Item 18: Differential Bearing and Item 15: Differential Case Assembly Note

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer and 2003 Ford Explorer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

CAUTION: The master bearings are marked LH and RH. Install them as shown.

Fig 1: Installing Special Tools On Differential Case

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Install the special tools on the differential case.

CAUTION: Do not damage the aluminum differential housing while carrying out these procedures.

Fig 2: Placing Differential Case With Special Tools In Differential Housing

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Place the differential case with the special tools in the differential housing.
Position the special tool on the outside mounting hole.

Fig 3: Positioning Special Tool On Outside Mounting Hole
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NOTE: Repeat this step until obtaining a consistent reading.

Fig 4: Identifying Differential Bearing Shim Selection Chart (1 Of 3)

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Fig 5: Identifying Differential Bearing Shim Selection Chart (2 Of 3)

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Fig 6: Identifying Differential Bearing Shim Selection Chart (3 Of 3)

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Fig 7: Measuring Shim Thickness

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Measure the total end play.
1. Attach the special tool and position the indicator tip on the machined surface of the differential case flange.
2. Move the differential case to the left and the right (as far as possible).
3. Record the reading on the differential bearing shim selection procedure line A.
1. Round off initial thickness to the nearest shim thickness as in example for final shim thikness.
Remove the Dial Indicator and the differential case from the differential housing.

Fig 8: Removing Dial Indicator
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Install the differential ring gear.
1. Place the differential ring gear on the differential case.
2. Hand start three bolts to align the holes in the differential ring gear and the differential case.
3. Place the differential case and differential ring gear onto the press bed blocks with the differential ring gear teeth facing downward.
4. Press the differential ring gear into place.
Fig 9: Installing Differential Ring Gear
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Install the remaining bolts.

Fig 10: Installing Bolts
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Place the differential case with the special tools into the differential housing.

Fig 11: Placing Differential Case With Special Tools Into Differential Housing
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NOTE: The bolts retaining the differential ring gear to the differential case may interfere while carrying out this procedure. If so, remove three to five bolts to provide clearance.

Fig 12: Measuring End Play

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Measure the end play.
1. Attach the special tool and position the indicator tip on the machined surface of the differential case flange.
2. Rock the differential ring gear to allow full mesh with the drive pinion gear.
3. With the gears in full mesh, set the special tool to zero.
4. Move the differential case as far as possible to the left and note the reading.
5. Record the reading on the differential bearing shim selection procedure line B.
  - Remove the special tool.
Remove the differential case from the differential housing.

Fig 13: Removing Differential Case From Differential Housing
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Remove the bolts. Apply stud and bearing mount to the bolt threads, and reinstall the bolts.

Fig 14: Removing\Installing Bolts
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NOTE: Measure the stand height of both differential bearings prior to installation.

NOTE: Mark the differential bearings left and right before measuring them.

Fig 15: Attaching Bolt, Spring, Washers And Spacer

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Install the special tool.
1. Place the special tool base in a soft-jawed vise with the bearing mounting surface above the vise jaws.
2. Position the differential bearing on the special tool base.
3. Attach the bolt, spring, washers and spacer.
4. Tighten the bolt.
Measure the differential bearing stand height.
1. Invert the special tool and clamp the bolt head in a vise.
2. Position a depth micrometer flat on the differential bearing.
Fig 16: Measuring Differential Bearing Stand Height
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Measure both differential bearings' stand height. Record the measurement on the differential bearing shim selection procedure line D.
Press the left and right differential bearing on the differential case.
1. Position the appropriate differential bearing (LH or RH).
2. Repeat the procedure for the opposing side.
Fig 17: Pressing Left And Right Differential Bearing On Differential Case
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Install the special tools.

Fig 18: Installing Special Tools
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CAUTION: Overspreading may damage the differential housing.

NOTE: Tighten and loosen the Differential Carrier Spreader screw to normalize the Housing Spreader Adapters prior to taking the final Dial Indicator reading.

Fig 19: Spreading Differential Housing

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Spread the differential housing to the specification.
1. Adjust the special tool to zero.
2. Tighten the screw until spreading the differential housing to the specification.
3. Remove the special tools.

NOTE: Select the correct size differential bearing shims by completing the differential bearing shim selection chart.

NOTE: Apply a light coating of grease to the differential bearing shim to help hold in place.

Fig 20: Placing Differential Bearing Shims In Differential Housing

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Place the differential bearing shims in the differential housing.
Install the differential case.
1. Position the differential bearing cups on the differential bearings.
2. Lower the differential case in place between the differential bearing shims.
Fig 21: Installing Differential Case
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NOTE: Tighten the bolts prior to releasing the carrier spreader.

Fig 22: Installing Differential Bearing Caps

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Install the differential bearing caps in their original locations and positions and tighten the bolts.
Remove the special tool.

Fig 23: Removing Special Tool
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Install the special tool at the 12 o'clock position.

Fig 24: Installing Special Tool At 12 O'Clock Position
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Using the special tools, measure the differential ring gear backlash at four equally spaced points.
1. Attach the special tool.
2. Position the special tool tip centrally on a drive tooth.
3. Zero the indicator.
4. Turn the differential ring gear without turning the drive pinion gear. Record the indicator reading. The allowable backlash is 0.254 mm (0.010 in) to 0.305 mm (0.012 in) and must not vary more than 0.101 mm (0.004 in) between points measured. A backlash variation of more than 0.101 mm (0.004 in) between points checked indicates gear/case runout.
  - If backlash is within specifications, install the differential assembly.
  - To correct for a high or low backlash, proceed as follows.
Fig 25: Measuring Differential Ring Gear Backlash
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To correct for high or low backlash, increase the thickness of one differential bearing shim and decrease the thickness of the other differential bearing shim by the same amount. Refer to Fig 26 - Fig 29 when adjusting the backlash. When the backlash is within specifications, install the differential assembly.

Fig 26: Differential Bearing Shim Thickness Table (1 Of 2)
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Fig 27: Differential Bearing Shim Thickness Table (2 Of 2)
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Differential Shim Size Chart - 4067 -

Fig 28: Differential Shim Size Chart-4067- (1 Of 2)
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Fig 29: Differential Shim Size Chart-4067- (2 Of 2)
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