6S center diff installation

[FlipSide]

(I did a search on AF and Youtube without success before posting)

I feel a bit dumb asking for this, but is there a special trick to re-install the center diff in a 6S truck without unscrewing stuff other than the diff mount cover?

I serviced my center diff yesterday evening and I had a hard time re-intalling it. No matter what positions I tried for the dogbones and drive cups, the GKA rear chassis brace was always in the way (and I was afraid of bending the rear dogbone in the process). I did manage to get it back in by tilting the diff (a lot) and pushing it in there, but it wasn't pretty and I am thinking there must be a better way. Removing the plastic H-shaped diff mount would obviously help... It that what you are doing?

I am thinking there must be a way to just push it back in safely that I haven't been able to figure out.

Thanks!

 

[NewSensei]

Not that it's super easy but I've always just pulled it straight up to remove then when going back in you have to put the rear dog bone in and start trying to get the diff in to where you can get the front dog bone in then it's just a matter of pushing it in.

I haven't had to remove anything other than that cap so it's possible

 

[FlipSide]

Thanks! Much appreciated! It's good to know it should get back in without removing anything else.

What you describe is pretty much what I was trying to do, but the rear chassis brace was interfering with the rear dogbone and pushing the dogbone on the brace with (what seemed to be) a lot of force was to be the only way to get the bearings in the diff mount.

I wonder if the GKA chassis braces have less clearance for the dogbone... Maybe I am just ham fisted?

 

[Mr.Duke]

sometimes it’s easier to get the center diff in and out through the top by removing the front (bottom) screw on the rear chassis brace to gain a little more clearance for the rear driveshaft

 

[FlipSide]

sometimes it’s easier to get the center diff in and out through the top by removing the front (bottom) screw on the rear chassis brace to gain a little more clearance for the rear driveshaft

Yes, that's indeed more clever than removing the H-shaped diff mount! Thanks!

 

[Crewchief227]

Thanks! Much appreciated! It's good to know it should get back in without removing anything else.

What you describe is pretty much what I was trying to do, but the rear chassis brace was interfering with the rear dogbone and pushing the dogbone on the brace with (what seemed to be) a lot of force was to be the only way to get the bearings in the diff mount.

I wonder if the GKA chassis braces have less clearance for the dogbone... Maybe I am just ham fisted?

I had/have GKA & M2C braces. Both make driveshaft clearence difficult, but the m2c was better. I just took a file and sloped the top of the notch so the driveshaft clear.??