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Quick question: rear diff TR 3/4

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Willie_P

Willie_P

Jedi Hopeful
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reassembling my rear diff this weekend from being "dry" - I kept a little oil in it during the several year restoration and occasionally spun the gears to keep lubed.

however, I've completely cleaned the gears, torque tubes, half shafts, installed new outer bearings and have split the hubs - basically cleaned and/or renewed everything. I'm also installing new outer oil seals.

anyway, before re-inserting the splined ends of the half shafts to the inner differential - should I use any special grease (or any grease at all) on the splined ends? also should i lightly grease or lubricate the insides of the torque tubes?

finally, what recommended diff oil do you guys use?

thanks, wes
 
Wouldn't hurt to lube the splines I guess, but I've always put them in dry. They'll get lubed quickly enough before they see any real load, IMO. It is important to lube the seals & bearings, of course.

I can't see any sense in lubing the tubes as nothing moves against them, but again it wouldn't hurt anything either.

I've been using Valvoline full synthetic gear oil for a lot of years. Seems to work well for me, is readily available ($8/qt @ Autozone last time I bought), and doesn't use the sulfur additive that can corrode the yellow metal thrust washers in TR diffs. The diff in my previous 59 TR3A was already well worn (lots of backlash) when the car came to me, and I drove perhaps 200,000 miles without it getting noticeably worse. YMMV

https://www.valvoline.com/products/consumer-products/grease-gear-oil/gear-oil/59
 
one more question - this time on the rear hubs.

does the outer oil seal (the seal that's between the hub halves) - does the metal face point outward or inward (toward the diff)? the seals I have are the Moss ones, metal face on one side and rubber face on the other side.

thanks.
 
Within the seal you will see a rubber spring pressing against the rubber seal. The spring should be on the inside facing the differential.
 
On that style seal, the inside face (with the spring) always faces the fluids that they are sealing.
 
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