Differential Rebuild or Replace

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LS_is_my_girlfriend

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My rear differential is going out, mechanic said it was the bearings, but if I was going to rebuild would be better to do it soon since it can destroy the gear and pinon with the vibration. It has been doing it for a few months now, and I think it might be cheaper to just replace. Has anyone done a stock rebuild of the differential, or know of someone with a parted out 02 LS? Need to replace or rebuild as soon as possible.. want my baby back on the road.

Any help would be awesome, thanks for any info you can toss my way.

My LS is a 02 3.0L manual, thick it is the sport model with the 17' rims.
 
66coupe said:
What's needed for the 8.8 swap?
Click to expand...

If you don't need to gear, just swap out the open diff for a 28 spline 8.8" LSD. It will fit in the stock 8.0" pumpkin.

The full 8.8 swap will be about 800 more and require a custom driveshaft and front brace to account for the larger pumpkin.
 
yep.. If you look at the Ford Racing Parts, it's the one for a 28 spline 8.8".. I believe it's like 194 from Jegs or Summit.. Or cheaper if you go with max

I forgot for the OP..
Caution: Vehicles with V8 engines use a larger diameter axle shaft than vehicles with the V6 engine..

This means you would have to get new axle shafts and possibly new hubs too..
 
Um, okay... well this is all good and great. But to a newbie like myself... what does this mean, and what will it cost. To do a stock rebuild I was told I am looking at over $1000, or I could try and find a new Diff at a junk yard and pay 200-300 and just swap it out.

If switching to the LSD will get me some better jump off the line that would be great... but I don't want to have to swap out my drive shaft and axles just to do that.

Also on another note, if I were to rebuild the diff, is switching it to a limited slip just a matter of replacing the ring and spline? Or is there much more to it then that?

Has anyone done this rebuild before, and if so did you document it with some photos and how to. Thinking if it will get me some better pick up and not require a new drive shaft, I would just buy the parts and have my local shop swap it out.

Any way... if someone could help me understand this a little better, would be a big help. Thanks again.
 
I believe they (gen 1 v6 and v8) use the same rear diff.

Can someone confirm?
 
LS_is_my_girlfriend said:
Um, okay... well this is all good and great. But to a newbie like myself... what does this mean, and what will it cost. To do a stock rebuild I was told I am looking at over $1000, or I could try and find a new Diff at a junk yard and pay 200-300 and just swap it out.

That's way too high. I bought a diff from an 05 mustang GT for 75 shipped. But I swapped it myself. See here:

If switching to the LSD will get me some better jump off the line that would be great... but I don't want to have to swap out my drive shaft and axles just to do that.

You won't have to swap DS/axles if just replacing the diff on a gen 1.

Also on another note, if I were to rebuild the diff, is switching it to a limited slip just a matter of replacing the ring and spline? Or is there much more to it then that?

You reuse your stock ring gear and pinion. These are the "gears".

Has anyone done this rebuild before, and if so did you document it with some photos and how to. Thinking if it will get me some better pick up and not require a new drive shaft, I would just buy the parts and have my local shop swap it out.

Any way... if someone could help me understand this a little better, would be a big help. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Didn't put the link into my response in your quote. But here is my thread from my swap:

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=52328
 
Okay cool, found this LSD with a quick Google search but don't know if this would fit or not since this is a little outside my normal realm of repairs. http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/M4204F288/Mustang-88-28-Spline-Traction-lok-Differential

But after seeing this and viewing some videos about rear differentials I am feeling better about trying to swap this out. My only thing is I don't know the different ratio's and sizes needed for my car... so maybe a shopping list would help. My car is the manual 3.0 with the sport package 17" rims... how would I know if its gen 1 o2 gen 2... the manufacturing date?

You guys rock, love my LS.
 
LS_is_my_girlfriend said:
But after seeing this and viewing some videos about rear differentials I am feeling better about trying to swap this out. My only thing is I don't know the different ratio's and sizes needed for my car... so maybe a shopping list would help. My car is the manual 3.0 with the sport package 17" rims... how would I know if its gen 1 o2 gen 2... the manufacturing date?
Click to expand...

You need 3.07 gear ratio, only found on the manual trans LS' if you use any other ratio your engine would spin faster in then before and cause a loss in fuel economy and more engine noise. Maybe you want this and if you do then a 3.58 ratio from a v6 automatic would swap right in. You might get a engine code for incorrect ratio but I doubt it.

LS_is_my_girlfriend said:
Also a stupid question, but would installing the LSD render my traction control disabled?
Click to expand...

No, your traction control would work fine, but you'd need it less.
 
say if i were to try this and have a shop install it what would be a rough estimate of price ?
 
Mechanicboy said:
You need 3.07 gear ratio, only found on the manual trans LS' if you use any other ratio your engine would spin faster in then before and cause a loss in fuel economy and more engine noise. Maybe you want this and if you do then a 3.58 ratio from a v6 automatic would swap right in. You might get a engine code for incorrect ratio but I doubt it.



No, your traction control would work fine, but you'd need it less.
Click to expand...

Hmm... okay just just so I am understanding this right... and forgive me if I sound like a complete novice... it's because I am with this sort of thing. But if I were to purchase this LSD I would use my stock pinon and ring ( which should not change my gear ratio ) and would basically switch my stock diff to a limited-slip diff. Would I be correct in that thinking?

Or would I need to replace my ring & pinon to fit this new LSD? Thus making sure I get the correct ratio but fitting the new LSD.

Just want to make sure I am understanding this, and I am so stoked for this forum, have gotten a ton of help here in the past.
 
Lincoln Jealous said:
Lsd lsd xtc xtc lsd lsd xtc xtc
Click to expand...

Um... is that a good thing... LOL.

Okay so after reading thru the "Another Mod" post about the LSD install... I noticed a lot of talk about backlash. I did find this how to from a 4x4 site, but shows some pretty great images of the parts and talks about shims, backlash, etc. So I am feeling a lot better about this project.
 
If you have never set up gears you should not try this yourself. If your pumkin is really messed up?? I would rec that you just buy a whole used pumkin and swap. Complete used pumkin $150 and 150 to install your done.
 
Right on the Mark said:
If you have never set up gears you should not try this yourself. If your pumkin is really messed up?? I would rec that you just buy a whole used pumkin and swap. Complete used pumkin $150 and 150 to install your done.
Click to expand...

But then you will still be stuck with an open diff.
 
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