1234michaelm

I've never change one yet. How do you take the drive shafts off, I cannot see any pins.

Neil..

iTrader: (35)

Rear shafts are held in place via a spring 'C' clip, and just pop out with the help of a prybar.

Then just remove the prop, and undo the 4 nuts underneath along with the brackets, and the 2 nuts at the back and lower it down.

Finbin

Hi

You haven’t said what age/model your car is.

But when I took my out (99UK turbo) the main difficulties I found were:-

1. The rear shaft are just held in to the housing by spring clips, but I had to break bottom suspension on both sides so that you can pull the shafts out of the diff housing, but from memory it was still a very tight fit for length.

2. The diff is held in by 4 vertical fixings and 2 horizontals fixings.
The problem was I could not move the diff forwards enough to clear the two studs that screws into the diff housing because the 4 vertical bolts would not allow. And I couldn’t drop it low enough to clear the 4 vertical bolts because the two studs that screw into the diff housing would not allow.

Catch 22 situation.

What I did in the end was remove the 4 vertical nuts, then support diff with trolley jack. Undo the two horizontal nuts, then lock the nuts onto one of the studs and remove stud, repeat for the other stud. With these two studs removed the Diff is then free to be dropped down in a controlled manner using the trolley jack.

Take care its quite heavy!

Best of luck.

1234michaelm

It's a 97 u.k turbo, thanks for your help. I can now go and get it out

mike h

iTrader: (10)

No need to pop the suspension or take the wheels off.
Raise the vehicle high enough so you have room to work, car ramps are fine. Disconnect the prop, don't forget to drop the oil and support the diff.
When all the bolts are removed from the diff and the studs that go horizontally through the rear cross member are out, it is possible to pop one shaft out then twist the diff and pop the other shaft out.
Carefull you don't lose the spring clips off the shafts, I've had one stuck in the diff!

1234michaelm

I've had a look and can not see any C clip. Just to recap I need to remove the drive shaft from the diff. I looks like the bolts on the sides around the shafts need to come out.

mike h

iTrader: (10)

Don't take those bolts out! They hold the diff seals.
You won't see the clips, they live on the end of the shafts which are currently in your diff.
Get a pry bar/crow bar between the shaft and the diff. You need to pry the shaft out, the clip merely stops the shaft from "falling out".

mike h

iTrader: (10)

Clip on end of shaft.

1234michaelm

thanks a lot that helps...Out and back in, hour and half for everyone.

mike h

iTrader: (10)

You'll do it in under an hour next time!

1234michaelm

If there's a next time after all the work I'm doing now I'll put a match on it. Cars been off the road 5 months and the engine still needs to come out.

steve nic

is it easyer to drop the diff to remove the driveshaft or undo the suspension?i have to look at my drivers rear because i think it broken!there is play in the side to side movement on the shaft and it sounds like it knocking when driving.

Iain250

iTrader: (1)

im with you there brother!
god knows if mine will ever roll again jeezo what work in these things - good luck with yours

iain

mike h

iTrader: (10)

In your case I'd pop the suspension, pointless to drop the diff.