Complete Differential Overhaul: DIY Step-by-Step Tutorial. ( Differential Rebuild/Upgrade Ford 8.8)
Complete Differential Overhaul: DIY Step-by-Step Tutorial. Differential Rebuild and Upgrade
In this video I'm going to show you how to do a complete rebuild of a differential assembly. It does not matter the type of differential you are working on the basic procedure for rebuilding a differential is the same. This video is aimed at the DIY'er who has never attempted a repair like this before. Just for reference I will be rebuilding a Ford 8.8
We will cover how to strip the 8.8 differential down to a bare housing, carrier bearing removal, pinion bearing removal, installing a ring gear, pressing on new carrier bearings, selecting the correct pinion shim, installing the pinion bearings, setting pinion preload, setting backlash and finally checking the gear pattern.
Differential Basics: • Differentials 101: Beg...
Tools used in this video:
Calipers: amzn.to/48nlVr7
Dial Indicator: amzn.to/3utnAxB
Beam Torque Wrench: amzn.to/3UODXzz
Pinion Flange Holding Tool: amzn.to/3SZ2NLF
Bearing Splitter: amzn.to/4bIN1f2
Bearing/Seal Drivers: amzn.to/3uCYrAs
Shim Drivers: amzn.to/48j5KLp
Chemicals:
Retaining Compound: amzn.to/3SZpbEI
Thread Locker: amzn.to/48kF7pl
RTV: amzn.to/3OLwaP9
Degreaser: amzn.to/3uBzhlG
Parts used in this Ford 8.8 build:
Ford Performance 4.10 Gears: amzn.to/49EJrRk
Ford Performance Install Kit: amzn.to/3I3hR4w
Torsen T2R Differential: amzn.to/3SKyXsQ
Moser 31 spline Axles: amzn.to/3I4DYaI
Crush Sleeve Eliminator Kit: amzn.to/49AKSAr
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
2:52 Special Tools Required
6:47 Draining oil/Why I'm rebuilding this diff
10:02 Axle shaft removal
11:40 Mark bearing caps and shims
13:44 Original backlash measurement
14:47 Carrier Removal
15:10 Pinion Removal
16:37 Pinion Seal Removal
18:16 Bearing Race Removal
18:49 Axle Bearing Removal
19:59 Cleaning the housing
22:14 What failed in this differential?
24:27 Carrier/Pinion Bearing removal
25:11 Why you should use a setup bearing
27:29 Installing the ring gear
29:06 Pressing on carrier bearings
32:08 Trick for tightening ring gear bolts
32:59 Installing bearing races in the housing
35:47 Setting pinion bearing preload
44:52 Installing the carrier
46:08 Keep good notes on shim sizes!
48:25 Setting and adjusting backlash
51:42 Checking the gear pattern
53:16 Making adjustments to your setup
56:04 Install final pinion bearing
57:23 Installing a crush sleeve eliminator kit
1:00:44 Final Assembly
1:03:31 Differential break in/oil selection
1:07:16 Outro
#differential #rebuild #axle #ford #torsen #gears
Disclaimer:
The information, demonstration and any content contained in this video is for informational purposes only. The user Repair Geek makes no warranty, express or implied, regarding the effectiveness or safety of the contents of this video. In no way should the contents of the video, including the tools used, be repeated or tried by anyone. Viewers should only seek the help of a trained professional located at a licensed auto repair shop for any fix, modification, alteration, or any change to their vehicle. Repair Geek shall not be liable for any injury, damage, or loss to any person or property that may result from use of the tools, equipment, or any content contained in this video. In addition, there is no way to guarantee that the video is not altered or modified or is not in the final form submitted by Repair Geek and therefore, Repair Geek does not warrant that the video is unaltered or not modified. The links on this video to products are for informational purposes only and in no way are an endorsement of the safety or effectiveness of the particular product. Viewers understand that anything contained in this video or linked to or from this video is the sole responsibility of the viewer and in no way provides an express or implied warranty as to the safety or effectiveness of any linked tool, product, or video. Therefore, viewer agrees to release, waive, and discharge Repair Geek or anyone affiliated with Repair Geek, from any and all liability, claims, demands, actions, and causes of action whatsoever arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by the viewer, or to any property belonging to viewer, regardless of whether the loss is linked to the use of the contents of this video, or otherwise and regardless of whether such liability arises in tort, contract, strict liability, or otherwise, to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Tools used in this video: Calipers: amzn.to/48nlVr7 Dial Indicator: amzn.to/3utnAxB Beam Torque Wrench: amzn.to/3UODXzz Pinion Flange Holding Tool: amzn.to/3SZ2NLF Bearing Splitter: amzn.to/4bIN1f2 Bearing/Seal Drivers: amzn.to/3uCYrAs Hot Plate: amzn.to/3uuUu0Q Shim Drivers: amzn.to/48j5KLp Chemicals: Retaining Compound: amzn.to/3SZpbEI Thread Locker: amzn.to/48kF7pl RTV: amzn.to/3OLwaP9 Degreaser: amzn.to/3uBzhlG Parts used in this Ford 8.8 build: Ford Performance 4.10 Gears: amzn.to/49EJrRk Ford Performance Install Kit: amzn.to/3I3hR4w Torsen T2R Differential: amzn.to/3SKyXsQ Moser 31 spline Axles: amzn.to/3I4DYaI Crush Sleeve Eliminator Kit: amzn.to/49AKSAr My Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/repairgeek Help support the channel, buy using my Amazon links As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and your cost is exactly the same.
You sir have been added to my list of top 5 excellent auto repair channels. Excellent teacher and professional done video. Looking forward to viewing more of your content!
You should receive the mechanic award of the year! What a wonderful and inspiring helpful video
Now that I am retired, this is the job I want to tackle on my 2001 Mustang GT Bullitt with 135,000 miles on her. This IS the best diff. video I have seen on YT!! Thanks for ANOTHER great video!!!!
Thanks for all the valuable information in this video. Funny how the experienced mechanics on tv and KZhead just "slap" in a new rear end because they want different gear ratios and never talk about all the steps required. Maybe they don't know, or they're hoping for the best. They certainly don't talk about it.
I love your videos, I got hooked when I found the fluid film series. Lots of great info, very little to no "fluff" or nonsense. Thanks for putting these out, I've shared the fluid film links many times with guys in the Cherokee "XJ" groups, and real life friends.
Wow.... Just Wow!!!!! what a GREAT.... Informative video!!!!! Amazing!!!! you should be a shop teacher if you aren't... Look forward to more great content!!!
Wow! Terrific video you put together.Your opinion on yukon gears made me chuckle a bit as well. 👍
Great video!!! You're wisest words were at the end, mentioning there's no such thing as changing your driveline fluids too often.
I did my 21 f250 with 1,000 miles .
Nice presentation! Spinning the bearings dry was a thing I was taught not to do. A light oil(motor oil) is what I use sparringly.
Thanks a lot for taking the time! I thought it required a shop and a lot more special tooling to rebuild them. Learning of the trial and error and having to rebuild it like 5 times on the ground is real motivation to go fight some stuck drain plugs to change the fluid... Pretension your 2 gear sandwiches so they mesh together just right.
That Yukon shot across the bow was priceless!!! 😂😂😂
Superb video explaining all I wanted to know. Thank you for doing this.
I'm enjoying more this videos than my school classes
very thorough, hope to apply it to my 8.5 chevy
Great Job. Thanks so much!
Thank you ❤ a great video !
Great video. Easy to understand.
i appreciate this, brother!
Excellent video
nice work. loving you're videos.
Doin the Lords work. Keep on teachin em!
I enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work. 8.8's seem to eat the races like this.
Hello friend, I follow you from Chile, ask what is the best paint to protect metal from corrosion and humidity, please?
One tip: I wouldn't use an impact gun at all during the installation of the pinon crush sleave.
Changed tire size and the 4:10 reduced to 3.72 and a 9% split between speedo and GPS. Lost the pinion bearing so made the switch to 4:56 which brought transmission back to 4:10. Wasn’t too difficult but was time consuming to get it right.
What's up bro. I see you around town. ✌️
I need to do my 07 mustang sometime. The previous owner put 4:11 gears in it and it has excessive backlash. When i replaced the clutch i noticed when i took the driveshaft off the pinion had a couple of degrees of movement. I can never just idle in a gear because it bucks back and forth bad. Its still driveable it's just really annoying in traffic.
what ive done with DANA is use a beach towel on the ring. rotate the pinion and the compression of the gears sucking that towel in will press the carrier out of the pumpkin. does that work on here too id think?
In regards to the Koyo bearing, I have ordered Timken bearings and received Koyo. However, still odd if truly a factory setup.
Thank you, tomorrow I'm going to be tackling ring n pinion swaps on a jeep Rubicon w dana 44 front n rear, ive watched nearly a dozen videos to gather as many tips n tricks as possible so it'll go as smoothly as possible, I wish I had seen this one a week or more ago I probably would have ordered a set of the solid pinion spacers, but I did order a extra set of crush sleeves in case I over torque I can stay on track, I have to ask the reasoning w using the crush sleeve for setup and pattern reading? Other videos I've watched setup is done w no sleeve, than install crush sleeve at Final assembly? Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge
My reasoning was 2 fold: 1 demonstrate how to set up a crush sleeve on video 2 once the pinion had the correct preload with the crush sleeve, that gave me a starting point for shim thickness.
Great video! Do just measure your used/ set up crush sleeve to get the measurement for the solid pinion spacer + shims?
Exactly, that gave me my starting point.
Thank you, I am going to keep your video next to me during assembly so I don’t forget anything.
I recently rebuild front differential of X5 e53. The diff was TYP-174. The problem was - there was noises , and the diff has already been "repaired" by previous mechanic. Here's some tips for differential "rebuilding". First - just before removing the unit from the car measure the turning preload of the pinion. You don't need to know the specs -this is just a quick and dirty test to try pinpoint the nature of problem. If you read 0 Nm(i'm European) then 90% chance your problem is just excessive bearing wear. If you got reading above 0, then maybe the differential wasn't set to specs before , or there's gearset geometry or geartooth problems. Check for excessive runout at the pinion flange. Before removing the gearset from the housing check the ring gear for runout. Measure and compare backlash of EVERY GEAR tooth on the ring gear. Difference from the lowest and highest backlash reading greater than 0.050mm/0.002inch indicates a problem with geometry. When disassembling remove bearing caps with hand tools to "feel" if some bolt has loosened and thus contributed for the current problem. Backlash/freeplay is needed because gears expand from heat but you still need the extreme pressure oil to be able to lubricate between the gears without separating from the face of the gears like if the backlash becomes 0. Too much backlash creates noises, and latter - vibrations if not addressed. If changing PINION BEARINGS you must take in account "pinion dept" if you're not setting the pinion depth to factory spec. Measure the current pinion depth(that is if you know for sure THIS IS the correct depth, otherwise you risk having to redo the whole thing again if the final pattern check directs a change of pinion depth either inwards or outwards.) It can be done with special tools , or straightedge and depth micrometer/vernier caliper. You need to know this because even if you keep the current shims , the new bearing could be different thickness because of manufacturing tolerances/variations. So if the new bearings are thicker you'll need to replace the current shim/shims with thinner and vice versa. Another tip - always set the preload of the bearings at the higher spec given. Over time , while the bearings is wearing , the preload will only get loose and looser. A tip recommended from manufacturers of specialty drivetrain aftermarket parts - they recommend if removing/installing the ring gear from differential case always to use red loctite on the bolts and tighten the bolts in 2 stages. First stage is half the specified torque .This is because sudden excessive torque could distort the ring gear flatness just like when installing cylinder heads. Another tip from aftermarket performance parts manufacturers : painting all the gears during contact pattern check/test is recommended.Then install the axle shafts and brakes. Partially apply the brakes using adjustable brake pedal depressor tool until it takes about 70nm to rotate the pinion flange. Rotate the the flange 3 or 4 times forward and backward. If you think this is not necessary , here's the explanation i got on "Pirate 4x4" forums, when i asked why is this needed. Because not every pinion-ring gearset is "nonhunting" type. Nonhunting means every pinion tooth got it's mated tooths on the ring gear. Every rotation of the gearset the same pinion tooth contacts the same ring gear teeths. If the set is "hunting" or "partial nonhuntin" the pinion teeths contact different teeths at the ring gear than the ones contacted the previous rotation of the gearset. Also this technique can help catch if there's geometry problem with the gears , that is if you before that didn't measure backlash at ALL the teeth or didn't test for ring gear runout or pinion gear shaft runout. Final tip: when changing the oil , after draining all the oil from the housing , it's recommended to lift the car first from the left and then fromthe right. That way oil that's left in the left/right tubeing would drain also. And finally my unnecessary opinion on this FORD 8.8 differential. Judging by the info from 23:30 , this unit was "repaired" before. They setup the the preloads and backlash okay, but messed up the pinion depth because they changed the pinion bearings with a thicker/thinner ones, while keeping the factory shim. Finally they run a contact pattern check , saw something is wrong , call it a day because whether or not the pattern check, they knew the preloads and backlash were okay AND otherwise they needed to redo everyting from the start again(if they even knew, what they must do to fix the problem).
Extremely good video I have done several rear end. Just curious what press is in your shop
Just a harbor freight 20 ton.
Now that it is April was it quiet when you test drove it? Very interested in that thank you!
I've got about 110 miles on it so far. No issues yet. I've touched 65mph once or twice but, I'm still early on the break in.
I am going to attempt this fort the first time with my 99 XJ. Garage quoted me over 2k to do this. A few questions, do I have to replace the ring and pinion or can I just do the bearings? This might be a stupid question but do I need new crush sleeves every time I tighten the pinion nut?
New crush sleeve every time. You can reuse the ring and pinion and just do bearings but be aware that if the R&P is the source of noise, it's still going to be noisy when the axle is rebuilt with new bearings. Once you have a wear pattern established in a R&P you can't change it. You should be able to reuse your stock shims for everything.
Make sure you're running a limited slip additive in that differential.
Is the time and labor really worth rebuilding this over just swapping it with a junkyard diff for my "spirited daily driver"?
It just depends. Do you want a different gear ratio, stronger axles, or a non factory LSD. Then, this is your only option.
Gotcha, appreciate man!
I’m in Thompson oh
What type of socket are you using for the bearing install on the press?
Axle nut impact sockets.
oh man to bad you didn't show us your last and final pattern .
Im only 10 min into video , you may address it later but how many miles on diff ?
About 80k. I found some unusual things inside.
What brand is the differential cover?
amzn.to/3UdG92T
Geeze, where you live and how much you charge to do this?