The Triumph 2000/2500/2.5 Register Forum

Took my car out for the first time this year and within 2 miles the diff started to make a terrible row. Now looking for a replacement and some hints on how easy or hard it is to remove and replace.

Hi David,
It isn't a major job to change the diff, but if you are lying on your back, they soon get quite heavy
It is a lot easier with a pit / lift with the assistance of a transmission jack.
Both drive shafts and propshaft are best removed for the time it takes. If you don't remove them, the prop and drive shaft flanges can foul the diff flanges on reassembly just making things more awkward. Good time to check the UJs whilst they're off! The exhaust mountings at the rear need to be loosened to allow the exhaust to move sufficiently to avoid straining the joints.
If you want to change the diff complete with the nose and subframe mounting bracket still attached to the diff, then it is more awkward than splitting the diff at the four front nose bolts. The lip on the lower side of each subframe section means that the diff and nose bracket have to be lifted over the box sections. To facilitate this, it is easier to loosen the bolts for both the subframe bushes, and let the weight of the diff help to lower the centre of the subframe. It needs to be wedged in a position to allow the nose to be lifted over the subframe (if that makes sense?). If you don't loosen the bushes, it puts a lot of strain on the bushes themselves. To ensure their correct positioning on refitting, there will be marks on the underside of the body which will indicate where the top of the bush was originally positioned. Equally with the antivibration straps.
Alternatively separate both diffs at the 4 bolts at the nose, and slide each off the splines and refit the new one to the existing nose/ bracket. There is no gasket between the two mating surfaces.
If you struggle finding a replacement diff, then I may have a good spare, but I would have to check. One issue is that there is a good distance between us re. any collection, and a courier may be relatively costly.

A very helpful and detailed reply John, as is expected from you !
I will now go and lie on my back and study all that you describe and just see what I am letting myself in for.
No hurry but when you have the time to look maybe let me know if you do have a suitable diff and your price for it. I am happy to pay courier costs as there is really no practical alternative.
This is so frustrating as I have just got everything else working so well, with the "new" engine bedded in and performing as I hoped.
I am about to fit and anti roll bar to the front and am using an MGB bar. Looking at CW,s kit the one he supplies (used) looks remarkably like an MGB arb !

Have you got the anti roll bar parts you need? If not (as you will no doubt know) you will need the cross member (there are different ones depending on the age of the car), the tie bars, drop links, the ARB itself and the clamps / bushes. If you need any of the parts, I have used ones, although I would recommend getting new drop links.

Thank you John but at the moment I am going to make all the modifications my self. If I run into problems I will no doubt get back to you.

I hope it all goes well! Let us know how it progresses!

Just to add to johnnydog's excellent reply, if you are going to remove the diff C/W front nosepiece, disconnect the hand brake cable at one rear wheel. If you don't the whole lot hangs on the cable and pulls on both rear brakes!

Cheers,
Mike.

Good point Mike, which forgot to mention!