quote:Originally posted by Bosswrench:
The advantage to leaving the diff' in the cases, besides the risk of loosing parts, getting dirt inside, replacing gaskets etc is, you can stuff a shop rag into the ring/pinion gear mesh so the wrench torque is taken up. Trying to hold a differential on a bench even in a vise while torquing all those bolts is a problem not easily beaten unless you make up a jig.
Incidently, removing those half-height metric allen bolts without stripping the heads is often easier if you clamp a vice-grip on each bolt-head and use that along with a metric allen wrench to untighten them. FWIW, 0.032" dia stainless aircraft safety wire is what most guys use. I've seen some ZFs that used much larger OD wire and its apparently not stainless. The drilled bolt-heads are most conveniently wired together in pairs and it CAN be done in-place by progressively rotating the ring gear to the cut-out portion of the ZF case for working clearance. To each his own....
Is there enough space to get the torque wrench and socket inside the case keeping the differential mounted in place? I'm thinking 1/2" Torque wrench with socket. Could always modify a socket as well.