Front diff install turning out to more of a s of a b than doing the clutch. What am I missing?

[uncle.penny]

Hi all!

 

So I just finished doing the clutch on my 1995 4WD VG30E path, transmission is in and torqued with no issues. However putting the front diff back in is turning out to be more of a bastard than the entire tranny and t case.

The diff came out relatively easy with the pinion support crossmember still bolted in. For removal I just had to twist the pinion end downwards to between 30-45 degrees to clear the oil pan and then it came out with no problem.

 

However now that I'm going to put it back in, it catches on the oil pan no matter what angle I put it at or how much I move it over left or right (I've tried every angle between 0-90 degrees and still nothing!!). I've been working on it for the past 3 days. Tried hand bombing it, putting it on the tranny jack, putting it at an *angle* on the tranny jack, hand bombing it with a friend supporting the axle tube side and still NOTHING!.

 

I'm at my wits end with this thing, does anyone have any tricks or tips to get this thing out? I can't take the very front crossmember out because the mounting bolts head butts up against the a -arm and there's no way I'm taking apart my front suspension for this POS. It just blows my mind that THIS of all things is the thing to stump me in this build. Very frustrating!

 

Anyone with similar experiences feel free to chime in.

 

Thanks

[adamzan]

I had to remove the pinion support cross member to remove mine. I put it back in then bolted the cross member back in. It was a huge pain in the ass. You have to kind of start it vertically, then slide the diff brackets into the brackets on the front cross member. I loosened the bolts on the brackets on the front cross member which gave me some wiggle room. Get a friend to help, it just takes a little work but you can do it!

[uncle.penny]

I had to remove the pinion support cross member to remove mine. I put it back in then bolted the cross member back in. It was a huge pain in the ass. You have to kind of start it vertically, then slide the diff brackets into the brackets on the front cross member. I loosened the bolts on the brackets on the front cross member which gave me some wiggle room. Get a friend to help, it just takes a little work but you can do it!

I could try that but I don't think the pinion support member is the issue, when the diff binds up on install the crossmember is still nowhere near contacting anything. I left the member on in the first place since one of the mounting bolts is rounded/seized. I would be able to free it relatively easily now that it's out of the car but I don't think that would make a big difference. It's pretty much just the diff case itself that's causing the issue which is bewildering to me. It came out so damn easy! There's even a little bit of rub on the oil pan where you can see exactly where one of the fins/structural supports between the diff and axle tube are contacting. So if it's at a shallow angle, it catches that fin, and if it's at a steeper angle the diff cover catches the front crossmember. I would understand if taking it out was hard but it felt like I had a ton of space upon removal so I'm not sure what the issue is. I do have the front end off the ground on jack stands with the front torsion bars out, that wouldn't make things line up poorly, would it?

[uncle.penny]

Actually now that I've thought about it, I may have had a jack under the oil pan when I was prepping to take out the trans, and I may have left it in there when I pulled the diff. It's possible that the extra quarter inch that provided could be the ticket.

Will give it a shot tonight and post results for any future home mechanics that run into this issue.

[adamzan]

Good luck! I didn't have a jack under the pan but I also didn't remove the t-bars. I was only doing an oil pan gasket job. My step dad and I got it back in, but it did take like an hour of &^%*ing around before i could get one of the front bolts started to hold it.

[KovemaN]

I cut the bolts off, bought new ones and installed them in the proper direction.

[uncle.penny]

I cut the bolts off, bought new ones and installed them in the proper direction.

Considered doing that, were you able to torque them properly? I can't get the box end of a wrench on the top one, let alone a socket. Or did you torque it on the bolt head side?

[Citron]

I haven't tried this job, so just speculation.

 

If the diff cover is holding you up, can you remove the diff cover and gain a little room? Also, I don't know how hard it is to get to the engine mounts, but could you loosen them and lift the engine a bit?

 

Don't know if either idea is helpful, but some other thoughts.

[uncle.penny]

Update:

Unbolted the trans mount and jacked the engine and trans as one to gain about an extra cm or two of clearance between the oil pan and front crossmember. Came so so close to getting it to fit proper, but it still ends up wedging itself between those two things. Even tried grinding out the little notch they give you on the back left side of the front crossmember to give the diff cover a bit more wiggle room and still nothing.

 

Going to just have to suck it up and cut those bolts out on the front. Probably what I should have done to begin with anyway so I can put the front crossmember on the diff and raise it all up straight in as a unit without having to fskc with angling it or any of that nonsense.

 

Oh well, live and learn! Getting the front member bolts out after a quick stop at crappy tire for some zip discs tomorrow. Then it should all finally come together haha.

[KovemaN]

Considered doing that, were you able to torque them properly? I can't get the box end of a wrench on the top one, let alone a socket. Or did you torque it on the bolt head side?

I was able to get a wrench on there. The torque measurement would have to come from the head side unless you use a crow's foot on the nut side. Not sure how that would throw off the torque reading though. I hate to say it, but a lot of mechanics give up on the torque wrench unless you're working on engine components.

 

Edited November 10, 2017 by KovemaN

[RF600]

Not to be rude, why did you drop the front diff? I didn't drop mine when I did the clutch. I had no issues with the front diff getting in the way.

Edited November 12, 2017 by RF600

[uncle.penny]

Not to be rude, why did you drop the front diff? I didn't drop mine when I did the clutch. I had no issues with the front diff getting in the way.

Honestly, I started the job like a month ago, and I don't really remember why I had to drop it but I had a good reason haha. There were a bunch of things I was doing all at once to the old girl (not just a clutch) so the diff was in the way of something lol.

 

Also kind of an update; I did end up just putting the bolts back in the right way and just torqued them down good and tight like Kove said. Truck is all wrapped up since last Sunday and has been on the road and running like a top since tuesday.

 

Thanks for the input everyone!