Installing diff

[barrymknight]

Hi all,

I have managed to remove the diff on my MKIV Spit, extract the broken bolts (shocked how well it worked) and replaced the bushes (rear bushes were a nightmare).

Anyway, I am now putting the diff back in. Have managed to get front mounted but really struggling to get the back any where near the bolt holes. It seems tightly wedged but still needs to go up a good half inch.

Wonder if anyone has any tips.

As a side note, I'd just like to say that when I bought the car almost 2 years ago I had never even changed a wheel on a car. It's a pleasure to work on and learn on and the people on this forum give fantastic advice and the reassurance that nothing is impossible. So just a big thanks really!

Barry

[Van]

When the nut is tightened on the long bolt it closes the gaps in the chassis that the diff rear bushes go in.
This makes it hard to get the diff back in with new bushes.
If you get a long bit of studding you can thread it through the chassis here with a nut and a big washer in each of the gaps (washer on the outside in each case).
Then wind the nuts away from eachother to open up the gaps a tad.

[JensH]

I have heard some old rumours (?) that they (i.e. Triumph!) compensated minor differences in the chassis with a heavy tool used at the diff's front mounting plate  8)

[cook1e]

Get a trolley jack underneath it and jack it into position....

[rotoflex]

I recommend using whatever you folks call a transmission jack.



I did it long ago trying to balance that pumpkin on a regular floor jack & swore never again.
A recent brochure from the local cheapo-tools store had floor jacks with interchangeable standard & transmission platforms, & I'll be a-getting one of those when the current floor jack dies.

[ferny]

We call it a transmission Rupert over here.

[barrymknight]

Well thanks as always for the advice.

I ended up tying the diff to a trolley jack! The only way i could think to overcome the annoying tipping/falling offpoint! No amout of jacking helped move the rear mounts though. Even when I put the jack right under the rear mounts. It just jacked the car up and off of the axle stands! That was even after stretching open the brackets!

In the end it's was increasingly larger hammers that did the job! Hammers increasing in size as the frustration grew! Definitely not a job I'll look forward to doing again. Now feeling battered and bruised. But also pleased with myself for another job done/lesson learnt.

Barry

[cook1e]

Having just looked at the genuine Triumph Workshop manual, it tells you to fit the rear bolt first before fitting the rubbers mounts to the front points and doing up the front mountings. A bit late now I guess but worth remembering if there is a next time!

[Paudman]

3647 wrote:

In the end it's was increasingly larger hammers that did the job!

Probably the special tool that JensH mentioned. Glad you got it fitted, I coated my last one, and the chassis brackets, with Waxoyl which made it slip into the mounts very easily, but also made it hard to hold so I dropped it on my head. Thankfully the diff wasn't damaged.