Wavetrac Diff install

[Thewind727]

Well my wavetrac just showed up and i plan on tacking this today. Ill try to updated with pics and stuff along the way.

Stay tuned this outta be a fun one

[Thewind727]

if anyone has any insights or thoughts on things i should look for along the way let me know

[1and1]

fit a drain plug to the housing while you've got it all apart?

[iminhell1]

let me know how bad the snap rings are.
i have a mfactory sitting in front of me that needs to go in, and i'm probably going to pay someone to install it even though i want to do it myself. i don't have snap ring tools. and no idea what size to buy, and i dont have the drive shaft wrench either.

[drunkenup]

Are you just swapping pumpkins or using the same case and rebuilding it?

[Thewind727]

Originally Posted by 1and1

fit a drain plug to the housing while you've got it all apart?

Good idea !

[Thewind727]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

let me know how bad the snap rings are.
i have a mfactory sitting in front of me that needs to go in, and i'm probably going to pay someone to install it even though i want to do it myself. i don't have snap ring tools. and no idea what size to buy, and i dont have the drive shaft wrench either.

Ill let you know i plan on using some needle nose pliers, when its said and done if you pay shipping both ways i can let you use the drive shaft wrench, i purchaced the ar design one its a beautiful tool

[Thewind727]

Originally Posted by drunkenup

Are you just swapping pumpkins or using the same case and rebuilding it?

rebuiling it using the same case

[Thewind727]

diff is out!! about to pull the ring gear and remove the bearing races

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by Thewind727

Ill let you know i plan on using some needle nose pliers, when its said and done if you pay shipping both ways i can let you use the drive shaft wrench, i purchaced the ar design one its a beautiful tool

I'm in for that deal.

PM sent

[Thewind727]

Well that was fun,

Ill start by saying if you've been scared to tackle this job on your own DONT BE, it was very straight forward and if you have the correct tools it,s actually one of the easier things i've done to my car.

Tools you will absoutly need
: Table Vise / forholding diff in place to break loose ring gear and torque ring gear bolts
: 50mm Axle Wrench
: A strong pair of needle nose pliers/ for bearing c clips
: 2x 21mm 1/2 drive sockets/ for the rear diff bolt
: dial gauge/ for checking backlash

everything else i used was run of the mill stuff.

I did the diff bushings as well and replaced with whiteline and removing the rear diff bushing was the hardest part of the whole job haha

no grinding of the diff housing or anything crazy had to be done the diff came right out and the wavetrac slipped right back in.

total time on the diff removal and install was about 4 hrs.

the rear diff bushing took me and a friend 2 hours just to get out of the subframe with every damn large screwdriver, pry bar, torch , and hammer i own

if any one has any questions hit me up

[1and1]

Sweet!
Any pics? Love to see how it went!

drill & tap for a drain plug?

[Thewind727]

Originally Posted by 1and1

Sweet!
Any pics? Love to see how it went!

drill & tap for a drain plug?

ill try to upload pics later, the rear diff bushing was such a bitch and pulled me so far into the night that i didnt feel like doing the drain plug

[Thewind727]

some quick pics i took along the way

i was able to tap the bearing races back on the new diff using a 3 inch washer and a 2lb sledge they fit tight but just a light tapping around the washer and they slid right down with little effort.

I think the toughest part of the diff install was getting it clamped down tight enough to retorque the ring gear bolts

[iminhell1]

I didn't look at the diff bushing too hard but, something like a ball joint press work? That's what I was going to try.
And if I have to drop the subframe I'm not to worried ... and if I go that far I may as well pick up a tube of window weld to go inside my bushing inserts.

[Thewind727]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

I didn't look at the diff bushing too hard but, something like a ball joint press work? That's what I was going to try.
And if I have to drop the subframe I'm not to worried ... and if I go that far I may as well pick up a tube of window weld to go inside my bushing inserts.

A ball joint press would probably work fine just by the time I got to that point it was midnight and nobody was open to get any tools so we just beat the he’ll outta it till it came out, i have some extra lube from my white line bushing I’ll send ya with the wrench, definitely no need to drop the subframe for the diff or diff bushings there is plenty of room up there

[iminhell1]

For reference,

Small diff, 188 (Auto)
Stub shaft bearings are F-234976.06

Do be aware that you may need new shims.

[iminhell1]

And the MFactory has this

Use the driveshaft wrench to hold the diff to tighten the ring gear bolts.

[Thewind727]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

And the MFactory has this

Use the driveshaft wrench to hold the diff to tighten the ring gear bolts.

Man i wish the wavtrac had that would have made it alot easier to retorque those bolts