Diff Experts: D35 Thrust Washer Question

When I took my differential apart, there was one thrust washer on each side of the differential (wedged between the case and the back of the bearing cup on each side). I labeled each component as I removed it regarding which side it came off of but I neglected to note the orientation of this thrust washer. It is flat on one side and tapered on the other. Questions:

1. Which side of the thrust washer goes against the bearing cup? The flat side or the tapered side?

2. There appears to be some sort of orange o-ring inside each tube as it mates to the pumpkin. Are these replaceable or do you just leave them alone? I can’t figure out what purpose they serve (or even what they’re called) but it appears the thrust washer would butt against it.

For those interested (unless others have another way to do this), I’m making a pinion holding wrench out of flat ½” steel I got from Home Depot. I’ll cut it into 4 pieces and used bolts on each corner fitted to the pinion so I can use it to hold the pinion as I tighten the pinion nut to the 150lb+ torque setting (I’m replacing all the bearings and crush sleeve so I need a full torque). The wrench looks like this (sorry for the low-tech drawing):

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Those are Carrier Bearing Preload shims, not thrust washers. Tapered side to the axle housing. No need to mess with the seal in the axle tube, it's fine as is.
The pinion wrench you are making is also called a spanner wrench. you can pick one up a most auto stores for under 20 bucks.

You will also need an inch pound torque wrench to measure pinion preload as you collapse the crush sleeve. Don't go by ft/lb torque alone. Torque the pinion, measure the preload, torque a little morr etc until you get the pinion preload set for new bearings.

Expect the carrier preload to be tight with new bearings, will also effect the backlash, but the carrier should be fine with the same shims, may just install a little tighter than when it came out.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it. I'll look into getting a spanner wrench, and I do have a very good 1/4" drive "inch pound" torque wrench that I bought online a while back. Will the 1/4" to 1/2" drive adapter that I'll have to use to fit socket (for the pinion nut) have any significant affect on the reading?

Thats how I do it.

Well, I'm still having a problem with this re-build. I'm not able to hold the yoke while I tighten the pinion nut enough to crush the crush sleeve and take up the end play ... let alone enough leverage to keep compressing it enough to properly set the pre-load. My home-made yoke holding tool just bent and I'm also finding it difficult to get enough leverage working under it on jack stands.

1. Is this the sort of spanner wrench you were mentioning? http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...rs&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&sid=IOx20060405x0000099. Also, do the pins just fit into the bold holes in the Yoke? If so, wouldn't they damage the threads under all that torque?

2. Anyone have suggestions on how to get enough leverage while working under the vechicle on jack stands to tighten that nut to 200+ ft./lbs. to crush the sleeve?

Bump

sflier said:

2. Anyone have suggestions on how to get enough leverage while working under the vechicle on jack stands to tighten that nut to 200+ ft./lbs. to crush the sleeve?

Click to expand...

pipe, and a friend and some big cro bars

I'm using a 1/2" x 2' breaker bar to turn the nut but I just don't have much clearance under the car to turn it very much. My bigger concern is what tool to use to hold the pinion yoke while I turn the nut. My homemade holding tool just bent and I can't seem to figure out a good way to hold that yoke as it's an odd shape. I may just have to take it somewhere to get it on a lift in order to get the necessary clearance to turn the breaker bar enough to crush the sleeve.

Are you doing this with the axle still on the jeep?

including the time to remove and replace the axle you are still ahead of the game removing it. makes everything easier doing it on the bench.

even easier with a 9inch or toy but I don't have any of those yet.