Installing Quaife ATB in to F20

[iainel]

I can't find any info on the net about doing this, and local gearbox specialists sound useless on the phone.

Fitting new bearings to the diff - proper press required or a DIY job with a gentle hammer tap?

Tensioning it with the big castle nut - pro job, can I use the original measurement from when I removed it, or backing off once tight suffice?

Also there's what I believe is the speedo gear, how is that removed from the standard diff?

Cheers!

[DarrenH]

not a definitive guide, but its descriptive and many pictures...

DarrenHs' GTE16v, second edition it carries over to page 19

bearings can be drifted onto the diff with a hammer + punch, swapping sides regularly, only hit the INNER race, i.e the bit touching the diff. castle nut, mark it with the standard diff and use that as a *guide*, you set it like rear wheel bearings, tight enough to eliminate play, but not tight enough to drag.

drive gear i'd suggest buying a new one as the old one will shatter if you pry it off. alternatively sit that side of the diff submerged in a tray of boiling water, it will soften up the nylon and come off ok.

[iainel]

Excellent info Darren, cheers. Will buy a new speedo gear from Vauxhall and see how much the bearings are too while I'm there.

Castle nut has been removed, marked it and counted the turns so I'll use that as a guide.

Good to know the crownwheel bolts are 85Nm, although I 'tested' mine with my torque wrench and they only seemed to move around 130Nm. Assume the bolts don't need changing?

So those spacers are required if the driveshaft doesn't fully butt-up to the diff when engaged?

[corsadonk]

This is my guide.
How to fit a Quaife ATB in a F20.

[iainel]

Woo so there is info out there! Yep I'm happy now, will get the bits I need and crack on. Thanks corsadonk.

Only thing that concerns me now is the spacers. Just measured mine up and the Quaife diff is thinner than the standard diff that came out, and when the shaft is engaged with the standard diff it's right up against it. So do I need these spacers?

[corsadonk]

I don't think so bud, I just did up the nut till it didn't wobble, the speedeo drive and all still lined up.

[iainel]

Yeah I think the bearings sit in the same place, but looking at the pics of Darren's there's spacers that ensure the shafts sit in the right place. Although I guess they'll be held in with the circlip... Will give Quaife a call tomorrow.

[iainel]

Standard diff is 130mm wide. Quaife one is 125mm wide. (rough measurements)

Fitted the shafts (without circlips) - one goes in all the way and one sits 2.5mm out?! Darren did yours sit out on both sides?

[DarrenH]

yep, had a spacer for both inner cv joints

i think its normal to need more torque to undo old bolts, than to install them.

[iainel]

Cheers for your help Darren. Just tried mine in with the circlips and they both stick out a few mm, the guys at Quaife have no idea what I'm talking about so I've emailed them a few of your pics to explain, hope you don't mind.

[DarrenH]

yeah i had the same issue, when you start talking about driveshaft spacers they enter into F28 mode and start going on about bearing shims. someone knew what i was on about though as they turned up next day in the post !

[iainel]

Haha sounds the same, he even tried telling me that I had an F28. Err no I think it's an F20! He's forwarded the pics on to his techies so see what they come back with.

[iainel]

Received my spacers from Quaife today, do they slot on like this? (Tapered bit over the rounded bit of the CV)



Trial fitted it to the diff and there's about 1mm gap now, expected it to fill it completely?!



Edit: after improving the shape of the inner circlip, the shaft stays in quite firmly now with minimal movement

[DarrenH]

thats it, perfect. theres a radius on the cv stub, and the spacer is cut back on one side to sit over it.

glad to know they still have them because i need another diff soon !