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Technical help

Installing a "SPOOL"

Started by JET-6 · 26 May 2004 · 111 replies

Preserved from CalaisTurbo. Original authors and dates are shown; archived members are not current Holdcom accounts.

JET-6Archived member
Ok guys here it is, a sort of step by step guide on how to install your own spool. Items needed to do this: Spool to suit, axle stands, trolley jack, diff cover gaskets, wheels bearings and seals(recommened but not needed), diff oil, and most likely a new filler plug(bout $5 at GMH). Small bottle jack and about 2m or chain, "D" shackles, a angle grinder and common hand tools. And it can only be installed in an open wheel centre, so if you have a LSD you will need to change your centre and you WONT be able to install it like explained here! 1: Losen your rear wheel nuts, and jack your car up off the ground, set up your chassis stands on the car not the diff so as to let the diff "Lower" under its own weight.Once your car is off the ground and is stable remove the wheels then remove the caliper(can just swing it if need be) and rotor. You will also have to remove your handbrake setup if the type of diff your working on requires it!(pads etc) Now you must undo the axle retaining nuts/bolts(depending on car type), there accesible though the holes machined in your axle.
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JET-6Archived member
2: Axle removal, firstly undo the bolts on the diff cover and with a bucket drain the oil out, no need to remove the cover just losen it off for now. Now to remove the alxe is sometimes hard but i make it easy with a spare rim or even your spare wheel or at the last resort your brake rotor or drum, once the retainer nuts are removed put on a rim as shown and use it like a slide hammer, first push it in then slide it out hard and fast, this should/will remove the axle!
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JET-6Archived member
3: now the axles are out remove the bearing outer shells from the diff(only if changing bearings) and now is the time to also remove your panhard rod guys!
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JET-6Archived member
4: bearing changing(if you do so), this is not as fun as it might sound and there are many ways to do this, one is with a cold chisel, but i use the aussie version of the chisel, the 4" grinder. What you must do is cut a groove only in the retaining coller in the axle, its the ring just above the bearing, once its been grooved, hit it with a hammer and punch to snap the groove open and the coller will just fall off. You must also do the same to the bearing but 1st remove all the rollers and the rollers cage from the base. Then it also falls of as so will the seal. Putting on the new bearing is also not much fun without the right tools. 1st put on the seal, then slip the bearing on and it should tap on with a few gentle taps with a hammer and a drift or punch, then the coller must be put on(read warnings about coller, there supplied with the bearing). Now you slip the coller down the axle and get a piece of pipe the same inside diametre as the outside dia of the axle, and you will have to slide punch the coller on and up hard against the bearing, now i found the best way to do this is on the grass with the studs firmly pushed into the grass and just slide the pipe down hard onto the coller!
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JET-6Archived member
5: Once you have removed the panhard rod, you can remove the diff cover, you will have to lift the brake line up to get the cover off. You will then see the centre, and removal is gunna get you dirty, firstly mark the bearing cases, bearing retainers and shims so you CANNOT mix them up at all, then losen and remover the bearing retainers and bolts.
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JET-6Archived member
6: now this step requires a diff spreader or expander but you can make a simple one with a few tools, you need a small bottle jack and about 2 metres of good quality chain and a few "D" shackles, 1st wrap the ends of the chain around the diff nearest to the ends(near the spring cups) and join with the shackles, then set the jack up in the middle of the diff and run the chain past it. This when jacked with pull the diff ends to the front a little to remove the presure from the bearings
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JET-6Archived member
7: now to hold the jack in postion witout it slipping you can use a large socket and an extention bar with a couple more of the shackles as shown in pic below. Now once you have the jack set up you can gently apply a little pressure, just try a little at a time till the diff centre(once unbolted) can come out without to much force, if it moves take it and the shims and bearing out cases out!
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JET-6Archived member
8: Now the fun begins, find a clean area to work, and undo the bolts holding the crown wheels and the two hemisphere 1/2's together, now guys there left hand thread!!!!!!!! Now depending on what type of diff you have you must punch out the roll pins in the spider pinion shafts with a pin punch and now the diff will come apart, just keep it all marked so it can go back the same way!! Now simply remove all the spider gears by removing there shafts, just punch them out, and give all the parts a good clean, being careful not to fill the bearing with rubish or dirt. Now place the spool into the case and put the spider pinions back in the way you took them out, also better replace the roll pis while your at it, dont re-use the old ones
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JET-6Archived member
Pic of spider pinion roll pin location!
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JET-6Archived member
Pic of spider pinions in place with spool!
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JET-6Archived member
9: Now clean the diff housing so as to get all the old oil out, and clean all parts. Now once the spool is in you can re-assemble the centre with all marks to line up and re-install it into the housing in the reverse way of the removal, undo the jack and remove, replace the bearing retainers and bolts, and continue with all other parts, re-fill the diff with clean new oil and put on your brakes and wheels. You done, lets go sideways Happy spinning!
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poida24Archived member
did you only put two pins back in??
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JET-6Archived member
No thats only a picture, the third pin(28 spile 4 pinion) had to be replaced and i didnt have it at the time of the pics!!!
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poida24Archived member
ok thats cool just checking..
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SinArchived member
Nice work!
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BLK-747Archived member
well done matt good thread Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
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KingyvlArchived member
send that into sc for a tech article.............. Nar good job matt.
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JET-6Archived member
I wouldn't waste my tech knowledge on such a place Justin!
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KingyvlArchived member
lol.......you should also put in that u actually sell spools. Might sell afew more. catch
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JET-6Archived member
Ah yer, lol, by the way guys i sell spools as if you didnt already know!!!!!
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