Differential Spline Inspection
1. Position the vehicle on a lift.*WARNING:
The GTR Workshop Manual, General Information, Electrical Precautions, Battery Disconnection contains important information and precautions relating to disconnecting batteries.*
CAUTION:
After switching off the ignition, a two minute wait is required before disconnecting the battery. Failure to wait two minutes will damage the navigation computer.
2. Apply the hand brake and place the transmission selector in N (neutral).
3. Refer to GTR General Information precautions and disconnect battery earth lead.
4. Raise vehicle on lift.
5. Position wheel chocks behind and in front of the rear heels.
CAUTION:
Care must be exercised to lift the front of the vehicle at the designated jacking locations. Refer to Service Bulletin STE03-04.
6. Raise the front of the vehicle to give a wheel free condition permitting the propeller shaft to rotate.
7. Remove six nuts and bolts securing the drive flange and front propeller shaft to the coupling (see Fig. 1). Discard the nuts.
8. Slide the propeller shaft forwards and remove the coupling and the centering flange.
9. Scribe reference marks on the front differential and the front propeller shaft to aid reassembly.
10. Slide the propeller shaft rearwards and remove the propeller shaft from the drive tube.
11. If the vehicle has been customer delivered, remove and discard the "0" ring from the differential drive tube.
CAUTION:
All grease must be removed to ensure that no contaminants remain in the splines.
12. Clean the drive tube splines (A in Fig. 2) and the propeller shaft splines.
NOTE:
The wear comparison shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 can be used when inspecting the splines on the removed components. High wear will be the exception and demand for replacement differentials should be limited.
CAUTION:
Excessive wear is the ONLY reason a differential/propshaft set should be replaced. Differential noise and surface corrosion are NOT cause to replace a differential. Proper alignment and lubrication will alleviate these symptoms.
13. If the vehicle has been customer delivered inspect the front differential and propeller shaft splines for wear:
^ Figure 3 shows a spline from a new differential drive tube.
^ Figure 4 shows a spline with 30% wear.
*NOTE:
Early style propeller shafts must be drilled before reinstallation.
14. If installed propeller shaft and drive tube splines are in acceptable condition (less than 30% wear) and require drilling, go to section "Drill Propeller Shaft" below.*
CAUTION:
if there is damage or wear to the drive tube splines outside of the acceptance criteria given in this bulletin, the whole differential assembly must be replaced because the assembly includes a collapsible spacer. The spacer determines the bearing preload and there is currently no acceptable procedure for renewing only the drive tube in service. If an attempt is made to change the drive tube only (i.e. from a new assembly), rapid failure of the differential bearings will occur.
*NOTE:
GTR lookup sequence is as follows:
GTR Home > NAS > Service Information/ LM Range Rover/2004 > Workshop Manuals Service Procedures > Bookmark "54 - FRONT DIFFERENTIAL" > Link" 54.10.01 Differential assembly - left hand drive - V8"
CAUTION:
Procedure for replacement of the front differential has been recently updated. A review of the GTR procedure should be undertaken before any repair is attempted. GTR also contains the alignment procedure outlined later in this bulletin.*
15. If splines of either the front differential or the propeller shaft are determined to be worn by more than 30% (dimension B in Figure 4) of the root thickness of the spline tooth (dimension A in Figure 4), refer to GTR Workshop Manual, Section 54.10.01 and install a new front differential and new propeller-shaft.
CAUTION:
The differential must be filled with approved fluid as specified in the parts listing using exactly 0.8 liters (27 oz). The fill to overflow method in the early RAVE/GTR manuals is no longer correct.