I'm replacing the bushings on my differential and am following jimlab's instructions. I have removed the bolts threaded through the bushing carrier and various other items as per the instructions (exhaust, cross brace, etc.) and have lowered the differential using a jack. However, the differential has only dropped about 2", which barely gives me any extra room to get to the bolts on top. Is 2" about all I can expect or should I be able to get more?

 

When I did mine I happened to be putting a new diff in....It might be easier to just take off the PPF and remove the diff all the way.

-Dan

P.S. I know that didn't really help your problem, just giving you an idea

 

But wouldn't that would require removing the axles (plus associated suspension bits) and/or lowering the subframe?

 

Once you have taken out the bolts that go through the actual bushes, the diff will drop and the axels will sit on rubber stoppers. It is tight for room, but I found it was easier to get to each bolt by going from the drivers side (my FD is RHD).

 

ya you can get all 4 from the right side with the diff sitting on the rubber stoppers,it real easy from there.maybe the diff isnt down all the way because where it bolts to the subframe is hung up on the ears there.try pushing it down if it is.i left my ppf on through the whole process

 

I'd hate to have to take of the PPF to do the bushes!

If you have something supporting the diff, maybe thats the course of it not being low enough... but the axels should rest themselves on the rubbers stoppers.

Dennis,

 

PPF is only 4 nuts and a bolt...no big deal. Remove it and you will be happy that you did.

 

That's all you can expect. It is very tight but doable. Unless you have a smaller torque wrench than I do, you will need to tighten things down by feel, not by the numbers.

 

when i did mine i had to pull the PPF in order for it to drop the rest of the way down. But the PPF is really not that difficult. Getting the 4 nuts off the differential mount is the hard part. I found a fairly easy way though.. i used the boxed end of an end wrench and then a prybar (actually an oversized screwdriver 2 1/2 ft long) and i used some part of the frame and possibly the differential case to pry against the end wrench. Mine were on VERY tight and at first i was unsure if i could even get them out. But once using my method they all came out fairly quickly.

 

I'll give that a try.

I think I'll have to re-torque by feel because I certainly don't have a small enough torque wrench to get at these.

 

That's what I did too. Thanks for the good description.

 

i used the same end wrench (17mm i think) and prybar for putting them back on, i don't think there is room for a torque wrench, and if there was one small enough probably wouldnt get enough leverage. I really rarely use a torque wrench for things like that, i guess after working on 100's of things you get a feel for how much force is tight and how much breaks things.

just say click click click....click as you tighten them up

 

Well, I managed to pull the differential mount off today. I did not pull the PPF so was left with the original 2" drop. It gave me enough room to work with but it was not my idea of a good time. Using a box-end wrench and several combinations of pry bars (and secondary pry bars) I did manage to get all four bolts off - but it took me over two hours. It is not as bad a job as installing a downpipe or changing the fuel filter, but I hope I don't have to do it again for quite a while.

 

Sorry, I didn't see your question earlier. I thought you already removed the axles, which also is not that difficult. I bet you could have removed the PPF and axles and had the diff out quicker then it took you doing it your way.

-Dan