jackmac Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Afternoon all, can anybody tell me what size the diff pinion nut is? mine is the earlier type castellated nut (1988 90), and after a minor battle removing the split pin i've found a 24mm socket doesn't fit as i hoped it would! dial caliper has gone walkies somewhere, so i've measured it with a ruler and it's either 25mm or 1inch. I'd rather not round it with the wrong size as i've heard i should expect it to 'require explosives' to remove. Can anybody tell me for sure what size it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Measuring my 1992 90 with 10 spline diff with caplipers it is 25.642mm or 1.007 inch so I would go for an inch socket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litch Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Chances are it will be very tight. I found that trying to undo it against the locked transmission was not possible as direct pressure didn't work and I was unable to shock it as the tranmssion had too much 'give'. Best solution is to either make up a simple bracket that bolts to the flange and then locks up against the chassis / ground or (as I did), remove the diff. With the flange held firmly in my (very) large vice the nut came undone without any problems whatsoever and I was also able to torque the nut back up again properly. Removing the diff for this simple task might sound a lot of work but the halfshafts can be released and the diff popped out in a very short space of time so it wasn't the hassle it might sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackmac Posted September 10, 2011 Author Share Posted September 10, 2011 spot on, thanks zardos. I shall hunt down a 1 inch socket then. litch, when i finally get the socket i was intending for a breaker bar with extension if needed. either i'll loosen the nut, or snap my breaker bar if not, then a P shaped bracket braced against the ground as you said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Definitely 1inch, as I tried my inch socket and it went on and was a very snug fit. As for how tight it was, it was very FT, more than 250ft lbs but doable with my Snap torque wrench (about 1m long) This diff was clamped in a vice but when doing my 1996 disco, the 24mm nylock nut came off with about 120nm from a air ratchet and I just had the wheels on the ground to stop it turning. Another way of doing it is to get somebody to sit inside with the foot on the brakes, this should stop the axle turning enough to get the nut undone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I undid mine with an 1" socket on the end of a 2ft breaker bar.... with a bottle jack under the end! simples! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackmac Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 barely put any weight on the end of the breaker bar and it came undone and old seal is out after a putting up a good fight! can somebody advice me as to whether or not I should be replacing the flange. It looks a bit worn to me, with 2 fairly clear grooves in it as well. is it alright to chuck back in, or will it just continue to leak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Ideally I'd replace that for a new one, those grooves will accelerate the wear of your new seal. If you have a lathe and are able to clean up the grooves with a bit of polishing with wet'n'dry you could probably make it last a bit longer. I've done this a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 And on the tight nuts topic, slight hi-jack here, but related, hope you don't mind... I have a 24 sp diff out of the axle. This has a 24mm nut, and it's FFFFFT. Efforts so far with drive flange held in the vice: Repeated application of 400NM rattle gun for several minutes sustained, yes it is going the correct direction 3ft breaker bar and me fat self leaning on it. This was just going to tip the bench over, bench takes 3 blokes to lift it, before you take into account the 6 diffs and other steel stock sitting on the bottom shelf. Any other suggestions? I've WD'd the nut a few times, may try a heat gun in desperation, but not good for the seal or bearings. Last resort I think will be to drill down the side of the nuts and split it off. What a PITFA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 How about length of pipe on the breaker bar and clamping length of wood/metal etc to the bench to stop it tipping? More than welcome to pop up to mine Mickey.... my bench is in the fecking heavy weight class with a good vice etc .... I'll even clear some of the rubbish out of the way so we can get as far as it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonb Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 My usual method on the Defender or the series 3, is engage 1st gear low (4wd for the series 3 and diff lock for the 90), hand brake on (so it works on the "other end" if need be) , breaker bar on nut, then trolley jack under the bar and jack it up until all the slack in the transmission is taken out. Then belt the end of the breaker bar with lump hammer as its still jacked up - the shock will then slacken off the nut. Works everytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 My usual method on the Defender or the series 3, is engage 1st gear low (4wd for the series 3 and diff lock for the 90), breaker bar on nut, then trolley jack under the bar and jack it up until all the slack in the transmission is taken out. Then belt the end of the breaker bar with lump hammer as its still jacked up - the shock will then slacken off the nut. Works everytime. Unfortunately Mickeys diff isn't in a vehicle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonb Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Well my method is for those who haven't taken the diff out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Rather than replacing the flange, pop down your local bearing-place and talk to them about "speedy sleeves" - they are a thinwall stainless-steel sleeve that fits over the entire length of the worn part, and provides a really good smooth surface for the seal to run on. We use these all the time on industrial equipment that spends its entire life in muddy/dusty/sandy conditions. --Tanuki. "It's like having a whole saturday-night-town-centre-after-the-clubs-have-closed experience going on inside my skull. Except without the vomiting, the kebabs or the sex-pest minicab-drivers". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 And on the tight nuts topic, slight hi-jack here, but related, hope you don't mind... I have a 24 sp diff out of the axle. This has a 24mm nut, and it's FFFFFT. Efforts so far with drive flange held in the vice: Repeated application of 400NM rattle gun for several minutes sustained, yes it is going the correct direction 3ft breaker bar and me fat self leaning on it. This was just going to tip the bench over, bench takes 3 blokes to lift it, before you take into account the 6 diffs and other steel stock sitting on the bottom shelf. Any other suggestions? I've WD'd the nut a few times, may try a heat gun in desperation, but not good for the seal or bearings. Last resort I think will be to drill down the side of the nuts and split it off. What a PITFA Have you tried a large scaff tube on the end of the breaker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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