removing differential for trailer?
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removing differential for trailer?
I have a 74 mazda/ford courier that's been made into a trailer. I want to remove the gears in the rear end to reduce drag...at least disable the crown driving the pinion.
the rear axle has bolts holding the section with the pinion, the case can split.
I figured if I remove the axle shafts and then there would be some bearing caps under the tin cover.
With those out I could then pry out the differential. I want to remove as many unneeded parts as possible , but If I just put it all back without the crown gear it might work ok. I figure I will likely need some of the differential parts in there still to suppport the ends of the axle shafts. I am thinking perhaps I could take the spider gears out too.
can anyone who has had one of these apart let me know the easiest way to do this? I just need a plan before diving in. I've had rear ends apart but not one with a case that can split like this. maybe there is no need to split the case ?
Thanks in advance,
Phil
the rear axle has bolts holding the section with the pinion, the case can split.
I figured if I remove the axle shafts and then there would be some bearing caps under the tin cover.
With those out I could then pry out the differential. I want to remove as many unneeded parts as possible , but If I just put it all back without the crown gear it might work ok. I figure I will likely need some of the differential parts in there still to suppport the ends of the axle shafts. I am thinking perhaps I could take the spider gears out too.
can anyone who has had one of these apart let me know the easiest way to do this? I just need a plan before diving in. I've had rear ends apart but not one with a case that can split like this. maybe there is no need to split the case ?
Thanks in advance,
Phil
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Nixa
You have to keep oil in the differential to lube the bearings. The ring gear needs to be in there to throw oil up to the bearings. I suppose you could pull the ring gear and pinion gear and weld up where the pinion was and over fill the differential housing to cover the inner bearings.. But make sure you have a vent tube.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: The Big, Oregon
Why bother? The loss is negligible, and as has been mentioned there needs to be lubrication on the carrier bearings since it's a semi-float axle.
Besides, the flange the ring mounts to is almost as big as the ring, as can be seen here:
Also, DO NOT run mismatched tires on you Courier axle, that's why I had to pull that diff. It spun and spit out the diff pin.
I had a trailer made from an old International bed that I threw a D60 under, and left everything there. I couldn't tell any increase in drag over the gutted type RA axle I pulled out, if anything it was more free rolling due to the more modern bearing design and better tires.
Besides, the flange the ring mounts to is almost as big as the ring, as can be seen here:
Also, DO NOT run mismatched tires on you Courier axle, that's why I had to pull that diff. It spun and spit out the diff pin.
I had a trailer made from an old International bed that I threw a D60 under, and left everything there. I couldn't tell any increase in drag over the gutted type RA axle I pulled out, if anything it was more free rolling due to the more modern bearing design and better tires.
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thanks so much for the replies and Thanks Ford the pics really helped to see how it comes out as a unit.
I don't know if there is gear oil in the rear axle, would engine oil or ATF work better since the gears aren't driving anything? or do I need gear oil still?
I wonder if just the crown wheel were removed, if the casting it bolts to ( with empty bolt holes) would be sufficient to splash oil around. then I could leave the pinion alone as a plug.
I am weighing my options. I tow the trailor up over the coquihalla to the interior quite often , (freeway up the mountain) pulled by my 66 Volvo. It pulls quite nicely but I just thought maybe doing this would make it easier on the car.
It was pretty rusty so I pressure washed it and gave it a treatment of that phosporic acid stuff, then rust killer primer. I just sprayed it bright blue with three pints of old "gas tank enamel" I got from the thrift store. It came out way better than it was without all too much effort.
Phil
I don't know if there is gear oil in the rear axle, would engine oil or ATF work better since the gears aren't driving anything? or do I need gear oil still?
I wonder if just the crown wheel were removed, if the casting it bolts to ( with empty bolt holes) would be sufficient to splash oil around. then I could leave the pinion alone as a plug.
I am weighing my options. I tow the trailor up over the coquihalla to the interior quite often , (freeway up the mountain) pulled by my 66 Volvo. It pulls quite nicely but I just thought maybe doing this would make it easier on the car.
It was pretty rusty so I pressure washed it and gave it a treatment of that phosporic acid stuff, then rust killer primer. I just sprayed it bright blue with three pints of old "gas tank enamel" I got from the thrift store. It came out way better than it was without all too much effort.
Phil
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
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From: The Big, Oregon
Honestly, I'd leave it alone. There is more to gain from going to a taller narrower tire at a higher pressure than there ever could be from there. That is just so much work to gain essentially nothing.
If you don't have surge brakes on it, you'd also see more gains from gutting the brake shoes out of the rear axle, but you really should have those hooked up. I don't know what model you have, but I know none of them were very big.
If you don't have surge brakes on it, you'd also see more gains from gutting the brake shoes out of the rear axle, but you really should have those hooked up. I don't know what model you have, but I know none of them were very big.
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