Righty-o. Brought diff center in to Diff Lapping today, Steve took one glance at it (wasn't even a big glance, if I had even blinked I would have thought he didn't even look) and the verdict is, in very technical terms: "mate, it's farked. Can't do anything with it, you need new gears"

 

So yes, picked up a spare diff yesterday, don't know what ratio (forgot to check) but if it's the correct ratio I'm hoping to use those gears with my "LSD" center.

 

Cost to swap gears at shop: $60. Spoke to someone today about swapping the gears, they recon it's a "piece of piss" job, and that as long as I'm using the same gears together (ie pinion and crown etc) and I torque it up nice and tight so the bolts don't fall out then there would be no problems. Yay or nay?

 

Any tolerances I need to be aware of? I'm game enough to give it a go, but last thing I want is to stuff up another set of gears, as my budget is wearing through the carpet here (another reason why I'm reluctant to spend another $60 on it at the moment...) And if it all goes pear shaped then I'll take it back out and bring it to Steve to set it up right I guess...

 

Any thoughts? Or is this all black magic stuff that I really shouldn't even get my little fingers into?

Edited November 8, 200421 yr by demuire

Fook, with your luck at the moment, I'd spend the $60! :D

 

For $60 you get the warm and fuzzy feeling that it's spot-on. Lock tight on the bolts, correct torque, everything the way it should be. I don't know about you but changing diffs isn't something I enjoy doing, get it done right the first time.

 

Having said that, it's your money.... :thumbsup:

Mmm I know what you're saying. I guess I'm just hoping that it's a really simple procedure that can't go wrong! I'll go home this evening and have a look at it again... At very least maybe I'll take the old center out, that way maybe it'll be cheaper than $60 since I've done half the work!

Edited November 8, 200421 yr by demuire

If there's one thing I've learnt there is NO SUCH THING as "piece of piss" or a mechanical job that is easy.

 

I have been burnt SO many times. Whenever someone more mechanical than me (ie, everyone except soccer Mums and we won't start going on about them again) tells me it will take X amount of time and trouble, I always take X and double it - then sometimes I'm about right.

 

I would happily pay the $60 - if it were my diff ofcourse. Then again, my last diff repair cost over $500 so I think you're lucky!!

Edited November 8, 200421 yr by datgirl

Well, putting this diff in my car already owes me just under $800, and it still doesn't work, and I haven't even gotten the mechanical handbrake to work yet!!! It's amazing how the dollars add up...

 

I suppose what is $60 in the grand scheme of things considering I've already spent almost $800 setting it up...

Edited November 8, 200421 yr by demuire

Came home, stared at diff, took apart spare diff (yay, correct sort, correct ratio!), stared at trusty yellow book, got too scared, put everything in the too-hard-basket.

 

Looks like $60 warm fuzziness coming up :thumbsup:

*apu voice*

 

60 dolla please come again !

Woo hoo, diff is ready, going to pick it up now, warm fuzzy feeling here I come!

 

Came up to $66, darn GST... Keep forgetting to add that up...

Edited November 9, 200421 yr by demuire

Hmm, Steve tells me the center is distorted from the welding and the gears are a bit worn, but he said it should be a lot better than it was before so I guess that's that!

that was quick fook those guys don't muck around so how much is left to go on hal now.

Came up to $66, darn GST... Keep forgetting to add that up...

Its illegal to quote prices EX-GST isnt it???

- Put center in diff.

- Put axles back in.

- Reassemble rear brakes and bleed and cross fingers and pray that it will work properly this time.

- Fill diff with oil

- Replace filler plug on diff because current one is shagged

- Bring car to engineer to get mod plate for cage put on, and paperwork for mod plate for diff and rear brakes started

- Bring car to Pedders to get leaf springs reset so that I have a little more suspension travel

Its illegal to quote prices EX-GST isnt it???

 

No idea? It was a verbal quote anyway, not a written one.

Most trade prices that I've come across don't include GST because we all claim it back. Written quotes must say if it includes it or not. For $60 I wouldn't argue the point.

No, I didn't question it. It was my own mistake.

 

Anyway, it's all reassembled and everything now and what can I say...

 

OH THE SERENITY :thumbsup:

 

Just a quiet whirr in the background, an occasional clunk on hard acceleration or deceleration (backlash), no squeeks, no rattles... AWESOME :D

 

Now I just have to get the suspension sorted out... Bottomed out waaaay too many times today...