About to drop Diff!!

[RCA]

Hi all, After some hints/tips/words of wisdom!!!
Have got my car to the stage where I am ready to drop the diff (at last!!!)
I have took off all wisbones/brakes/suspension (part of major refurb!!)so have got good access all around!!
What is the best way to go from here??, what needs undoing first/taking off??
Had a look in the bible 2 but can't find that much on it.
Cheers
Rich

[xain]

Can't offer any advice on this, as it's something I'm thinking of doing myself. How hard was it to get all that stuff off the car?
I was surprised how easy the dampers were. Hoping that the rest is easy :-)

[RCA]

There is nothing that I would call difficult just the odd seized bolt to deal with!!!!!!

[RCA]

Anyone??, Have took off the prop shaft and a big bolt like thing with a wire in the top which was at the front of the diff (speed sensor????). Now what?, do I just undo the four bolts and top mount??
cheers
Rich

[Que1]

Yep that's the speed sensor.Drop my diff about 2 weeks ago so know what you are going through I don't know how high the car is but if you can use a car jack it helps to take the weight. Remove the rear mounting plate (4 bolts to the diff and 1 long bolt that go's through the bush. There's 2 mounting plates to the front of the diff, if you can get 1 of these off it will help no end. Mine are 10mm hex nuts, i think they are all the same,clean these up inside first as they get clogged up and you want all of the driver in the nut as they are tight!! You will need a breaker bar and a extention for the hex nut driver. If you can't get one of these mounts off....try and get 1 bolt out so you can turn 1 of the plates up or down to give you a bit more play.I will come out ..Honest!Hope you can make sense of this, and it helps
Cheers Q1

[RCA]

Thanks, thats v.helpful!!, Doing it in the morning as have spent most the afternoon sorting out my garage and all the nuts and bolts that have come off so far!!!
cheers
Rich

[RCA]

Have dropped the diff!!!, literally, straight onto my arm then finger!!!!! arm feels like its broken and finger is hanging off!!!!
But its OUT!!!!
Anyway next question!!, It has come out due to a clunk occuring at the back when accelerating/braking etc How do I check where its coming from i.e the top mount, everything looks ok to the eye, could the bush be knackered even if it looks ok??, If it is the top bush how are you supposed to get it out!!!!!. Sorry!!! one more!!! Is there a way of checking the diff now its out, for play etc???
cheers lots of beers
Rich
....... Off to get exceedingly drunk yee haa

[jigs]

How do you tell an amateur TVR mechanic - no fingers or toes but lots of balls.

[dannyboyo]

Mine was doing that clunking thing when accelerating/decelerating. It turned out to be a worn Universal joint.

Also while you have your diff off it's probably worth replacing the input and output bearings, as mine have just worn out after getting the UJ replaced and the poor thing's got to go in and have the diff out again. Doh!!

[RCA]

To be fair the diff is actually quite quiet so I think it is ok!!, How do you check the universal joints??, are they on the drive shafts???, When it was looked at they seemed to think that the top mount was at fault with the clunking but can't see anything by eye!! I presume they meant the top rubber mount bit, If so Not sure how I am going to get it out!!!!
cheers
Rich

[dannyboyo]

RCA said: To be fair the diff is actually quite quiet so I think it is ok!!, How do you check the universal joints??, are they on the drive shafts???, When it was looked at they seemed to think that the top mount was at fault with the clunking but can't see anything by eye!! I presume they meant the top rubber mount bit, If so Not sure how I am going to get it out!!!!
cheers
Rich

The UJ is on the prop shaft between the gear box and the input to the diff. Mine was just so worn you could tell it was knackered. Jack the car up, hold the shaft coming out of the gearbox, rotate the wheels, you should see from this how much play is in the UJ.

[incorrigible]

Check the diff (not properly) by turning the input shaft (flange) back and forth there should be mimimal backlash when going from forward to reverse and vice versa

If in any doubt take it to a gearbox specialist

Properly involves checking clearances and contact patches between the crown and pinion gears IIRC

[colinrob]

my diff was clonking when taking up drive it is now at peninsula automotive in culumpton and they have confirmed that the diff requires replacing (i phoned lots of dealers/specialists and they all said as my car had covered 52,000 miles it was probably knackered-unfortunatly so is the cam!!! its also being replaced) if you want any more info give them a ring on 01884 35341 they are very helpful-colin