Baldy

My hands hurt, cuts all over. My hips are really bruised on both sides from laying on concrete. My neck hurts from holding up my head while on my back for 4 hours. And all the muscles in my upper body that I didn't know I had ache.



I was trying to swap out my differential for an LSD. The old one came out with the assistance of a hammer, flat pry bar, and a steel rod that was once used to hold up the 20-year-old ceiling fan that used to be in the living room. The "new" one turned out to be heavier the the old, which made things more difficult. After wrangling this thing for awhile, I started to try a different approach. Attach the front diff mount to the subframe first, then try to get the LSD in. I was in the process of doing this when the screams of mercy from all muscles got too loud to bear.



So before I try to finish this tonight, what's the best way to get the diff in? I removed all the bolts on my subframe except the ones that hold in the rear alignment adjuster thingy. I have the rear mounting bolts on the diff in already, and the diff mount bolted to the subframe. This is where I stand. Am I on the right track?

banzaitoyota

I drop the whole subframe, raise it back up using a 3 ton jack in the center and 2 mazda jacks on each side to stabilise. Be safe

Baldy

The two bolts I didn't remove, there seemed to be no room for them to move out. There's space for the nut to come off, but for the bolt to slide out, there's something in the way. I don't remember what, I just know that it wasn't going to move (some steel support or something).



Yeah, I'm constantly paranoid of everything coming down at once for some odd reason. Many times I was at a position where, if the diff came down, one of the "arms" of it would've landed right in my crotch. So I was really aware of everything thing I did, and everything I touched.



Oh, and in case you were wondering, "7 bolts" because there are 7 bolts holding this thing in. (2 rear, 3 to the front mount, and 2 holding front mount to the subframe)

j9fd3s

yeah its a beeech of a job to do!

Baldy

I shall conquer it though. And when it's rolling again, I'll beat the **** out of it until it knows who's boss! (hence my reason for not having turbo, I'd kill it)

pengaru

i just use a big piece of wood that span from the diff housing to the low center part of the subframe, and put a floor jack in the middle of the two on the wood... for me it's the rubber front diff mount that makes it a pain, if you let it flex while you're installing the subframe+diff assembly up into the car, the holes don't line up with the studs because it's shorter than when straight... hence the wood spanning the two.



once you get it all lined up and balanced it goes right in like cake by just lifting the jack...

mazdaspeed7

You should put the diff mount on the diff first, then attach it to the subframe, and raise both together up onto the 4 studs. Get all 4 nuts started to support the weight of it, connect the camber link, then tighten it all down.



One thing I did, instead of the 3 jacks was use jackstands under the ends of the subframe. I jacked it up from the middle, and raised the jackstands in increments. If the subframe fell, it would only fall to the jackstands.

Baldy

Hmmm, I think my problem is getting the subframe down. I currently have the rear of the car on ramps. Is that my problem? Would putting it on jackstands help the subframe fall? I know I'm missing something here.

mazdaspeed7

Put the back on jackstands. It will make life much easier.

rowtareh

So this whole Limited Slip Diff "mod"? Is it really worth having after all this work that you are describing?



I have considered it, but I have not really seen what is the purpose of doing it.



Thanks