I’m going to be replacing the front and rear differentials, along with all 4 wheel bearings and and the intermediate driveshafts bearings.

I’m pondering doing the driveshafts too so the drivetrain is entirely new and whine free on my 2007 Supercharged.

I’ve looked through the workshop manual in the Wiki several times but I cannot see the instructions on how to change the diffs.

Has anyone done this before and can share any hints/tips/pointers?

Thanks,
David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Have you priced this up yet David?

I’ve got everything here already other then the driveshafts.

I’ve been buying things as I’ve found them as New Old Stock. Both diffs and 4 wheel bearings were around a grand.

I’m just trying to figure out if this is something that I can do on our 4 post ramp or if I’m going to have to admit defeat or use it as an excuse to buy a 2 poster  2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Wow, you've done well there David... The last rear diff I priced up was £3k+

Might make for a bigger job in terms of refurbishing extra things you might find, but for the rear I would suggest dropping the entire rear subframe out and off the car, give you lots of access for everything  .
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Are the diffs in new casings or is it the inners that you are changing with new Carrier bearings? If it’s the inners you will need to set back lash and make sure the gears mesh correctly.

Ide of though it would be more preferable with a 2 post lift unless you can jack the body high enough on the 4 poster to slide the complete rear end out.

The new diff comes as a complete assembly other then the locking motor and gears thankfully.

I believe you can remove just the diff without needing to remove the entire back end but am unsure how and unfortunately it doesn't seem to be covered in the manual.

A friend of mine has Auto Data and says that he'll have a look in that for me.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

The new unit:



Picture taken from Google  2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

That makes it much more straight forward even if it can be done in place it would be an idea of dropping the rear frame and changing all the bushes at the same time

That’s a good point Pete. Will see how we go.

The rear diff looks like it’s just 4 bolts that bolt it to the car.

The front one looks like a sod as it’s bolted to the side of the sump. I’m not sure if that one can be done without dropping the front subframe.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

I’ve got the car in the workshop just now.

Changing the rear diff actually looks very simple once the prop shaft and the driveshafts are removed.

The front one looks pretty awkward though unfortunately and isn’t covered at all in the workshop manual. Anybody ever done one before or have access to the instructions?

Thanks
David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Hi David.
You need to partially strip both sides of the front suspension so you can get the drive shafts out. If they will come out off the hubs happy days, if not I have done them by removing the calliper and disc to save weight, undo both suspension arms at the subframe, disconnect the track rod end and the two bolts on the suspension strut, also don’t forget the 10mm height sensor and pipe work / wires then remove the whole unit in one along worth the drive shaft, you will also have to disconnect the anti roll bar and swing it out of the way to give more access. Once that’s done remove the prop shaft, undo the bolts holding the diff to the engine block, then get a pry bar and lever it off the location dowels. It will then wiggle out through the opening in the subframe.
Watch your fingers doing this as its heavy and Will trap them, (ask me how I know).
Rebuild is simply the reverse, taking care not to trap the o ring seal that sits against the engine block.
I have done them on both 2 and 4 poster ramps.
Good luck

Thanks Dave

Massively appreciate that! It was how it came out from where it resides that was bothering me so brilliant to know it’ll slide out fairly easily!

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Thanks again for the advice, Dave.

Stripped both front hubs down today, didn't have a 36mm 12 point socket that would fit the impact gun so have taken the hubs and shafts as one just now and have ordered a socket.

Am going to be replacing the bearings whilst it's stripped so will try and split them when the socket arrives.

Have got a hydraulic ram that I should be able to attach via a selection of it's attachment to the wheel studs and push the shafts out if they're jammed.

New diff is ready to go back in once I've given everything a good clean. I ran out of degreaser today so will be reassembling one evening this week or next weekend.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

A rear open diff is heavy but the e-diff is even more so. My son and I swapped my original open diff for an e-diff without a hoist, using 2 jacks and timber to progressively lower then raise the diffs. Stretching the hubs far enough apart to get the half-shafts in without damaging the new seals wasn't much fun either.