you would be surprised, the last time i checked a new 10.25 was only 250. but here is what the 10.5 looks like.
rather then have the typical guts, it is a 2 piece housing, containing a 3-pinion planetary set-up vs the stocker spider gear set-up, it has almost twice the clutches that a 10.25 has and weighs almost twice as much too. best part.....it drops right in, re-use your ring gear, bearings are the same too
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
Joe, I tried to rep ya on this one. Gotta spread the love around first. I'm doing mine the next time around. I have one question though, I have an open carrier. Will the switch still be that easy?
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,608
Likes: 13
From: Belair md
let yours fall out, bolt the new one in, piece of cake, the hardest part is lifting the new one in, she is heavy. i can spin posi with the 35's on dry pavement, and if i lay on it hard around a corner and it hits 2nd, she will slide around
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,835
Likes: 3
From: Silver Lake Dunes, MI
Originally Posted by Cuda_jim
Joe, I tried to rep ya on this one. Gotta spread the love around first. I'm doing mine the next time around. I have one question though, I have an open carrier. Will the switch still be that easy?
