pfillery
1st December 2011, 12:41 PM
Hi folks.
In fitting new tyres last week I realised that there is a bit of play in the diff and just wondered if this was normal of whether it is the sign of something simple or suggestion of something sinister.
With one wheel at the rear jacked up and the handbrake on and in gear (so, I believe, eliminating the drive shafts or universal joints as the culprit since they are locked up by the brake) the wheel can be turned a small amount in either direction with a distinct "donk" when it reaches it's stopping point. Maybe it is more like a "clunk" so if you rock the wheel back and forward or rock the car when the brake is on there is a small amount of movement. Does this suggest normal wear in the diff and can this be remedied? Maybe wear in the half shaft where it fits into the diff or something like that? I have a spare diff centre and pinion from the same (Salisbury) diff so have parts available, assuming the spare is ok which it seems to be, for those who may ask it is a 4.7:1 Salisbury behind a standard gearbox running a 186.
It didn't seem that hard to remove the centre from the old diff before it was scrapped so I imagine that it shouldn't be that difficult to swap a centre over while fitted to the vehicle (famous last words?) if swapping like for like? Or have I opened a can of worms here? I'm not really up there with the diff side of things having owned mostly cars with CVs and front drive. But I have the workshop manual so maybe a good start, just need some direction.
In fitting new tyres last week I realised that there is a bit of play in the diff and just wondered if this was normal of whether it is the sign of something simple or suggestion of something sinister.
With one wheel at the rear jacked up and the handbrake on and in gear (so, I believe, eliminating the drive shafts or universal joints as the culprit since they are locked up by the brake) the wheel can be turned a small amount in either direction with a distinct "donk" when it reaches it's stopping point. Maybe it is more like a "clunk" so if you rock the wheel back and forward or rock the car when the brake is on there is a small amount of movement. Does this suggest normal wear in the diff and can this be remedied? Maybe wear in the half shaft where it fits into the diff or something like that? I have a spare diff centre and pinion from the same (Salisbury) diff so have parts available, assuming the spare is ok which it seems to be, for those who may ask it is a 4.7:1 Salisbury behind a standard gearbox running a 186.
It didn't seem that hard to remove the centre from the old diff before it was scrapped so I imagine that it shouldn't be that difficult to swap a centre over while fitted to the vehicle (famous last words?) if swapping like for like? Or have I opened a can of worms here? I'm not really up there with the diff side of things having owned mostly cars with CVs and front drive. But I have the workshop manual so maybe a good start, just need some direction.