Will Front Diff drop w Engine in ?

[Lynn D. Brown]

Hey Guys,

I have my Front Diff unbolted and it won't clear the engine to drop. The engine is just hanging in the mounts w the Trans out.

Should the Diff drop w the engine in its normal position ? I'm just wondering if I have to jack up the engine or remove it ?

I want to clean up the Diff., rebuild if necessary, and replace the leaking
propshaft seal, set the Preload and maybe have a drain plug put in. Probably have to have a shop do it. Appreciate any help.

 

[Christian Dionne]

Did you get the axle tube unbolted yet? Once you do and have the two 18mm bolts out of the diff, you bend the rear "horseshoe". That's how a GM mechanic turns a 13 book hour oilpan R&R to 3.5 hours.

The big key here is never drive a GM T-truck without the CV "stubs" bolted in. If anyone decides to go rear wheel drive, please break apart the CV axles and bolt the end piece back into the hubs. IF NOT, you will find out the hard way like me Having your front tire come off while driving 45mph SUCKS!!!

 

[syclonekid43]

The big key here is never drive a GM T-truck without the CV "stubs" bolted in. If anyone decides to go rear wheel drive, please break apart the CV axles and bolt the end piece back into the hubs. IF NOT, you will find out the hard way like me Having your front tire come off while driving 45mph SUCKS!!!

my buddy did that. im sorry but it was funny for a second. he was laughing himself so i didnt feel bad.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Will Front Diff drop w Engine in ?

Hey Guys,

I have my Front Diff unbolted and it won't clear the engine to drop. The engine is just hanging in the mounts w the Trans out.

Should the Diff drop w the engine in its normal position ? I'm just wondering if I have to jack up the engine or remove it ?

I want to clean up the Diff., rebuild if necessary, and replace the leaking
propshaft seal, set the Preload and maybe have a drain plug put in. Probably have to have a shop do it. Appreciate any help.

You need to remove the power steering parts to drop the front differential. I didn't remove mine with the engine in but I couldn't drop it until I remove the steering linkage.

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

Front Diff.

Front Diff.

Dave - Thanx. My steeering linkage is already out, so I guess all I need to do is jack up the back of the engine to get the diff out.

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

Front Diff.

Front Diff.

Yeh, finally got the Front Diff out by jacking the back of the engine, but it was tight. Hopefully I can get it back when I install the new engine. Pulled the cover off, and looked at the gears - they look fine.

Not sure if I can get the pinion nut off to replace that seal. Not sure where to put an oil drain plug so I can get at it.

 

[Sy Guy 0024]

Re: Front Diff.

Re: Front Diff.

Yeh, finally got the Front Diff out by jacking the back of the engine, but it was tight.

That's strange. After about 5 minutes of wiggling and repositioning, mine dropped right out. Installation was about the same. Just had to tilt the pass side of the housing down, then wiggle it around til it dropped out. You shouldn't have to jack the engine up to get it back in, but who knows?

At least your gears were OK. If you remember, mine had a chipped tooth ($$). I'd recommend having someone else do the pinion seal. I had a local tranny shop do the backlash on my new gears and set the preload on the pinion for $100. That was money well spent for peace of mind that it was all set up correctly. Just my $.02.

Corbin

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

Front Diff.

Front Diff.

Corbin,

U put in a drain plug, right ? Exactly where did U put it ? On the drivers side of the case, or the Pass side ?

I just looked at the two parts of the casing, and the best place looks like the drivers side on the bottom flat portion near where the two halves come together. It's kinda thick there, but it should be easy to drill thru Aluminum.

 

[Sy Guy 0024]

Sorry Lynn, but you're on your own with the drain plug. I was in a hurry to get mine back together, so I did not install one. I can get about half of the fluid out by pulling the pass side axle tube (a process that I have down to an efficient science now), so I guess that'll be the only way I can drain mine. Good luck.

Corbin

 

[Christian Dionne]

I've used a syphon tube with a little hand pump with good success. It probably only needs changing every few years anyhow.

 

[spooldup]

where do you get the seals to rebuild the leaky front diffs? The stealership?

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

Yeh, I'm afraid the "stealership" is the only place, altho' I think the bearings R available in chain AP stores. U might check there 1st before the dealer.

BTW, Dal Slabaugh @ lockitup@bright.net, or 877-448-5451 can get U at least 20-25 % off GM stuff w no tax.

My Front Diff is together, but on the Driver side the case is still leaking where the axle bolts in. I used the special Loctite "anaerobic" sealer that the book recommends. Had a hard time getting it and finally dug it up and ordered it at NAPA. I had it sealed pretty good and then I had the pinion set by some good ole boy back in the LA woods for $40.. That must have disturbed the seal and I shoulda checked it before I put the damned thing back in.

 

[bezerk]

Yeh, I'm afraid the "stealership" is the only place, altho' I think the bearings R available in chain AP stores. U might check there 1st before the dealer.

BTW, Dal Slabaugh @ lockitup@bright.net, or 877-448-5451 can get U at least 20-25 % off GM stuff w no tax.

My Front Diff is together, but on the Driver side the case is still leaking where the axle bolts in. I used the special Loctite "anaerobic" sealer that the book recommends. Had a hard time getting it and finally dug it up and ordered it at NAPA. I had it sealed pretty good and then I had the pinion set by some good ole boy back in the LA woods for $40.. That must have disturbed the seal and I shoulda checked it before I put the damned thing back in.

i got those bearings in my workshop (Timken)

 

[skata]

fwiw, my local carquest was able to order the seals and bearings.

 

[tloof]

Dropping out the front Diff with the engine still in the vehicle brings up an interesting idea that I have been thinking about and would like to propose. I had a nightmare of a time getting mine out on my 4x4 S10 V8 swap (had to raise the engine way up along with removing the axle tube to get it to clear the oil pan) because I had to lift it up slightly to get it to disengage from the rear horseshoe frame support member. Next time I take it out I am planning to go cut off the horseshoe support part from a junk 4x4 S10 in a local wrecking yard by grinding out the welds where it attaches to the main part of the frame. Then I will cut off the horseshoe part on my own 4x4 S10 frame and grind the frame smooth where the original welds are located. This will then allow me to position the horseshoe plate I got off the junkyard 4x4 S10 by clamping it in the proper location that it needs to go, and then drill two holes thru it and the frame in order to allow bolting the horseshoe support plate to the frame. From that day forward the horseshoe support plate will always be removable by unbolting it first (this is how the dumbasses at GM should have designed this setup), and then all the other bolts holding the front diff can be removed thereby allowing the front diff to be dropped straight down without having to remove the front steering linkage or the front diff axle tube (the half shafts will obviously need to be removed first). By doing this the engine will never have to be lifted to get clearance to allow the front diff to be raised up for removable. Also, this would make it easy to pull the entire drivetrain out (engine, tranny, & t-case) as a complete unit just the same as can be done on the 2WD S10's, because the front diff will be out of the way for such a drivetrain removal operation.

What do you all think of that idea?

As for where to drill the case for a drain plug, just go look at where GM installed the plug on the later Gen 2 versions and copy that location. I actually upgraded to a '99 model front diff & halfshafts from a Bravada when I did my V8 swap, so it already had the drain plug in it. By the way, the newer style Gen 2 halfshafts are SO MUCH easier to remove than the Gen 1 versions. It is a great upgrade for any 4x4 S10 or Sy/Ty vehicle!!!