Spools

[Phantomzook]

Just say I have very little knowledge on diff operations.
What exactly is involved in the installation of a trail tough mini Spool?
Be as specific as you like and pictures would be special.
Don’t intend on doing it myself, I would just like to think I could

[gwagensteve]

Drain diff oil
Jack up rear of car
Remove rear drive shaft from diff
Unbolt wheels
Remove drums
Undo backing plate
undo brake lines
Pull axles
Undo third member bolts
Remove diff centre

Undo bearing preload locks (2 10mm bolts)
Undo bearing caps
Remove centre
Undo ring gear bolts
remove ring gear
Undo centre side plate bolts (one side of centre is held together with 8 bolts)
Remove centre pins, spider gears and side gears
Install spool
Replace centre side plate bolts
Insert centre pins
Replace Ring gear

Reverse removal procedure.

The "trick" is setting up the correct pattern and preload on the ring gear. No impossible if you mark everything and note positions when everything comes apart, but a diff specialist will get it "right" rather than "close".

It's all the same work required for a welded diff.

In the shed, It should take a leisurely 3-4 hours, depending on setup time.

A diff shop will charge about $150 to $250 to fit one if you give them the whole third member, and guarantees a "proper" setup, so it should be quiet and not flog out gears. Diff shops can be a bit reluctant to fit a spool though, telling you you will die, wreck your car, break axles, roll over, choke seals, harpoon whales etc.

I imagine "drive in drive out" would be around $400 because a hoist would be tied up for 1/2 a day.

Steve.

[Phantomzook]

Thanks Steve I appreciate the detail.

[gwagensteve]

Hope it made sense.

I have "set up" (code for "guessed") a few rear diffs after welding, and they have come out OK (piggles seems really good) but the potential is always there for problems.

Steve.

[steve125]

BUMP

Half way through installing a mini spool and have two questions.

1. Inside the carrier are four small spider gears with curved washers and two larger gears (side gears?) with two thrust washers. Do the two large thrust washers get re installed with the spool or do they stay out with the spider/side gears?

2. I wiped inside the carrier with a rag and it came out covered in fine metal filings. Is this normal? The drain plugs magnet was covered in gunk so was probably not picking up any more metal from the oil.

I've been following these instructions http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,9054.0.html

[gwagensteve]

1) There's no requirement for any washers as far as I can see.

2)It's no unusual for there to be some slimy residue inside the carrier. Odds are it's never been apart or cleaned and that's 25 years of debris.

Steve.