Diff or axle change

[fastmower]

Hi all,

The diff on fatha's van is proper noisy - worst I've heard. I know axle whine is a common thing and many Transits with it go on for tens of thousands of miles - but this one sounds like it's on the way out, and so we were thinking about changing the axle.

However, a mechanic mate of his reckons he changed just the diff unit itself in one and it was fairly simple. I've read that setting a diff up is quite tricky and best left to the people with the right gear to do it - all pre-loads and stuff - but is this just when people are changing crown wheels/pinions etc for a better ratio? It sounds from what fatha said that (this bloke said) the whole diff was removable as a unit?

I've never had a Transit axle to bits so I can't tell him any better - so does anyone know if this is right. If it is then I guess it's just a case of swapping one for another - which will already have the bearings etc set up when it goes in.

Basically we're just after the quickest and easiest way of doing the job. It's gone past the sort of noise you can just live with - I know they don't often actually break but this sounds like it will! If his mechanic mate has it wrong do you guys reckon changing the whole axle would be a better/easier way of doing it?

Cheers for any input!

Andy

[GBBiker]

If it's soemthing you have never done before, I would recommend changing the whole axle. It will be much easier and quicker for you.

[MinorMatt]

If its a 5 stud axle its really easy to change just the diff (drums off, halfshaft just pull out, unbolt old diff, bolt in new one, put halfshafts and drums back.

If its a 6 studder its a lot more involved and an axle swap is by far the easiest thing to do. To swap the diff on one you need to build the new diff into the casing setting up backlash etc

[fastmower]

Thanks for that Matt - it is a six stud, so an axle change looks like the way to go then.

Cheers buddy,

Andy