Newbie help on RR Diffs

[Damon]

Hello :)

A mate has a Bobtail RR 1980 classic



We've been having a huge amount of fun until a couple of weeks ago at Tixover when all on it's own the rear diff "locked"  :lol:

Whilst this isn't such a bad thing "off-road", it's a pain on-road and we need to find out what's wrong.

We need advice on removing the diff and getting a replacement please :)

The rear axle has disk brakes (if this makes a difference), are all ratios/diffs the same?

Thanks in advance :)

[jjsaul]

pretty much all rrc diffs are the same

rear is dead easy...assuming you have steel rims fitted or alloys with a big centre hole,....

undo the 5 bolts (14mm???) on the ends of the halfshafts...slide em out
take the rear prop off the diff (4 nuts n bolts- 9/16AF)
undo the nuts off the studs around the diff, about 12 i think, again 9/16 seems to fit.

pull the diff out...carefully!

reverse to refit!

hope that helps...did mine a couple of months ago

[Damon]

Brilliant - cheers James :)

That sounds straightforward enough :)

So if all the ratios the same we can just pick up another RRC diff and sling it in?  :)  :)  :)

[Skibum346]

AFAIK the diffs are the same... just try and get a similar aged vehicle to make sure.

Also, remember that the axle tube will be full of oil... so drain it even before taking the half shafts out.

And you might want a bucket underneath to catch the broken bits... if a diff locks up on it's own it's fair to say there will be some shrapnel of some kind!  :shock:

Good luck

Skibum

[Damon]

Cheers for the tips and advice :)

We're expecting lots of shrapnel  :roll:  :lol:  :D

[jjsaul]

Has it split the diff pan open?

I've been told they often do but i was lucky and mine didnt!
Mine locked up and i carried on running for 2 weeks before it finally went bang at some traffic lights  :shock:  :roll:

[Damon]

There's no visible external damage - yet! :)

[Range Rover Blues]

The early Diffs are imperial, they have different bearings and also don't have the filler plug in the diff casing.  The diffs are interchangeable though, all 10 spline coild sprung diffs are 3.54:1, defender included.

All RR are disk braked but the early ones had different damper mounts, supposedly to control axle tramp.

Diff are plentyful, I have a spare axle here if you find you need it, diff and all.