LSD Install

[JB3]

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[NoVAphotog]

Hey fam, I'm getting ready to buy my LSD... I'd like to send mine in and have it rebuilt to 3.46. Reason for sending it in is my car is accident free, corrosion free, and 107K miles, and the mine looks and feels to be in excellent shape.

To those of you that have done it, did you DIY or have a shop do it?
If you DIY'ed it, how long did it take you? I've seen estimates for 3-6 and 6-12 hours.
What was the biggest PITA, the top diff mount bolts?
Would you solo it, up until having to physically remove the diff?
Any "Gotcha"'s?

If you paid to have a shop do it, how many hours were you charged?

The buddy that was going to help me has a huge house project that he wants to start, and I'm pretty convinced he's never going to make time to help out with this, so unless I can find some help via the local enthusiast group, It's going to be on me to DIY, or sub it out.

I don't want to end up like this guy:

https://youtu.be/099douUPsOE?t=12s

Been considering both routes, but I am leaning towards having mine shipped to the shop and having it installed there. They quoted 4 hours for the job, said they could do bushings and other items as well if needed.

There are plenty of DIYs out there, but I would rather not leave something so integral to the actual movement of my car up to "figuring it out as I go along."

[JB3]

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[Vas]

Dropping the complete diff assembly is not that difficult. Biggest PITA is removing the 1 piece exhaust including the nuts that hold it at the front to the headers. Those nuts get rusted and usually snap which requires drilling out the pressed in studs. Then the actual remove of the driveshaft assembly and the diff is straightforward.

I would though replace the center carrier bushing on the drive-shaft and guibo as well as the 3 diff bushings that hold the assembly to the diff. That will require a special tool though since the bushings are pressed into the subframe.

[san]

If you are just going to drop the diff then you don't have to drop the exhaust... Just have to unscrew the bolts close to the rear end muffler to get a slight ply on the exhaust, which should be enough to remove the sway bar... At least that is what I did... But to change the flex disc definitely have to drop the exhaust...


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[cakM3]

When I purchased my LSD from Rob (Sockethead), he did the install for me and from my perspective.... Rob made it look very easy and he knew the torque specs of every bolt when he did this job. Of course Rob has done this several times so by the time he swapped my diff out it looked like a very easy job. It didn't take Rob 3-6 hours to do the swap either. He would have to chime in as to how difficult this is to DIY :thumbsup

[Vas]

If you are just going to drop the diff then you don't have to drop the exhaust... Just have to unscrew the bolts close to the rear end muffler to get a slight ply on the exhaust, which should be enough to remove the sway bar... At least that is what I did... But to change the flex disc definitely have to drop the exhaust...


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Yeah that is another option. However if you are dropping the diff, "might as well why you are in there" replace the diff bushings. Those take a beating and usually crack and create clunking noises.

But it is not a difficult DIY especially if you have a lift. No need to over-complicate things IMO

[QC_ZHP]

Dropping/installing the diff is really easy. Just a little heavy obviously so a second jack/friend helps. I say tackle it yourself.

[slater]

also, make sure you've got air tools (sounds like you do already), and the required socket for the driveshaft and axle bolts (i believe it's an E12 torx?).

i also agree about going slow and taking your time - i definitely don't feel young enough to be pulling an all-nighter on these types of projects anymore, so i'm actually going to rent some hoist time at a local garage to do it, and take a day off work (i also have a bunch of other "while i'm in there" things to do).

peter

[san]

Yeah that is another option. However if you are dropping the diff, "might as well why you are in there" replace the diff bushings. Those take a beating and usually crack and create clunking noises.

But it is not a difficult DIY especially if you have a lift. No need to over-complicate things IMO

Completely agree... They will have to be changed eventually and changing the bushings doesn't take more than 10-15 min once the diff is out... And although the diy is not too difficult, it's something that you don't wanna do more than once especially if you do not have a lift...


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[JB3]

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[san]

Would love to, but I just read that the tool is $400 and the DIY is the stuff nightmares are made of (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636) without it.




Thank you. My heart dropped when I read drop the exhaust. I'm only planning on lifting the rear and really don't want to go any farther than necessary.



No lift. Jack, stands, ramps, 4Runner wheels/tires.



Yep. Can get someone to man the jack. I think I'll tackle it. I'm going to try to get someone to come have a beer and operate the e-brake for me so I can rotate the axles while removing the bolts, I've heard that makes the job easier from two different sources.



Thanks Peter, I'm thinking 3-6 days to get it pulled, however long MFactory turnaround is, then the same amount of time to install. Might be done inside a month.

Don't have air tools, but can borrow them, although the 20gal compressor will run out of air relatively quick. The issue with this is that this entire job is going to take place after my 3 y.o.s are in bed, so I'm not confident a compressor will pass the wife's noise ordinance. :) Probably going to be hand tools for most, with an electric impact on the stubborn.



10-15 minutes? I must be reading about different bushings. People are saying (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636) days with a torch, hacksaw, and chisel, even with a homebuilt tool to press them in and out. I'd like to do them while I'm swapping the diff, but even I have my limits.

I read those horror stories as well. But if you have the right tool for the job it's very quick and easy... I rented the tool from a forum member here... Don't have to spend $$$ for it... I replaced the diff bushing twice on my car (the big one at the rear the first time and the 2 smaller front ones the second time) First time took me 9 hrs and the second time took me about 5 and the car was on jack stands... But both times it took me about 15 min to take out and install the new bushing...

Edit: I followed bockchoys method...

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[JB3]

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[slater]

Would love to, but I just read that the tool is $400 and the DIY is the stuff nightmares are made of (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636) without it.

the koch tools tool is $300 shipped - it looks to be worth every penny. i just bought one, haven't received it yet. should allow you to replace almost any bushing in the car with it.



Don't have air tools, but can borrow them, although the 20gal compressor will run out of air relatively quick. The issue with this is that this entire job is going to take place after my 3 y.o.s are in bed, so I'm not confident a compressor will pass the wife's noise ordinance. :) Probably going to be hand tools for most, with an electric impact on the stubborn.

i assume your garage is attached to the house? yeah, it might be a little loud.
i have a small pancake compressor and while it does cycle often, it's been getting the job done for almost 20 years now. just have to be patient. :)

an impact wrench/gun, whether air- or electric-powered, will make taking the driveshaft and axle bolts off easy stuff. i wouldn't bother wasting time without one.




10-15 minutes? I must be reading about different bushings. People are saying (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636) days with a torch, hacksaw, and chisel, even with a homebuilt tool to press them in and out. I'd like to do them while I'm swapping the diff, but even I have my limits.

i have removed lots of bushings with my sawzall - it just plain works, every time. drill a few holes through the rubber between the sleeve and the outer shell, get the sawzall blade in there, and cut through the outer sleeve. then pound out with a small sledge and a drift of appropriate size. if you're doing this with subframe bushings, likely it's fine without the specialty tool because you should be replacing them with polyurethane. :) but if you're putting OEM subframe bushings back in, you'll need the tool.

peter

[slater]

15 min is doable. :) Pinged a guy in NC that rents the tool.

I only ever want to do this once, so what's recommended, powerflex?

i think there are folks that say that poly in the rear diff mount location creates a lot of audible diff whine in the cabin. but rubber wears out fast.

personally, i'm trying the poly bushing. i bought the ECS-branded unit as it was on sale and appears to be of a soft durometer.

peter

[Vas]

AKG Bushings. Recommended for street or performance use.

19825

[slater]

are you running those, vas?

[QC_ZHP]

I run AKG FCABs & RTABs. Very happy with them.

[Vas]

are you running those, vas?

I have the AKG fcab and love those. These are on my list when I do the rear diff bushings.

[Sockethead]

I'm just catching up with this thread. Charlie asked me to chime in. So here is my two cents..

Swapping the diff is one of the easiest things I've done on the car. You don't even have to take the tires off. I did drop the exhaust and the sway bar. As others said, you may be able to do it with the exhaust hanging down.
Just take off the axel shafts at the inner flange and drop the drive shaft. (I didn't take out the axels or drive shaft.) The heat shield is in the way of the drive shaft bolts just take out the screws holding it in and let it dangle. Drop the sway bar, take out the three bolts holding the diff in and your done.

I'd definitely get an air ratchet at the minimum. You'll be there all day taking out all of those axel and drive shaft bolts by hand.

It took me two hours by myself using a floor jack, jack stands and air tools... if you haven't done this type of work before, I'd double that time.


EDIT: looking at the pictures I posted... it looks like I left the exhaust on the first time I did it lol

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/21/c8364afa219a54ba6eaaf2833bcdbe96.jpg

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/21/046a6a557a01e6fc0e84337516a6052e.jpg

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/21/fd3aa4b17e062245245c5e9e8d6106b2.jpg

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/21/357b45a588bea32c5dea821e192dbc17.jpg

[az3579]

AKG Bushings. Recommended for street or performance use.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=19825&stc=1

I have them. They're good. A little more noise than stock (can hear the diff whining around 2300 RPM on the highway, which I personally like) and not quite as forgiving when you don't rev match, but otherwise should last for a very very long time.

[BCS_ZHP]

I did a diff swap with Jon Estrella, he knew what he was doing and I did not. No 3/8" air rachet for axle & driveshaft Ebolts, all hand tools, he bitched a little but we got it done. You need a couple feet of 3/8" ratchet extensions to get to the axle bolts. Otherwise it's all pretty straight forward, not a very hard job but definitely need a second person for the dropping/raising of the diff. We accomplished the swap in about 2.5 hours on jack stands in my garage, no lift.

[JB3]

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[Sockethead]

Now I just have to figure out how to package and ship this damn thing once I get it out.

This is what Stu used to ship my LSD from DC... Notice the holes drilled around the top. It was secured with plastic ties and packed with a shitload of cardboard. The idea is that you want to pack it tight enough to limit any movement during shipping. Something that heavy moving around during shipping is going to beak just about any kind of container.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/22/f886463ab7950b0c2253346366f6c6e1.jpg

[37emeralds]

The only PITA thing that I had while swapping my diff is that the drive flange input was seized onto the driveshaft! Apparently, it is not just screwed together by the six bolts, but the flange is cupped and the driveshaft fits snug into it. After about half an hour of figuring, I just wacked it a few times with a hammer and it came out.

[ELCID86]

The only PITA thing that I had while swapping my diff is that the drive flange input was seized onto the driveshaft! Apparently, it is not just screwed together by the six bolts, but the flange is cupped and the driveshaft fits snug into it. After about half an hour of figuring, I just wacked it a few times with a hammer and it came out.

Yep. Same here until Sockethead Rob told me to do that!


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"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous