rebuilding differentials..

[savageX]

i am planing on removing my diffs and having them powder coated..i know from asking that i have to pull everything out of the diffs..i have never done this and have no idea if it is a hard job to do.has anybody ever done this? i have no issues with them beside outer rust which isnt even that bad..i just hate rust and would like to stop it from getting worse..anyway the knuckles themselves should be pretty smooth and polished but how would i go about getting the knuckle back to what it is sapoused to look like?and what parts should i be changing while its apart..up to now i have no issues with mechanical parts on my diffs but will be changing the breathers and gaskets and oil obviously..and advice would help and be appreciated..i had found a thread some time ago on this topic but havnt been able to track it down lately

thank

savage

 

[Mtbcoach]

Which topic are you looking for? The FAQ is extremely comprehensive and has all you need for a knuckle rebuild, parts for doing such and an excellent "how to" threads.

Regarding tearing down the 3rd's for powdercoating, the FSM would be your best bet.

You are planning on powdercoating the 3rd and/or the whole axle housing, is this a SEMA show truck, a Barrett-Jackson auction vehicle? From my experience, way overkill and a lot of work for little return. The metal would need to be sandblasted or chemically stripped, treated, baked, stripped again, treated and baked until the metal is clean enough to accept the powdercoat without having any contaminants ruin the coating.

I have a powder coating system and even the smallest amount of oil/grease in the metal will "boil" out when cooked at ~450F for the curing time.

I spent the time with a wire wheel, Scothbrite disk, acetone and patience, coated with a good coat of Rustoleum flat black and found very good results. Just my 2 cents...

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[KLF]

Powdercoating is waay to much trouble for a diff. Like you said, it would all have to be completely taken apart, which means new seals, stake nuts, crush sleeves, and you'll likely get the "while I'm in here..." disease and replace all the bearings. If you're not re-gearing or have nothing to fix, then it's not worth it.

Give it a good pressure wash before removing with degreaser soap. Mask off the gasket face, then tape a plastic grocery bag over the inner guts, then set it over a 5 gal bucket on a couple of boards. Lots of brake clean and clean rags. Then a primer coat of Rustoleum, and a few coats of satin black. Re-install.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

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That's about as fancy as I'd ever want to go on a diff