Differential Brace Fitting - Are these instructions ok?

[AlfaLofa]

I've purchased a pair of Sue Miller's drive shafts for my car along with a differential brace and a pair of heavy duty differential mounts from Tony Thompson.

Because of ill-health I hope to get a local garage (who are very sympathetic towards older cars) to fit the parts.

Their first attempt at fitting the brace ended in failure due to "lack of space".

Consequently I've knocked up these notes which will hopefully provide as much space as is feasibly possible between the differential ears and the chassis (which has no dents beneath the differential caused by a badly placed jack).

Any advice or recommended changes to the procedure would be most welcome!!

I want the notes to be as fool-proof as is possible.



Suggested Order of Work
? Remove existing drive-shafts

? Remove differential casing bolt which will be replaced by the longer bolt

? Remove the differential torque rods

? Remove (from within the boot) the 2 large differential mounting bolts which pass through the ?ears? of the differential

? Collect the existing large washers fitted above the ?ears? and within the boot

? Remove the pair of existing differential mounts from inside the boot

Fitting the brace

? Position the differential brace onto the ears of the differential

? Loosely fit long differential casing bolt

? Place two new large load-spreading washer on top of brace (i.e. one above each ear)

? Fit the new heavy-duty differential mounts inside the boot

? Fit new bolts through:

o Top load-spreading washer in boot
o Differential mount
o Load-spreading washer beneath the mount
o Differential brace
o Differential ear
o 1? load-spreading washer beneath ear

? Tighten the differential mount bolts to 22-27ft/lb

? Tighten differential casing bolt

? Fit torque rods and new torque rod bushes
o Bush sequence is: Welded washer - bush - washer - diff ear - washer - bush - washer (with small hole) ? nut.

? Tighten torque rods to differential (i.e. at bushes) to 22-27ft/lb


Once the differential brace has been fitted follow the instructions provided to fit the replacement drive shafts.

[ardee_selby]

Steve,

I have this on my to-do list, so I cannot help directly...

...however, I remembered reading "only one washer" when a brace is fitted so sat up & took notice when this thread was started, and saved it for future reference.

elan-f15/fitting-ttr-diff-mounts-t18540.html

HIH

Get fit asap.

Regards - Richard

[nebogipfel]

I couldn't get my diff' in with the brace fitted, so I got the diff in situ' then fitted it. I haven't got much patience so it couldn't have been too difficult

On the subject of washers I think from memory I fitted one only but the important thing as I understand it is to have the diff' unit as low as possible in the chassis while maintaining a gap underneath ie the diff should not sit on the chassis when fully tightened.

[ceejay]

Hey Fella's.

Don't put up with the angst of trying to install the diff
with that bit of 90Deg piece of bent sheet metal they
pass off as a diff brace.
How many times previously has someone said what
a bugger they are to fit.

Take a close look at the integral diff and brace design
below... once it's fabricated and fitted to the diff the
whole diff unit can be removed and re-installed with
ease... no cussing.... or throwing things around... it slips
straight in.

Here's a couple more diff removal tips, see the wooden
chock... make two of these and tap them in each
side of the diff... it will then just sit there in situ while
you undo all the bolts etc.

And note the other pic, part of the reason why the diff
is a cow to get out is where the underneath of the diff
nose fouls on the bottom tray, if you take to this section
with angle grinder and remove the offending metal,
plus a bit more right under the bottom lip of the rear
housing you will find the diff much much easier to jiggle
out, and put back in again.

No you wont hurt the diff by removing the metal.
they are built like the proverbial brick outhouse.

Oh, if you are wondering where to get the plans to build
the diff brace .. the measurements are right in front of
you, yep, just measure your own diff measurements, bolt
spacings and pitch circles and get to it.

Now, no more grumbling about diffs & strengthening
braces that don't fit!!

[Foxie]

Just had my diff out for the umpteenth time, this time to replace a sheared drive shaft (with a pair of TT types )
Always a bit of a struggle, with lots of swearing

I fitted the simple angle brace many years ago, but this one looks the business. Any chance of a pic from underneath, is there metal under the lugs as well ?

I'll have the grinder out next time too, why didn't I think of that !

(I saw a video in a very recent post, but can't find it now. )

[JonB]

My recent diff out / in operation was easy, but I do have a Spyder chassis. Seems to have more clearance, and that is with the standard brace fitted.

[Bigbaldybloke]

+1 with JonB, no problem removing diff with standard type brace and Spyder chassis.

[prezoom]

It seems there is a difference between differential housings. My S2, with the small pinion flange was much easier to remove, as it does not have the fixture lump at the bottom of the nose. When I pulled the 3.77 from the Plus2, I had to take the grinder to the lump, and once done, it came right out. It may be a 3.9 thing, as I had picked up another 3.9 differential to covert to a 3.54, and it did not have the offending lump. Though it did have the larger diameter pinion flange. Both cars have their original chassis.

[Frogelan]

There is a very useful "YouTube" which may give some additional ideas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-12F0s58y6k&t=194s

The contributor is a forum member I believe.

[William2]

I was under the impression that when the standard diff brace is fitted you don't fit the large washers otherwise there won't be sufficient clearance under the diff.

[Foxie]

I was under the impression that when the standard diff brace is fitted you don't fit the large washers otherwise there won't be sufficient clearance under the diff.

I have a diff brace and the large washers in my Plus 2 spyder chassis.

There is still plenty of clearance underneath.

[Foxie]

I fitted the simple angle brace many years ago, but this one looks the business. Any chance of a pic from underneath, is there metal under the lugs as well ?

I can see from the video on Frogelan's post above that the lugs are enclosed underneath as well.

[Bigbaldybloke]

Picture of diff brace and washers, main thing is to ensure the bottom of the diff is a few millimetres clear of the chassis. I had to machine a few mm off the central tube through the lotocone to achieve this

[Bigbaldybloke]

Out of interest, we all seem to be fitting a diff brace when we fit cv drive shafts, but has anyone had a diff case fail in normal road use with cv shafts but no brace?