somethingclever

iTrader: (1)

DA was about 3000'.

Best pass on chinese mud and snows with baby seats in the back - 12.78@110

Corrects to 12.32@114

Didn't break on a hop - broke when it caught traction after spinning on the line.


I picked up a 37k miles V complete diff on the way home from the track and going to install it this evening.

Does the whole rear knuckle/axle shafts come out together? (I guess they will if I don't remove the rear axle nut?)

Do the rear axles just pop out of the diff - I read there is a cir-clip on them but will just pop out with some gentle tugs/prying. The Ferds IRS axles are like that anyway.

Any links to show the fastest way to do the R&R? I searched and came up empty - my search skills suck tho. The FAQ page doesn't have a write-up.

rand49er

What mods?

bigti99a

iTrader: (16)

no answers for you install but i am curious if you had anything aftermarket installed in the rear of the car. arms, bushings, anything. i am always scared that the next hard 1-2 shift is going to be my last.

was your diff the original from 05 or was it replaced under warranty/recall for the latest revision.

somethingclever

iTrader: (1)

rebuilt ls6, stock cubes, ported 243 heads, 228/238 @.050 comp hyd roller, kooks headers, cutouts at back, FIPK. Guessing around 415rwhp? Only street tuned.

No clue on revision number.

car has CS cradle bushings, rear diff bushing, rear wide trailing arms with urethane in the knuckle and sphericals in the front.

It reduced hop and helped with handling but car still has some hop...although it didn't hop when the diff exploded...it was just too much torque for it.

Same rearend in these cars as the soltice's, right?

rand49er

Yeah, this has been a huge conversation piece for the 10-1/2 years I've owned my V and been on these forums. GM got a big black eye for doing this. The engineers knew it before launch -- they HAD to have known!, but my guess is the accountants said, "No" on upgrading it. They needed to do the asymmetric-axle-stronger-diff fix with the first '04 produced.

Oh, well.

BudRacing

iTrader: (3)

I'm wondering if the soft cradle bushings have saved my differential from hard shifts over the years. Mine is a 4th gen rear, but knock on wood, I have not broken it. I don't hop it but occasionally will do some hard acceleration and get some wheel spin from 1st to 2nd. I'm almost afraid that if I upgrade the cradle bushings it will pop the rear with a hard 1-2 shift.

serik21

Its not the bushings it's the tires.

Bio248

i'd be surprised to hear about how many people have problems with the diff breaking when you compare who is running a stiffer rear spring than stock. my wheel hop was so drastically reduced with the addition of coilovers and the stiff spring rates i'm running that i was astonished.

rand49er

^^^ That's an interesting observation. Most certainly stiffer springs change the natural frequency of the system. (An obvious conclusion on my part. Duh!)

It might explain why some of us have basically zero WH and why some still have some even thought we have axles and cradle bushings. Those with higher rate springs might be the WH-free group, though I've not kept track of it with this parameter in mind.

serik21

Again like it's said 10 years ago wh is a combination of tires, suspension, axles and bushings. Change one and it can reduce it or make it worse or make it go away but as soon as you get different tires or pavement it can re- appear. There is not a one cure all solution for cars with irs

somethingclever

iTrader: (1)

Sooooo......about those questions in the first post.....any help? Lol

serik21

Its quicker if you just take everything apart vs trying to keep everything on the knuckle, is it doable yes. But it's quicker to take it apart

Vcaddy71

iTrader: (2)

Yes, remove the knuckle first then pull the axles. Knuckle will still be attached by the e-brake and speed sensor cable then give the axle a yank and they should pop right out(Mine did). When reinstalling the knuckle just use a jack to compress the shock/spring and get the lower control arm back in line.

barrok69

-Undo axle nuts
-Undo all the lower attachments on the rear knuckles
-Use a small pry-bar to pop out half-shafts at the Diff (you'll hear and see them pop)
- Lift up knuckle and pull the axle stub out of the hub, then pull the rest of the axle out of the diff.
-Repeat for other side
- Undo driveshaft to diff pinion bolts
- Undo front diff mount bolt
- Lower rear cradle enough to get clearance to the rear diff bolts with a decent socket (otherwise you'll have to use a wrench and it takes a while)
-Support diff with something so it doesn't drop
-Undo rear diff bolts, and drop it out.

Repeat in reverse order to re-install new parts.
-Be sure to put loctite on the driveshaft bolts and diff bolts.
- Make sure axles are "locked" in when re-installing.
- Be careful inserting axles into diff as to not cut the seals in the diff. You should replace them with new seals while everything is out since they are relatively cheap and will prevent leaks.
- Look up torque specs to re-torque all the suspension bits and bolts you've undone.

LS BRAVADA

iTrader: (4)

Are you surprised the diff blew out ?

garrettg

iTrader: (1)

If the knuckle has never been off the car they may not just slide off. It takes a special 6 lug axle puller tool to remove them in this situation something auto part stores don't have for rent. Once you have them separated anti seize will make them fall apart next time.

barrok69

PB Blaster + Rubber mallet.

Put the axle nut on the end of the shaft with almost the threads poking out. Smack away. You have to replace the axle nut anyways So technically you could use a metal sledge to pound out the axle.

No puller necessary.

somethingclever

iTrader: (1)

finally got the rear changed out...spent all summer working on my outside french drain...well 2 months anyway.

I left the axles in the knuckles (and upper ball joint connected) and picked them up and set them on jackstands. I also just used a wrench to remove the rear bolts and kept the IRS in place. I had just had it out a couple weeks prior putting in all new creative steel bushings and wide trailing arms.

Everybody likes carnage pics:

Lbar

Wow, I believe that's the stock diff.

somethingclever

iTrader: (1)

It's a gen 2 and I replaced it with a 30k mile gen 2.