Diff crown gear removal problems

[bLaCkFoXsA]

Hey, so I'm in the process of changing crown gears for my 22 diff, the last job left before the entire rear end can be put together, and in the process of trying to remove the 8 bolts from the donor diff (using a breaker bar and a long piece of tube), I've managed to snap two bolts off inside the gear. At this point i'm about ready to throw the whole lot into the river, but what I want to know is - at this point is the donor gear fubar (having two bolts snapped off inside it) and what the f**k am I doing wrong? This is doing my head in. On the second one I even tried loosening/tightening/loosening more/tightening etc etc, but no good.

[Xauterus]

Have you checked to see whether they are left handed? Lots of Ford Borg warners are left hand thread bolts for the crown wheel.

[bLaCkFoXsA]

yeah they're left handed, got all off but two.. luckily they snapped high enough that when i calmed down and went back to it, i could take off the crown, and only just get a pair of vicegrips around the little section of bolt sticking out to take them out.. new issue though - the pinion and crown i got are a perfect match (from the same car) but now it's all in and it will only turn if i apply a buttload of force to the pinion.. would this just be due to lack of oil?

[allencr]

Lack of oil, NO.
Bearing debris and/or bearing preload and/or gear mesh/contact.

[Xauterus]

If you are going to set it up yourself then you will need to read the manual and follow them exactly. Or drop it to a diff shop and have it set up.

[bLaCkFoXsA]

Gear meshing is fine, as it turns smoothly with no jumping/clicking when it moves... I'm thinking debris maybe, but i'm nervous about trying to force it too much to clear out the gear teeth.. What manual am I looking for? Would details on setting up the diff be in the workshop manual?

[Xauterus]

If you have a decent manual the details for setting up a diff should be in there. You have two major things to set. Gear mesh and backlash, and the bearing preloads. If they are badly set up you can destroy the centre.

[lexsmaz]

I'm guessing you have to high a bearing preload tension on either the pinion bearing or crown wheel bearings or both, if you are not to worried about diff noise, fix it so it turns well & try setting it up your self, but if you want it to last & be quiet, probably better off spending the coin & getting a diff shop to do it ..

[lexsmaz]

Double post ....

[bLaCkFoXsA]

Hmm yeah might just bite the bullet and pay a.specialist.. I'd rather not destroy a clutch/gearbox/drivshaft or crap out a diff the first time I try to drive it!