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Change a differential/fit an LSD (currently 892 views)
Avar
Posted on: Monday, December 11th, 2006, 9:31:27pm
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Right then i finally got the job done and i think have compiled a fairly decent run through of the job, unfortunately there are no pics as i was too greasy to handle the camera.
If i have made any glaring errors please tell me and i'll edit but i think all is covered, so enjoy......
-A DIY guide to fitting a Suzuki 1 & 1/2; way LSD-
The following is a guide compiled by myself with the aid of the official Suzuki mechanics manual, supplemented with a little hands on experience. I hope you find these notes useful but please take into account I am not a trained mechanic in any such way and although jobs like these can be undertaken by a competent person if your unsure of anything ask a professional either for help or to undertake the works in their entirety. This guide is intended mainly for the Suzuki Cappuccino but can be used loosely and in conjunction with other manufacturers guides to hopefully the same ends on other makes and models.
-Check list-
Replacement Differential and all others standard replaceable items, for this particular task I will also require new bearings for the differential and new drive shaft oil seals.
Differential oil (plated LSD oil for is NOT an off the shelf item)
Depending on the differential being fitted shims may be required, involving the use of accurate measuring equipment to ensure correct sizes are used, shim kits are available through most motor factors and the guides for calculating shim thickness is detailed in the Suzuki manual.
Loctite
Liquid gasket
Mechanics manual for your particular car / differential, with torque settings
-Notes-
Safety, never work under a unsafely supported vehicle, look for details regarding jacking points for your car in the manual and use them, it's your car and your life. If any wheels are still in contact with the ground chock them.
Cleanliness, try not to get your oily hands all over the bodywork / interior and dispose of waste oil responsibly.
Tools, make sure your torque wrench is in perfect working order (again if your unsure don't use it), if possible only use hex head sockets as these get a good firm grip, make sure everything is cleanish and readily available.
-The works-
Loosen the rear wheel nuts for removal once the car is raised.
Jack the car up from the rear using a correct jacking point and support using axle stands, I positioned mine so that they were supporting a chassis mount that was just accessible behind the rear suspension arm assembly (place a soft surface i.e. rubber or small strip of softwood on the axle stands before lowering the jack). Carefully lower the jack so that the car is held by the stands.
NOTE;- Remember to chock in front of the front wheels before jacking and then re chock in front and behind after placing the rear of the car on stands, reason being the jack has a tendency to pull the car back as it lifts if not on a perfect surface.
Remove the rear wheels.
Now then the Cappuccino is a bit small so next thing to do is to remove the rear bumper to allow easy access, the fixings are fairly obvious 2 x screws in each wheel arch, 3x bolts along the top (hidden by the boot lid) with a further 2 more hidden under the rear lights, remove the rear lights by unscrewing the 2 screws visible and lift out.
Check the oil fill plug for condition, do not continue this task if the plug is unable to be removed, locate a replacement sump plug if burred and then continue remembering to replace when the differential is removed from the car.
With vehicle out of gear remove the driveshaft nuts using a socket and extension bar onto a long ratchet / bar. It is fairly hard to access these bolts but it can be done from the rear of the car, rotating the drive shaft to get to each nut. If you have a helper he can place the car in gear to prevent the shaft from spinning while applying leverage or alternately use a long bar or rod and prevent the hub from spinning by pinching between the wheel studs and the ground.
Now ensure car is in neutral and remove the 4 prop shaft bolts I used my Makita 18v torque driver with a 12mm socket (works a treat) pay attention to not damaging the knuckle joint oil seals on the prop shaft as mentioned in the manual. Undo the oil drain plug and drain oil into a container for disposal. While draining go get a cuppa to prepare for the next section.
Re fit the drain plug after cleaning all surfaces then smearing a bit of used oil onto the thread of the plug.
There's a good chance your exhaust will be in the way so you may have to remove the rear and middle sections I was able to just remove the rear section and the pipe would move enough to the side to facilitate removal.
The Cappuccino also has it stabilizer bar in the way, you can either remove it completely or like me just remove the inner mounts so the bar can lowered out of the way to allow removal of differential.
Remove the speed sensor and wire clamp located towards the front of the diff housing by peeling the rubber sleeve away and unclipping the electrical connector.
Remove the forward mounting arm (4 bolts on diff 2 bolts holding arm to chassis) and remove the mounting arm making note of the orientation of the rubber chassis mounts and plates
Remove the rear diff mounting bolt located on rear chassis member.
Carefully remove the differential from the car taking into account the prop shaft may be still tight onto the diff giving it a whack with a hammer usually works. The diff should twist and lower out of the car watch out for the flange studs they have a habit of catching things.
NOTE;- THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING HAS BEEN CAST NOT FORGED AND CAN BE BROKEN OR CRACKED IF DROPPED OR CORRECT TORQUE SETTINGS ARE NOT USED.
Stand the diff on its end so that the rear cover plate faces up and carefully relieve the pressure from the cover plate screws ( I would advise caution when tightening / untightening these bolts, use a similar approach as with cam cover and head bolts ) although the torque driver undid them with ease.
Remove the rear cover and you can finally see the differential in its true glory.
Remove the driveshaft flanges ( trumpet things that stick out each side of diff ). Some times a little tough as they have a sprung clip that keeps them in place, carefully insert a flat bladed screw driver into the centre of the diff itself and push the flanges out using minor force.
NOTE;- Take some time to familiarize yourself with the diff especially the location of the shims used to position the diff in it's housing.
NOTE;- When removing items from the diff ensure you place them down on your workbench so you can easily re-fit in the correct order and orientation, shims are especially important as they can be a different thickness' each side of the diff. I personally had the diff housing positioned in front and every item was placed heading away from it according to order of disassembly on according sides.
Remove diff bearing caps.
Removing the diff is fairly easy insert you fingers into the drive shaft flange sockets and lever the diff out of the casing taking care not to pull too hard or you trap your fingers. Now that the diff is out of it's casing, place it safely on a clean and clear bench, with the shims marked in such a way that you don't get them mixed up and safely place the diff housing somewhere it cant accidentally fall over.
Replacement is simply the reverse taking into account all torque settings and ensuring that the shims have gone back into there corresponding sides.
When replacing the diff housing cover clean the mating surfaces and apply a fine bead of liquid gasket, the type I use is capable if withstanding high temps. I would also advise using new driveshaft flange oil seals which are very easy to lever out the old and hammer in the new with a wide headed rubber mallet.
One time saver is to fill the diff with oil before you re-fit it making sure you've re inserted the driveshaft flanges first.
-LSD fitment-
Next is too remove the diff crown to fit onto the new replacement differential. These bolts are torqued at something like 70 Nm so undoing them without serious equipment can be a pain. This is where your friendly tyre fitters can help take the diff to them and ask if they can undo the bolts with an air gun and then refit the crown onto the new diff and again use an air gun to tighten let the fitters know the torque settings and they'll have the new diff done and ready to install in no time at all.
Fit new bearings to the diff, these are nice and tight but if you smear some oil onto the curved inner part of the bearing and then persuade it down with a wide headed rubber mallet taking care not to bash the bearing sides.
Fit the new diff into the diff housing observing all the above notes and the Suzuki manual and making sure that things go back into the diff in the order they left it.
Insert the driveshaft flanges.
Re fit and tighten all bolts to their correct setting and use Loctite where necessary.
Re-fit bumper and wheels and lower the car to the ground, Leave the oils to work it's way around the new diff (I had the engine running and left in 1st while off the ground for a while to give the oil a chance to get where it wants).
Tighten wheel nuts and take for a test drive, don't go mad, bed the diff in, first of all slow to a coast and then quickly lift clutch jerking the drive train to check for loose mounts etc.
If happy, give the car a few more bursts of power, then pull back into garage to check for any oil leaks.
If happy that the job you've done is as good as a paid mechanics job, then pat yourself on the back and either go get a well earned beer or better still go bed ya baby in. Be kind at first but depending on the diff you've fitted you may experience jerking during tight cornering and even stalling while doing simple maneuvers but this is to be expected.
One other major note, if you've added any type of LSD you can expect your car to behave very differently and quite possibly could trip you up in emergency situations, I advise caution whilst driving until your happy with the cars new characteristics.
I hope this guide has been of use and apologise for the lack of pictures I didn't fancy getting my step mums expensive digital camera greasy sorry.
***Photo's taken at a later date***
Last modified Monday, December 18th, 2006, 9:58:29pm by Avar
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Change a differential/fit an LSD (currently 892 views)
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