whats the diff between the diff diffs?(wagon and sedan)

[redrags]

****ed another diff.. my mates got a spare but my vl is a stationwagon im pretty sure its just the centre (theyre both standard 25 spline) .. whenever i ask the wreckers they ask me if its for a wagon.. why is this? can i just put the center straight into the housing? do i need to take the whole diff out to replace the centre?

[walesy]

if its just the center its exactly the same... the reason they will ask you if it is for a wagon is if its the whloe diff housing going in they will have different mounting points

[walesy]

yes the center can go straight into the other housing and no you dont have to take the diff housing out to change the center... you will need a diff spreader tool to get the center back in without breaking the shims that go on either side of the diff center, they break really easy... hope this helps ya

[redrags]

cheers mate.. thats all i needed to know... i dont have a spreader.. my mates giving me his old diff i think im gonna have to change the whole thing coz i dont have the spreader tool... i have 2 broken diffs sitting around so if i were to break these shims could i just replace them with the other ones?
ill keep you posted.. time isnt an issue either

[walesy]

no probs man i have changed the centers before without the tool but its very frustrating when its almost in and they break the shim... ive done it before without breaking them but i think i just got lucky

[redrags]

thanks mate.. i wont even bother trying,, ill probably blow my head gasket... i know my diff and head gasket have nothing to do with eachother but knowing my luck i will haha

[redrags]

so i went and picked up the diff... its exactly the same thanks for the help

[redrags]

heres the instructions how to replace one (stolen)
i did all this but when i jack up my car the diff stays down and i cant get the wheels on

Swapping a VB-VL diff is rather easy to do yourself.
1. Place car on level ground and chock(both in front and behind)the front wheels so that it can't roll in either direction.
2. Jack the rear of the car up and secure it with stands(to body. Not diff).
3. Slide under car and back off the adjustment on the hand brake cable.
4. Remove both rear wheels.
5. Undo the connection between the brake hard line and the flexible brake hose that goes to the diff.(expect about 500ml brake fluid to leak out)
6. Remove the clip that holds the flexible brake hose to the bracket on the body.
7. Undo the bolts attaching the tailshaft to the pinion.
8. Grab the h/brake cable outer(where it goes to the brake backing plate)and pull it forward. To create some slack in the cable.
9. Look in where the cable end attaches to the brake. You should see it hooked onto a lever and held in place by a spring.
Remove the spring, and unhook the cable from the little lever. Then remove the cable from the backing plate.
10. Loosen(don't remove) all 8 bolts that attach the upper and lower trailing arms to the diff and to the body.(Failure to do so may damage the bushes).
11. Remove the panhard rod.
11.5. Take notice of how the end of the rear springs sit into the the lower control arms.
12. Undo the lower rear shock mounts. (NOTE:Support the weight of the diff as you remove these bolts. As it will drop down without them in place).
13. At this point the rear springs will no longer be captive and can be removed.(mark the top end of springs so you know which is the top, when refitting. Yes it matters).
14. Remove lower trailing arm to diff bolts. Then the top ones.
15. Remove diff from under car and replace with new one.

Fitting the diff is the reverse of above. Except for the following;
1. Fit the upper trailing arms to the diff first. Then the lower ones. Note: DO NOT tighten them up at this stage.
2. Fit, but do not tighten any of the trailing arm bolts(neither to body, nor diff)until it's all back together and the car is sitting on it's wheels. Then bounce the car's suspension a few times. To settle it to it's regular position and then tighten them.
If you fail to settle the suspension into it's operating position before you tighten the 8 trailing arm bolts. The bushes will fail prematurely(if not as soon as you drive over a few bumps).
You MUST bleed the rear brakes after it is all back together. Plus readjust the hand brake.