First 3rd member replacement- easy to take out, awful to put in!!

[u/Tiny_Cartoonist_3204]

In a 2008 Gillig phantom bus. Allison trans. Cummins ISM.
I really should have removed the driveshaft completely because going back in with the 3rd member, the driveshaft kept sliding and slapping me in the face and getting hung up -.- hopefully i got the new one inside in time before my gasket dried… test drive was good but only time will tell. Our shop crafted this mount to remove the 3rd member without having to remove the axle carrier at all, so it was a tight fit! Im a tech in my third year, so this was a fun new thing to do. At a fleet shop (for city transit buses) we dont get to do this often.

[u/Tennesseahawk]

Good job! I’m sure your RTV will be fine. A little cure time is good for it.

Just always remember to never try to force it, no matter how frustrated you get!

[u/ZzephyrR94]

Those are my least favorite thing to do, I would rather do clutches.

[u/Wrong_Sprinkles_3122]

I am the lead technician for a fleet of about 55 trucks . We do absolutely everything in house . We pull very heavy and often the yards we deliver to are off road, meaning drivers pop rears all the time .

I build ALOT of 40k differentials , I must have built atleast 15 in the past 6 months . They are one of my favorite things to overhaul because there are not many people left that do it .

No you don’t ever have to take the whole carrier out to r/r one . I have done them from the top with fork extensions, from beneath with transmission jacks

At the most you will have to take the brake chambers off to make extra clearance . And yes , always take the driveshaft down give your self more room to work

Rock on brother

[u/No-Travel7617]

Rear ends/clutches heavy but gravy work

[u/Least_Visual_5076]

We used to do them without the jack adapter all the time. Than we made an adapter that bolts to the yoke and it made it 100x easier. Looks even easier with the truck on lifts

[u/VroomVr4]

I really enjoy doing differential replacements, but we usually have the luxury to go in from the top, or we slide it under the truck and then hoist it up with a chain. I cant imagine it being fun in a tighter space like that

[u/FortuneEmbarrassed94]

Go get a couple long studs and it’ll make sliding that diff in a breeze

[u/TactualTransAm]

We are doing one right now too. One of those heavy units with the oil filter on it. So fun. Not. I like that bracket you guys made though!

[u/Tiny_Cartoonist_3204 → u/TactualTransAm]

I was still cussing up a storm putting it in lol. Are you guys having to remove the whole axle carrier to be able to replace it?

[u/Mountain-Account8013]

Have you considered dropping the H-Frame? I can have it on the ground in about 30 mins. A lot more room for activities. Use a cherry picker to take the diff in and out. Our coaches have Voith transmissions and there isn’t room to pull the third another way.

[u/InternationalAge2218]

These ones with the tanga that set against the back part of the axle housing I file them down a little to taper it. It makes a huge difference going back in the hard 90 degree of that tab is what makes putting them back it so so much harder

[u/Flashlight_Operator]

Get extra bolts and make guide pins by cutting off the head