Discussion
OK Deep breath required! I've got a very slight whine from my GKN diff. Bristol Transmissions are happy to carry out the complete job but are unsure about how long getting the diff out will take. At £65ph I'm sure it could take a while 
Now If i could drop the diff out then that'll decrease the cost dramatically. So my question for everyone here is....
Working on my own under a set of simple axle stands with only a couple of trolly jacks etc. How difficult is it to get the diff out? does it need twisting once the mounts have been released?
I have a comprehensive socket/tool set and have rebuilt several other cars. (So happy to spanner!!)
I've watched Quinny's vid but he has the advantage of a ramp, garage and generally SPACE. I have a slightly sloping driveway that's it!
Now If i could drop the diff out then that'll decrease the cost dramatically. So my question for everyone here is....
Working on my own under a set of simple axle stands with only a couple of trolly jacks etc. How difficult is it to get the diff out? does it need twisting once the mounts have been released?
I have a comprehensive socket/tool set and have rebuilt several other cars. (So happy to spanner!!)
I've watched Quinny's vid but he has the advantage of a ramp, garage and generally SPACE. I have a slightly sloping driveway that's it!
SSPPGG said:
3 hours, biggest issue was getting the car high enough to get under the diff to manouver it out...and yes, itll need to be rotated quite a bit to get it out of the chassis...and easier with a helping hand
Thanks SSPPGGSo you say "getting under it". Surely it weighs a fair bit and I would hate to drop it on my chest etc. So do you have any tips. I think I've resigned my self to getting it out if I can.
I did this about 3 weeks ago - car is still on axle stands waiting for CTS to finish the rebuild. Had to buy another unit in the end as my Crown Wheel had two teeth missing - makes a bad noise - trust me!!
Top advice - buy some beer and get a mate to help. Also get some good penetrating oil and a couple of 10mm hex drives that you can use a spanner on, like these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160543205603?ssPageName=...
Makes things quite a bit easier.
I managed to get the car up to about the 3rd holes on a set of 4 halfords axle stands which gave enough room underneath to work on. I used to have a sloped drive and found it help with accessing the front/rear depending which way you park it.
The diff is heavy - but not that heavy. I ended up 'bench pressing' it out then lowered it onto my chest and shuffled out from under the car to a point where my mate could lift it and drop it in a box for transport.
There were some extremely seized bolts to get undone - I have a compressor in the garage, and a Makita 450nm impact wrench and gave them both a good workout. If you don't have an impact wrench, make sure you have a half decent breaker bar and plenty of extensions, adaptors, etc.
We started about 5.30 in the evening and finished at 11ish - with a fish and chip break in the middle and a bit of head scratching and a few Malboro lights inbetween.
One of the side diff bushes was shot, but luckily the rear one is okay - I wouldn't fancy changing that bay boy....
You're probably going to save yourself a good £400-£500 doing it yourself. How much were you quoted for the diff rebuild?
Top advice - buy some beer and get a mate to help. Also get some good penetrating oil and a couple of 10mm hex drives that you can use a spanner on, like these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160543205603?ssPageName=...
Makes things quite a bit easier.
I managed to get the car up to about the 3rd holes on a set of 4 halfords axle stands which gave enough room underneath to work on. I used to have a sloped drive and found it help with accessing the front/rear depending which way you park it.
The diff is heavy - but not that heavy. I ended up 'bench pressing' it out then lowered it onto my chest and shuffled out from under the car to a point where my mate could lift it and drop it in a box for transport.
There were some extremely seized bolts to get undone - I have a compressor in the garage, and a Makita 450nm impact wrench and gave them both a good workout. If you don't have an impact wrench, make sure you have a half decent breaker bar and plenty of extensions, adaptors, etc.
We started about 5.30 in the evening and finished at 11ish - with a fish and chip break in the middle and a bit of head scratching and a few Malboro lights inbetween.
One of the side diff bushes was shot, but luckily the rear one is okay - I wouldn't fancy changing that bay boy....
You're probably going to save yourself a good £400-£500 doing it yourself. How much were you quoted for the diff rebuild?
Removing the diff is a lot easier, and safer, if you can work from above as well as below - I did this by cutting an access hole in the rear 'parcel shelf', there's a picture in this thread http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
There's also some diff removal discussion in this thread http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
I think that it's worth investing in a couple of high lift heavy duty axle stands when doing this job, machine mart sell suitable items.
There's also some diff removal discussion in this thread http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
I think that it's worth investing in a couple of high lift heavy duty axle stands when doing this job, machine mart sell suitable items.
) please feel free to mail me (for address) and pop round.jeboa said:
The diff is heavy - but not that heavy. I ended up 'bench pressing' it out then lowered it onto my chest and shuffled out from under the car to a point where my mate could lift it and drop it in a box for transport. ARE YOU A BODY BUILDER 
There were some extremely seized bolts to get undone - I have a compressor in the garage, and a Makita 450nm impact wrench and gave them both a good workout. If you don't have an impact wrench, make sure you have a half decent breaker bar and plenty of extensions, adaptors, etc. Hopefully got what's needed here
You're probably going to save yourself a good £400-£500 doing it yourself. How much were you quoted for the diff rebuild?
Cost should be minor as there is only just a feignt whine, the engineer that came for a drive said he could hardly hear it so was expecing to just have to replace the bearings/seals then "blue" the pinion and crown back together.There were some extremely seized bolts to get undone - I have a compressor in the garage, and a Makita 450nm impact wrench and gave them both a good workout. If you don't have an impact wrench, make sure you have a half decent breaker bar and plenty of extensions, adaptors, etc. Hopefully got what's needed here
You're probably going to save yourself a good £400-£500 doing it yourself. How much were you quoted for the diff rebuild?
So as long as I can get it out then I'm hoping quite cheap. John Reid had quoted £400 plus carriage so hopefully this will be much better than that.
As it stands at present the whole car is booked in for Monday so they might be a little surprised When i turn up with just a diff
The AJP Griff said:
Who are CTS? please? Mine might need doing in the near future and I was wondering who to use. It was supposed to have been rebuilt by a gearbox specialist but i'm still not happy with a slight noise with it.
I believe that a little noise isn't unusual, might just be worth changing the oil for some decent stuff unless it is high mileage!I've been running it on redline heavy shockproof which is what I've always used but never before had the noise that this one makes.It would have been a high mileage unit before the rebuild but it was making this noise straight after the rebuild. The one difference that I do have with this one compared to my others is that I'm using poly bushes so I wonder if this contributes?
Hi AJP
CTS (Competition Transmission Services)you can find them at www.gearboxman.co.uk and 01582 840 008.
Used to do a lot of the racing Tuscan gearboxes, so knows his stuff
Certainly worth a call if you're thinking of a rebuild
andy
CTS (Competition Transmission Services)you can find them at www.gearboxman.co.uk and 01582 840 008.
Used to do a lot of the racing Tuscan gearboxes, so knows his stuff
Certainly worth a call if you're thinking of a rebuild
andy
Griffith77 said:
Hi AJP
CTS (Competition Transmission Services)you can find them at www.gearboxman.co.uk and 01582 840 008.
Used to do a lot of the racing Tuscan gearboxes, so knows his stuff
Certainly worth a call if you're thinking of a rebuild
andy
Thanks Andy,I didnt realise they were one and the same.CTS (Competition Transmission Services)you can find them at www.gearboxman.co.uk and 01582 840 008.
Used to do a lot of the racing Tuscan gearboxes, so knows his stuff
Certainly worth a call if you're thinking of a rebuild
andy
Finally after much head scratching and swearing it's out! The top cap head bolts holding the front of the Diff to the mounting plates had a horible lock nut on the rear. (hardly any space at all) then the bolts themselves turned out to be 3/8ths hex - Don't have one of those in socket form, so was reduced to an allen key with a 3/8th ring spanner on it. 
Taken a full day and a half to get the blooming thing out!
Taken a full day and a half to get the blooming thing out!I've got to do my rear diff mount bush next weekend.
I plan to remove the fuel tank,cut a hatch in the thin fibreglass bulkhead and renew the bush with the diff in place.
Can you post a pic of the bracket it self?
Do you think the bracket can be unbolted and removed from the diff for access to the bush?
I plan to remove the fuel tank,cut a hatch in the thin fibreglass bulkhead and renew the bush with the diff in place.
Can you post a pic of the bracket it self?
Do you think the bracket can be unbolted and removed from the diff for access to the bush?
haircutmike said:
I've got to do my rear diff mount bush next weekend.
I plan to remove the fuel tank,cut a hatch in the thin fibreglass bulkhead and renew the bush with the diff in place.
Can you post a pic of the bracket it self?
Do you think the bracket can be unbolted and removed from the diff for access to the bush?
If you are cutting an access panel then yes you can get to the cap head bolts. Mine are well rusted so I elected to leave them on so Bristol Transmissions can remove them.I plan to remove the fuel tank,cut a hatch in the thin fibreglass bulkhead and renew the bush with the diff in place.
Can you post a pic of the bracket it self?
Do you think the bracket can be unbolted and removed from the diff for access to the bush?
I can take a photo of the bracket no problem - Give me a few mins
Removing the Fuel tank seems like a hard job to me - Good luck.
Matt
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