I searched and searched and never could find a LR3 rear diff rebuild thread. Everyone I talked to who's messed with these rear diffs simply installs a replacement and does not attempt to rebuild the unit. A replacement diff costs about $1,500+, while a rebuild kit costs about $350-$400. After doing the job I don't even know why the rebuild kits costs as much as it does, it's nothing special, just bearings and seals.
To drop the diff I quizzed James Kelly. It's a pretty simple process and he told me what needed to be done. Remove the rear tire, unhook the tie rod and sway bar, drop the lower control arm off the hub, remove the axle lock nut and pop the axle out of the hub. Pretty easy as long as the axle slides out of the hub. I had one side slip right out while the other took some whacks with a BFH. Then you simply remove the half shafts by pulling the out (I used a dead-blow hammer to get them started). And finally unhook the driveshaft and drop the exhaust down by popping loose the rubber hangers.
The diff itself is held in place by three large bolts. Pretty easy to get to. I pulled the diff out myself, but it's heavy and two people would be ideal.
Once on the bench the diff looks like this.
The diff case is two pieces. You want to open the diff. The two cases are attached with 8, 15mm bolts. Pull the bolts out and pop the cover off.
Once the cover is off the carrier just pulls out.
Each half of the diff housing has a seal and a needle bearing. Just pop out the seal and drive out the needle bearing. The needle bearing can be removed from either side of the housing. It other words, the needle bearing is not seated. There is no need for a shop press to remove or reseat the bearing.
The new needle bearings simply presses into place. I just used an old socket the same size as the hole. I'm such a hack.
To reseat the seal, I use the old seal. It's the right size and makes it easy to get the seal started straight and seat evenly. Just a few pops with a hammer and it's in.
Inside each half of the diff housing is a bearing cup. These are a total bitch to get out. There is probably a special tool for this job but I do not own it. Do what you need to do to get these cups out. I was able to get a close quarters bar in there and drive them out.
Behind each bearing up may be a spacer. This spacer sets the ring and pinion gap. These spacers are important and are propitiatory to each side of the diff. Don't get them confused and be sure to reinstall them behind the bearing cups.
The carrier has two bearings that get replaced. One on each side. These are two different sized bearing, one being much larger.
I do not have a bearing puller bar, but I do have a press. Using a bearing puller, I got creative on how to get the bearings off using a press. If you do not have a press you can get a bearing puller kit, with a puller bar, for about $60 from Harbor Freight, or $900 from Snap-On. This is a tool I've used twice now - first time being about 10 years ago - so the Chinese version works fine for me. I just have this. But Snap-On sells them, too.
Then you just put everything back together. It's really a pretty painless job. Hopefully my noise was not coming from the spider gears, but I will not know that for a few days.
To drop the diff I quizzed James Kelly. It's a pretty simple process and he told me what needed to be done. Remove the rear tire, unhook the tie rod and sway bar, drop the lower control arm off the hub, remove the axle lock nut and pop the axle out of the hub. Pretty easy as long as the axle slides out of the hub. I had one side slip right out while the other took some whacks with a BFH. Then you simply remove the half shafts by pulling the out (I used a dead-blow hammer to get them started). And finally unhook the driveshaft and drop the exhaust down by popping loose the rubber hangers.
The diff itself is held in place by three large bolts. Pretty easy to get to. I pulled the diff out myself, but it's heavy and two people would be ideal.
Once on the bench the diff looks like this.
The diff case is two pieces. You want to open the diff. The two cases are attached with 8, 15mm bolts. Pull the bolts out and pop the cover off.
Once the cover is off the carrier just pulls out.
Each half of the diff housing has a seal and a needle bearing. Just pop out the seal and drive out the needle bearing. The needle bearing can be removed from either side of the housing. It other words, the needle bearing is not seated. There is no need for a shop press to remove or reseat the bearing.
The new needle bearings simply presses into place. I just used an old socket the same size as the hole. I'm such a hack.
To reseat the seal, I use the old seal. It's the right size and makes it easy to get the seal started straight and seat evenly. Just a few pops with a hammer and it's in.
Inside each half of the diff housing is a bearing cup. These are a total bitch to get out. There is probably a special tool for this job but I do not own it. Do what you need to do to get these cups out. I was able to get a close quarters bar in there and drive them out.
Behind each bearing up may be a spacer. This spacer sets the ring and pinion gap. These spacers are important and are propitiatory to each side of the diff. Don't get them confused and be sure to reinstall them behind the bearing cups.
The carrier has two bearings that get replaced. One on each side. These are two different sized bearing, one being much larger.
I do not have a bearing puller bar, but I do have a press. Using a bearing puller, I got creative on how to get the bearings off using a press. If you do not have a press you can get a bearing puller kit, with a puller bar, for about $60 from Harbor Freight, or $900 from Snap-On. This is a tool I've used twice now - first time being about 10 years ago - so the Chinese version works fine for me. I just have this. But Snap-On sells them, too.
Then you just put everything back together. It's really a pretty painless job. Hopefully my noise was not coming from the spider gears, but I will not know that for a few days.
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