Detroit in the Back of a 101

[101RRS]

Following on from Ron's lead I have finally got around to start putting in a detroit soft locker in the rear of my 101. Ron has previously posted up some instructions - dunno where but I had them printed so here we go.

The 101 up on the ramps after I bashed out the ramps after one got squashed underneath after I backed over them - nearly did the same this time.


The job to do


First drain out the oil - yuk - looks like muddy water . There is no water settling out though - maybe the breather has been sucking in dust in the past.


Remove the hubs and axles. The drivers side looks like the dust cover is glued on as I could not get it off so I just unbolted the lot as one unit. The wheel bearings are not greased bit oil filled - interestingly not with the muddy oil from the main diff - oil was well used but not muddy at all. So the oil seals are working well.

SO first question when the axles go back in - do I need to somehow fill the hubs with oil - if not how will the oil from main diff get to the wheel bearings at the start. Do I need to lower one side first and then the other to make the oil flow in?

The passenger side axle has heavy surface rust just under the breather.

Removing the diff cover plate was straight forward.


Spreading the diff housing using Ron's homemade diff spreader - worked really well to slowly release the diff without the whole lot just falling out. Thanks Ron


Removing the bearing cones brought quite a shock - and the diff is so quiet.



Diff and locker


The need for bearings brought the operation to a holt there. Canberra is a backwater and of course no one has the bearings and cones in stock so are now on order and will not arrive until mid next week - will add about $220 to the overall cost. I went to the local Diff Dr on the advice of the new Morwood Motors and interestingly he had just used the two bearings he usually carries on the shelf in a F250 Dana 70 diff in the morning - diff was still on its stand and old parts in the bin.

While writing this and thinking about things, I guess I should also pull the pinion bearing out and check it as well.

That is as far as I have got and will post up part two when I get the diff bearings. The only issue I am not sure of is whether to use the old shims off the small planetary gears, as the diff lock instructions are not clear - one area says yes and another says no - yellow the tag on the diff lock says to use them so I will do - unless someone says different.

Stay tuned.

Garry

[abaddonxi]

<snip> Ron has previously posted up some instructions - dunno where but I had them printed so here we go.
<snip>

Dunno where Ron101 originally posted them, but they are here-
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/good-oil/56982-diff-thread-lockers-breathers-shaving-removing.html#post917237

[PeterP]

The 101 up on the ramps after I bashed out the ramps after one got squashed underneath after I backed over them - nearly did the same this time

Glad you got it on the ramps this time.

Is whats in the yellow container what came out of the diff? Hope the gear faces are OK. Pinion bearings would be a concern because what killed the bearing shown could have come in that way.Fraser and Morten Island are unforgiving in that way.

Spent today targeting the same thing. You are doing it the easy way though, I can show a much harder way. All you need beside the Detroit locker is a noisy pinion bearing and to fit the Haystees. Pulled the diff today and taking it to the first diff person that did not run when I mentioned Land Rover to do all bearings and shim up properly.



Found the worst CanDo rust so far, had to bash the diff off the springs. The islands again.


Why is it always the last bolt? All going good until the last spring mount bolt. The bolts and centre bush are rusted and turning in the rubber bushing. This has caused some serious wear in the chassis spring mount (yet to be fully determined, perhaps the islands again.) Tomorrow is another day.

This months pics to date - LR101FC - Progress November 2009

Do it easy.

Peter

[101 Ron]

Hi guys.
I have been with the local 4wd clud at the family property this week end and found the limits of a 101 winch........I will post pics when they down load into photo bucket.
The rear wheel bearings I pack with grease and this lubes them until the diff oil runs though.
The bearing just looks like wear and tear to me.
Garry you are lucky to catch the wear before any thing else was damaged.
I would now look at the pinion bearings and the problem with that is the diff must be set up correctly, turning a simple detroit install into a major job.
The little curved bushes behind the little diff centre pinion gears if I remember correctly are not used for the Detroit as is the little pinion gears .
DO NOT LET THE THOUGH BOLT BE UNDONE UNTIL THE DETROIT IS FULLY INSTALLED....or you will be trying to squish big heavy detroit springs back into place and you dont want to go there.

[101 Ron]

I am thinking with Peters rust in the spring saddle on the diff I should drill some little holes to let any water inside run out on my spring saddles.

[Blknight.aus]

NOOOO


dont drill the little holes...

pack the thing full of turntable grease before you replace the springs.

[101RRS]

The bearing just looks like wear and tear to me.
Garry you are lucky to catch the wear before any thing else was damaged.
I would now look at the pinion bearings and the problem with that is the diff must be set up correctly, turning a simple detroit install into a major job.

Yes - exactly. I looked at the workshop manual today and there are special parts (crush spacers etc) that are required. I do not have the facilities to setup the diff correctly so that will mean the whole rear axle coming out - like Peter has done - to go into the diff doctor for it to be set up.

I have not spun the pinion yet to get a feel how the bearings spin. If they spin OK I am tempted to put the lot back in and watch it carefully and do the work later at a more convenient time. If however they are dodgy then the 101 will be off the road for a while until I get it done. The Freelander needs a timing belt change and a new clutch so will take priority.

Garry

[justinc]

Garry,

You need to remove only the conical shaped thrusts, leave the side gear flat washers in. The housing where the pins fit will need diegrinding slightly to allow fitment, as you will see the housing/ hemisphere is split not quite on the centre line, consequently you will have to diegrind a little of the material off one half in order for the pins to sit in the housing.

You'll see what I meen when you get to that stage.

JC

[101RRS]

I have not spun the pinion yet to get a feel how the bearings spin. If they spin OK I am tempted to put the lot back in and watch it carefully and do the work later at a more convenient time.

The pinion runs free and easy with no binding, unusual noise or grittiness so as the diff had no obvious issues before pulling it apart I will leave it as is for the moment. I will be putting in an ARB locker in the front next year which will require that diff to be set up - I will do the same with the rear then.

In the worse case scenario, if the pinion bearings do start to go what are the symptoms that I can expect to see/hear/feel first?

Thanks

Garry

[101 Ron]

Diff pinion bearings will make a diff howl as the pinion starts to move out of correct mesh with the crown wheel a bit..
Sometimes the noise will only occur on a trailing throttle as the pinion can get sucked into a crown wheel a bit.
If there is no play and a little bit of preload in the pinion bearings it shouldnt make any noise or do anything wrong.
The question is one of long term reliablity with the pinion bearings.