Cusco Diff Fitting Stuff

[Laurence_EvoIV]

Hi all

Spent three days wrestling with the rear diff on my 4 fitting the Cusco AYC replacement diff.

I am posting some pictures I took. I will write a more in depth description when I a) have more energy and b) check with CliveW that I haven't done something incredibly dangerous in the procedure!

Enjoy!

[Laurence_EvoIV]

Dude, where's my wheels!

[Laurence_EvoIV]

Underneath with the whole spanking lot removed

[Laurence_EvoIV]

More from underneath

[Laurence_EvoIV]

Diff carrier on the bench

[Laurence_EvoIV]

The old open diff in the vice

[Laurence_EvoIV]

The open diff cage with planetary gears etc

[Laurence_EvoIV]

The new Cusco diff

[Laurence_EvoIV]

New Cusco diff from the side...

[Laurence_EvoIV]

Just so it doesn't feel left out, here's the crown wheel

[Laurence_EvoIV]

A shot of the diff carrier opened up with the pinion just poking it's nose out

[Laurence_EvoIV]

The b'stard thing known as the diff carrier support. Great thing to try and fit when your trolley jack has just packed up. Hmmmm, two scissor jacks and some broken fingers - need I say more? :)

[Laurence_EvoIV]

... and finally the diff carrier with support members on the jack that was about to pack up :(

[Colie]

..Bugger!..

who's been a busy boy....

has it been fitted yet (jack packed up :rolleyes: ) and how does it feel if you have?

[NR Autosport]

Well done, it must have been an arse doing it on your back?
Is there 2 different units depending on the diff?
Do you throw away the pressure plates for the clutches?
Do you get preload settings for the tapered roller bearings from Cusco ie.different shims?

[RichW]

Top job!

Keep up the good work, and keep us informed!

Rich :cool:

[Laurence_EvoIV]

Thanks Guys

The diff is fitted and is, so far (*touches wood*) fine. (Yes, I really did lift it with two scissor jacks, a few blocks of wood and a lot of thrutch :)) The car does feel a lot better than the open diff I had before (the AYC hasn't worked as long as I have had the car).

The new diff was infact a second hand one from Simon Norris (cheers Simon!) so I don't know what actually comes with a new Cusco diff. I therefore didn't get any instructions or shims. I measured the two units on the bench and my dial guage indicated that the new unit was about 0.5mm wider, so I put back the shims that came out with the old diff and left it at that. The new unit should therefore have the same/slightly more preload/less end float than the old. As the bearings look identical to me, that should be fine (I think?!!!?!!).

The car initially clunked and jumped all over the place but once the plates had bed in and the oil got to them, it's been fine since. The car is a lot more direct - you turn the wheel and the car turns directly, I always felt it was a bit wafty before.

I was having some trouble reversing with the clutches biting hard then slipping leading to some pedestrian-diving-into-bush style noise and hopping but that seems to have gone now too.

Overall, it was bloody hard work (I am by no means a mechanic - my dad used to be though and he gave me some help). I needed a 5ft piece of water pipe on the end of a socket bar to undo most of the bolts. With this, it was a lot easier!

It's a two man job really - it is do-able, but not for the faint hearted!

Oh and I didn't pluck up the courage to open up the torque transfer mechanism. CliveW is machining some bits to take this mechanism out on his diff, I think you need some different bearings and a few other bits and bobs to remove the mechanism. As far as I can tell, though, with the new diff the mechanism is inert.

:)

[eric]

what kind of fluid do you use for your CUSCO rear diff? thanks