So I have a rear diff making 'orrible moises ... got a donor axle with only 48k on it (mine's 117k) and intended to use the diff, so thought I'd get ahead of the game and replace the oil seal and what a feckin' carry on!
Half shafts came out fine and look the dogs, no scoring or wear marks on the bearing surfaces and wheel bearings and nuts etc as clean as clean things that have just been cleaned twice. All looked good so undid all the diff nuts, took diff assembly out and it all looks hunky dory, so dropped it back on the axle after cleaning mating surfaces so I could work on the oil seal more easily.
Couldn't get the centralising plug out, absolutely solid, Plus Gas, three leg puller etc etc so eventually had to use the grinding wheel to cut the drive flange and bash with a percussion device till it bent enough to allow the plug to drop out. So now I need a rear diff drive (3-point to fit a rubber cush donut type thing) flange.
Bloody RCV doesn't open till tomorrow ...
Ah well, it all still looks good, but why is it that the simplest (should be) parts of the job are the ones that feck up the most ?