I'm new to this forum. I've searched and read up on the various options for a limited slip rear end and am thinking about going w/ the Auburn.

I have a 2002 screw 4x4 (3x3) w/ 5.4, automatic, and the "one wheel wonder" rearend.

Now, I've torn out, rebuilt, and replaced motors in my old classic car, rebuilt carbs, and rebuilt power steering pumps.

I've heard there are "tolerances" to keep in mind when replacing a rear end diff. Will I be able to do this on my own? Will I need any special tools?

Or, is is just worth the money to have someone else do it?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Don

 

if you have rebuilt a engine you can do it, it would help to have someone there that has done it before to make the process go faster, yes you will need speceal tools, you will need the following, a bearing press a magnetic base dail indicator and a micromiter caliper, these tools alone would cost the price of install, if you do it yourself here is a tip the old bearings you pull off your carrier, grind down the inside of the bearing race so they will fit over the new LS carrier, you can use them as set up bearings untill you get the correct ride and coast pattern on the ring gear, this is a time consuming process you will be pulling the carrier in and out to get the correct shim thickness side to side, it takes me anywere from 2-4 hours per axle to do a ring and pinion and a little less for a carrier change, another tip use the same shim thickness from the old carrier as a starting point, good luck

 

http://www.fullsizegmc.net/fscu/axletech/

step by step instructions with lots of pictures

 

If you don't want to spend all the money on a bearing press, just call around at your local shops and see who gives you best price to press the bearings on for you. I did it on old chevy I used to have (before I saw the light and switched to Ford )

 

You could be ghetto and carefully use a hammer and the old bearing races to install the carrier bearings, I've done this in a pinch but it's highly not recommended. Any local machine shop can press them on for you for a nominal fee. If you're only installing a limited slip diff, all you'll need is a dial indicator to measure backlash after installing the new carrier.

If you're gonna mess with the pinion gear and/or bearings, you'll need an inch-pound beam type torque wrench and a bigass pull handle and some strong friends to help pull the crush sleeve down.

If you're setting up a new ring and pinion, you'll also need the gauge that fits in place of the carrier assembly to determine what thickness shims you'll need to set pinion depth.

 

another ghetto way to install bearings is to throw the carrier and pinion in a freezer overnight, then throw the bearings on a hot plate so they get real hot then you can slide them on with little help of the old bearings and a brass drift, the freezer shrinks the metal and the hotplate expands the metal, good luck