Rr Diff noise

Try moving them up and down, if they have no play, they are OK. Have they been regularly greased?

Pretty easy job, especially the rear diff.

Unbolt propshaft. remove both halfshafts Unbolt diff and remove.(very heavy!)

Assemble in reverse order.

They have not been regularly greased, but have been recently and this possibly made it worse????

Will a recon dif have the outer casing and pinion bearing replaced or is it simply the guts (I have not done this before, so don't know what to expect).

Any special tools or techniques needed before I tackle this on Sunday. I plan to remove both prop shafts and test them by vigorous wiggling and shaking.

Then try the same with the diff input flange and rear wheels.

And if this shows nothing then the diff will be removed

Ah, don't worry about a "singing" diff. I had a Carlton which I drove for a year or so before checking the diff which had always sung. It was empty and totally dry. I filled it and it was fine, although still sang, for several years. As it didn't leak at all, ever, I conclude that it was empty from new (oops!), but went on for around 80k miles. I sold it to a girl at work who trashed it by driving it into a taxi shortly after. Shame, it was the best car I'd ever had in the saloon type class. TonyB

Don't bother replacing the diff unless it is unbearably noisy or physically broken. Try substances that are specifically meant to quieten diffs and gearboxes. Vapormatic dealers should have this stuff in stock. Your Vap dealer will likely be an ag engineer, from a one man band to a massive main dealer. If you live or work in town, then Halfords might have some equivalent stuff.

Huw

Ok, many thanks for the advice, the diff will stay in!

The vibration then. Prop shaft? Should I replace them or simply the bearings and UJ's

Dave

Check the UJ's to see if there is play. If not, check again in a week or so. If there is play or a rough spot or resistance when the shaft is turned [not easy to ascertain if you have no lift or pit] then the cross and bearings should be changed. These are available as boxed kits almost anywhere. The prop shaft itself will be fine unless obviously damaged or the centre joint splines are obviously worn as shown by play if the centre of the shaft length is pushed up and down.

Huw

you didn't write the Haynes manual by any chance did you? ;-) Derek

Unbolt

Nah. Doesn't say "Disconnect the battery negative lead". My HBOL says that before every job. TonyB

No, the Haynes manual instructions for changing the diff are.......

"Take vehicle to dealer."