Slippery centre - DIY reassembly?

[addo]

I've got one sitting in a box, loosely bolted. As the diff buildup gets further along (heck, only been five years to date ), I am looking at putting the thing together. Also an excuse to cull more parts on the shelf to the necessary minimum.

My questions for someone who has been there before:

It's a new LSD but with good used side gears/cones. I don't care for the non-shimmable current type. I have a vise, I have tools and a torque wrench. Can I put it together myself or is there some specific tool I'll need? As to assembly lube, will moly grease be OK? It came with some kind of grease in it, but the manuals say gear oil (they're assuming used parts and immediate reassembly into car). Just want to get it set up, and the ring gear on, maybe new bearings pressed onto it.

It'll live in butcher's paper or plastic wrap for a few weeks then.

Love to make a spreader and dummy pinion set, but can't afford $6-700 for seldom-used "toys". So someone else will get to do the setup, but rather they had the least possible to worry about.

So, what're my odds? :roll:

Thanks, Adam.

 

[George]

Adam,

Sounds like you are a perfectionist!!

My advise..slap it together...Shil be right

George

 

[xctasy]

As Backlash said, the later diffs didn't need a spreader, and I don't think they have the falcrum points. They double as transfer lugs. I had the same Ford service manual as you, and it was real spacific about preload, backlash and the spreader was an important part of the process.

I would look to setiing it up to the later specs for any Falcon with a non-crushable spacer, such as the 72 to 92 Falcon Utes.

A BW 78 Salisbury has to be dead on, but as long as you have the righT measureing tools and some prussian blue, you'll go it fine. The Valiant diff springs have a less aggressive diff action than the Ford ones.There breakaway load is only 60 lb-ft, not 80. Fit them if you wan't to cruise without laying down black stripes everywhere.


My old next door neighbour Danny was a Valiant Nut. (Chad Valiant Junior, Alloy Dave, you'll get the joke).

Anyway, he broke 5 of his BW 78'S, although he drove exceptionally hard with a 277 cube Hemi with a 650 Holley, and a host of dropped in Falcon 3.23 diff ratios. All got the Ford cone clutch, and stronger springs, and on the short wheelbase Charger it was like a CIG locker, bl**dy dangeorus, and could spin at obsurdley low speeds. The also tended to lock-up on straights, and under steer like a pig on the first corner, then loosen up. Ford has persisted with this kind of LSD for years, but a Falcon has a wider trake than any Valaint, and is a more stable car.

His latest has been the 3.7:1 Cortina Four into a 1971 VH Charger housing, but still has the Ford LSD.

 

[addo]

The 4 pinion centre is out of a (gasp) Commy. So I don't know squat about the springs.

Yep, George. I am waaay fussy. But being that way gets me work and repeat customers (as well as the odd ratbag).

The housing had to be pried to release the original centre, so I assume this is required for the reassembly. But all that comes after getting the guts together.

Actually, doing car things "by the book" is kind of fun to me. When you do it lots, and can make it happen quickly with no instructions, that scares others watching.

So... Will moly grease react badly with slippery diff oil?

Adam.