4.10's in 2005 AWD

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I started on the front gear swap to match the rear gear swap...

Loosen the brake hose and ABS cable bolts:



Loosen the castle nut on the upper ball joint:



Remove the lower shock mount bolt:



Hit the upper control arm with a 3# sledge:



And the upper ball joint separates like this:

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Next you need to pull the CV shafts from the diff by using a brass drift and a hammer while hitting the tripod housing to knock it out. Now to pull the diff out requires removing the idler arms from the frame and 4 bolts holding in the diff. The diff then basically falls out onto your chest. It is light so no worries there. Oh...if you have a 97 or newer diff, you have the ability to drain the old gear oil out.



Now start taking it apart:





This is where I noticed something amiss! Look closely at the bearings and races.











I only have a pinion install kit, so I ordered new carrier bearings. Tomorrow I will wash all the parts while at work and on Wednesday I will start the assembly.

[photo_van]

Ya, those look fried! They weren't noisy? I ended up replacing the carrier bearings on the rear end the other day due to one little pin head gaul.

Also: I'm thinking your saying that the lower ball joint and steering knuckle don't need to be removed to drop the front end? Good secret!

[LiftedAWDAstro]

As for noise....we'll see. I do get quite a loud vibrating type noise at around 60 mph and up. I didn't really notice it until I did the rear end but I also removed the front driveshaft so that maybe has something to do with it. I am hoping the noise I have will be gone with the new bearings up front.

No need to remove the steering knuckle or tie rods to pull the diff. Just take the 2 bolts per idler arm out of the frame and move the steering linkage towards the front. You only need to take apart the upper ball joint as well. Really it is a very easy job.

Another trick I learned years ago when you have rusted cotter pins in a castle nut is to simply take the nut off. No need to remove the cotter pin as it is a very soft steel and simply twists off. All you do then is pop out the pieces left in the center and place a new cotter pin when reassembling.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Worked yesterday for a little bit...

Assembled the ring onto the carrier after pressing the new carrier bearings on:





Insert the new pinion bearing races:





I assembled the pinion with some set-up bearings using the original shim and assembled the diff for a pattern check after adjusting backlash.

[Smiliesafari]

Does Lynne know you are using one of her good kitchen towels? [-X

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Yes she does...that one doesn't come out for company!

[Stroverlander]

Great write-up and good tips for when I do 4.10s in my 2004, thanks!

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Once the pattern was set, (I ended up using the original 0.0037" shim) I then put the outer pinion bearing in, tapped in a new pinion seal, pressed on a new inner pinion bearing and installed. I used a 1/2" breaker bar and 3' pipe to get enough leverage the crush the sleeve. Ended up at about 17 or 18 inch-pounds of pinion preload. Carrier preload is the same as factory settings. I then put blue RTV on one case half and assembled. Pressed in new axle seals and put everything together.







Here is the space where it is supposed to go...





The hardest part was getting the axle shafts snapped into the diff and the CV half shafts. Once these were in, I assembled the upper ball joint, shocks, idler arms, and brake lines and ABS cables. Filled with 80-90 gear oil for the break-in run. Once break-in is done, I will pick up some synthetic oil to put in there.

[skippy]

Didn't take long for the big mods to start happening !!!

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Nope! I so want to lift it right now...problem is tires are damn expensive!

[skippy]

yeah tell me about it !!!! & i can't get them like i used to

the new van has 255/60/15's all the way around it .... thats gonna cost a pretty penny when they need to be replaced #-o

[Tegnus]

I read both of topics written by you - front and rear diff swap and looking at doing this job myself.

Any chance you have list of part numbers for Ring gear and pinion? Or you can point me at some direction where they are sold on Internet?

Is that correct that you have 4.11 in rear and 4.10 on front? Is that not a problem?

Thanks!

[thegreenmachine]

most hardcore 4xers use a slightly taller gear in the rear, so the back end "pushes" the front, for a little more controllability, as the 4x4 is not used on pavement, it doesn't really pose a problem.

[Tegnus]

most hardcore 4xers use a slightly taller gear in the rear, so the back end "pushes" the front, for a little more controllability, as the 4x4 is not used on pavement, it doesn't really pose a problem.

Ok, but most of our vans are AWD is not only rebuild specifically to be 4x4 and that means that both difs are constantly under load. Not sure how that responds to initial question.