Carrier Inspection After Disassembly

Thoroughly clean all parts. Always use new solvent when cleaning bearings. Do not spin dry bearings with compressed air. Oil the bearings immediately with Rear Axle Lubricant or equivalent to prevent rusting. Inspect parts for damage. Clean the inside of the housing before rebuilding. When a scored or chipped gearset is replaced, the axle housing must be washed thoroughly. Inspections of individual parts are outlined below.

Gears

Examine pinion and ring gear teeth for scoring, excessive wear, nicks and/or chipping. Worn, scored and damaged gears cannot be rebuilt to correct a noisy condition.

Bearing Cups

Check bearing cups for deep scores, galling or spalling. If a 0.038mm (0.0015 inch) feeler gauge can be inserted between a cup and the bottom of its bore at any point around the cup, the cup must be reseated.

Cone and Roller Assembly

When operated in the cups, bearing rollers must turn without roughness. Examine the large end of the rollers for wear (pitting, scoring, galling or spalling). If inspection reveals either a damaged cup or a damaged cone and roller assembly, both parts should be replaced.

Drive Pinion Flange

Ensure that the surfaces of the flange have not been damaged in removing the driveshaft or in removing the flange from the pinion. The end of the flange that contacts the bearing cone as well as the nut counterbore and seal surface must be smooth and free of nicks.

Carrier Housing

Ensure that the differential bearing bores are smooth. Remove any nicks or burrs from the mounting surfaces of the carrier housing.

Differential Case

Make sure that the hubs where the bearings mount are smooth. Carefully examine the differential case bearing shoulders, which may have been damaged when the bearings were removed. The bearing assemblies will fail if they do not seat firmly against the shoulders. Check the fit (free rotation) of the differential side gears in their counterbores.