Diff bolt secrets
 

Is there some secret to removing the 4 bolts on top of the diff that bolts to the diff mount??

I think it was JimLab who posted a thread about this in the archives. Seems like the way he did it is the only way to do it.

It's early Saturday morning so, please forgive me if I'm thinking incorrectly. I believe the mount is attached to the top of the diff with the 4 bolts mentioned so, remove the diff with the mount still attached (remove the bolts from the bushings).

im actually using jimlabs instructions. i have the diff sitting on the bumpstops, but there isnt enough room on the top to get the bolts off. :wallbash: i read elsewhere that the key is to get it as low as possible. one guy did it buy getting the wheels higher in the air to it would look like a "V". so im going to try that next. hopefully that wd40 shower i gave the bolts yesterday do some good.

i havent ever done anything special? just put it on the lift and boom.

guess i remove the axles first though. Might be worth considering if you continue to have trouble.

Are you taking the whole diff out? If so just remove the halfshafts and take it out as one assembly with the mount still attached.

I got mine out using either a long flex-handled socket wrench and short socket, or simply using a hammer on a box wrench. It was indeed tight.

Dave

If you go that route, and depending on your suspension, you can remove the half-shafts without removing the hub assembly. Just disconnect the lower mounting points and swing them up.

im only trying to remove the diff mount, so i can get some new bushings pressed in. those 4 bolts do not want to come off though. im worn the hell out trying to muscle them out, but they wont budge. diff is sitting on its bumpstops and i have a good amount of room above it. but i cant get any leverage to losen the bolts. at least i can get my fuel filter changed out.:confused:

Well if you are only trying to remove the mount, why dont you drop the whole diff and remove the mount after its on the ground? Change your fluid while your at it and your done.

i may have to resort to that. i didnt want to have to unbolt the drive shaft n stuff.

OH, you are talking about the 4 bolts that mount the case to the bracket.

Yeah man just drop the diff. It takes me about 20 min after the car is on the lift to pull the diff unit out.

A trick when popping the axles out, give them short hard blows. They need to be popped out

Do i have to take off the wheel hub nut in addition to prying to get the axles out of the diff? I have the bolt of of the the i-beam, to the wheel can move in and out. Man i wish i had access to a lift. The ground sucks.

No.
Just disconnect all the lower mounting points...outer toe-link, trailing arm, lower 'I' arm and ABS sensor and e-brake cable. The hub should be able to swivel up as you pop the axle spline from the differential.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...highlight=axle

Thanks. I actually have that page up for reference.:)

One more thing. Do you need to get new driveshaft clips when removing the axles from the diff, or will the old ones still work?

Those circlips are usually fine.

I would replace them only if you have to remove the clip from the axle stub, which you should have no reason to do.

Dave

You might want to consider new seals. IIRC, they're only ~ $4 or $5 a piece, easy to install and even if your really careful, you might damage the old ones pulling the axle shaft out.

Just swapped my diff mount out this weekend - the hardest part of the job was just getting everything off to get to the top of the diff.

Remove -

- 2 rear aluminum tranny tunnel braces
- 2 rear belly pans (one aluminum, one plastic)
- Cat-back and main cat
- Power plant frame
- Driveshaft

With that done, unbolt the parking brake cables from the top of the diff - there's 1 12mm bolt holding the bracket on. Then, undo the 2 17mm bolts/nuts holding the "ears" of the diff to the rear subframe. I was able to get to them with the impact gun and an impact universal and extension.

That done, lower the diff. The nose of my diff dipped WAY down, and I was able to pretty easily get a wrench on the 4 nuts on the top. I used a regular 3/8" drive ratchet with a 17mm socket, then had a foot and a half long or so breaker bar on the ratchet. Broke each one loose, then backed them out - mine were not Loctited or anything.

I would also remove the 2 10mm bolts that hold the charcoal canister (the big round black plastic thing) and let it hang down - gives much more room.

Does take a little he-man-ing to get the diff back up and aligned, and would be MUCH faster with a buddy helping. It's also a job that's a lot more taxing on the driveway with jackstands as opposed to a lift, but it's not too bad. Took me most of the day yesterday, but I was also changing my oil.

Dale

sweet, i got the axles out...........but the one of the upper bolts that bolts the diff to the power plant frame found its way back in its hole and doesnt want to come out. so now im gonna drop the back half of my high flow cat and ppf so i can get that sum bitch out of there.

dale i here ya about the lift. when i buy a house, im getting one

Cut yourself an access panel in the hatch area. I could not get the bolts loose and had to get my car off of my friends lift, so we had to bust out the drill and tin snips. Made an aluminum plate to cover the hole. I'm not proud of having to resort to that, but I have had to drop diff 3 times since and it saves quite a bit of time, not too mention bloody knuckles!

I'm tried to do it the hard way (ie, leave the Diff in the car).

It's about 100x easier to pull the entire diff out, change the bushings, re-tighten the bolts and re-install.