VZ Berlina Wagon open diff to LSD diff change

[mangled]

Hi all,
After 10 years faultless service as a daily driver my VZ V6 Berlina Wagon is changing roles to be an occasional tow car for a shooting outfit. I will be driving some rough and slippery roads and paddocks. I have done a few simple mods to prep the wagon, but getting an LSD diff is important. Traction control off where I go is bad, traction control on is not better - just limits momentum. LSD is the best way forward (I grew up on dirt).

I have an 3.08 LSD to replace the 3.08 open diff. I started the change over but stopped when I couldn't see how on earth the front two top bolts holding the diff centre in could be accessed. There is no way I can get a spanner or socket onto these two bolts - the floor pan slopes up and over them. You can only just touch them by hand & can't get to them from the rear.

I paid $$ for a healthy LSD which is now sitting on my bench. I can't see how to get this new diff in apart from dropping the rear suspension cross member out. I've seen other posts where the diff swap out is explained bolt for bolt - and mechanically it should apply to my car - but I can't see how to get to those two front freakin bolts. Is it a different challenge for a wagon? What the hell am I missing? HELP!

tks
Mike

 

[Immortality]

Have you undone the rear diff mount and lowered the whole diff/cross member a bit?

 

[mangled]

Hi immortality
nope, I didn't do that.

It'd have to come down a hell of a lot to get at the front two bolts from the front of the diff. The wagon floor hugs the diff contour at the front.

So I'm assuming once the the rear diff mount's four bolts are removed the whole shebang will drop enough to get all the way over - from the rear - to the front two bolts?

thanks for the tip
Mike

 

[Towcar]

Have you undone the rear diff mount and lowered the whole diff/cross member a bit?

That is the way, and you may have to undo the anti roll bar to get in there with a ratchet. Actually quite a bit easier to drop in down to get to all 4 bolt.

You'll love the LSD really changes the handling of the cars as well.

 

[Towcar]

Hi immortality
nope, I didn't do that.

It'd have to come down a hell of a lot to get at the front two bolts from the front of the diff. The wagon floor hugs the diff contour at the front.

So I'm assuming once the the rear diff mount's four bolts are removed the whole shebang will drop enough to get all the way over - from the rear - to the front two bolts?

thanks for the tip
Mike

Yes it drops a significant around, and no you don't need to drop the whole rear sub frame out. My car is also a wagon and I have changed the diff twice, once taking the whole sub frame out (not recommended unless you have a few days )

Process should be:
Jack car up and put on stands
Take wheels off.
Undo the cap heads on the drive shafts.
Undo the rear flange
Put jack under the diff.
Take 4 rear diff mount bolts off, taking the weight on the jack.
Lower jack.
Undo the 2 mounting bolts for the roll bar.
undo the 4 diff mounting bolts.

Do back up in reverse, but before jacking the diff all the way back up line the drive shaft flange.