Thread: Diff casing locating dowels

How strange! They haven't been broken off; full of dirt, or been filed flat or something have they?

The dowels are really an essential part of any assembly as the fastening studs cannot locate the diff-carrier exactly where it should be; this is because the carrier has clearance holes in it, which are bigger than the studs.

If you can't find any holes in the new carrier, you may be better off reconditioning the old one,

Cheers Charlie

Thanks Charlie

I had thought it strange too and wondered if those dowels were omitted in later models or sumpfink.

I have had a closer look. The diff itself has no trace of a hole (just a dirt mark from the hole in the gasket, which wiped off to show the virgin machined surface. No trace of filing or other bodges.

The axle casing was the same- no hole ever there

Was this a Friday arvo special, or did a work experience student omit the holes in the diff- making it simpler to leave out the dowels.

It clearly didn't matter because my donor Landy lived to a ripe old age and died of rust. Perhaps the dowels aren't critical after all.

Pragmatism leads me to consider removing my dowels from the recipient axle casing and using the (excellent) donor diff rather than rebuilding the original one or looking for a second donor ( which I'd do if convinced it was unacceptable to use the no-dowel one)

Are those dowels pressed or screwed (or other) into the axle casing?

Russ

They are light-press-fit, so you should be able to pull them out using an impact-tool. I made one which attaches to a pair of vice-grips and uses a sliding weight,

Cheers Charlie

PS Just had a thought; possibly one of the studs is a special size to fit - such as what was done on the swivel pins.

Yep, got em moving with a vice grip and a twisting/ pulling routine. EZPZ

I am pretty certain that somewhere about Series 2 time the dowels were discarded in favour of fitted special studs in a couple of the positions. If you look carefully at the studs on the donor, you should be able to confirm this.

John

My 2a diffs have no dowels or anywhere to fit them in either the carrier or housing.

I suspect he means the one or two of the studs are probably offset to ensure alignment of the diff without needing dowels....

Originally Posted by Drew Parker

I suspect he means the one or two of the studs are probably offset to ensure alignment of the diff without needing dowels....

Not exactly, I think they arelarger diameter on the unthreaded bit and are a close fit to the holes. Check the diameter of the ones on the donor.

John