3.55 differential complete

You might recall from earlier posts the 3.55 differential upgrade has been a piecemeal project. I purchased the (rebuilt) differential and output shafts from UK sellers, and a Lotus aluminum differential cover from a local enthusiast. Everything has been inspected, cleaned and repainted. Now it's time to put it all together.

A quick word about the output shafts. Many sources state it is important to reinstall the output shafts on the same side of the car because the splines are stressed in those directions. The seller was kind enough to mark the shafts with "N" (nearside) and "O" (offside). On this side of the pond, the nearside would be the passenger's side.

The first output shaft went in fairly easy. I used my finger to apply a liberal amount of grease inside the differential flanges, and around the outside of the bearings. A few light taps with a ball peen hammer and everything slide into place. The outside retaining clip snapped in.

The second output shaft took about an hour of gentle "persuasion" to install. I also had to use some touch-up paint because the hammer & ring pliers scraped the red off.

Here's the finished result:

I also painted and installed a chassis stiffening bar.

Another project complete & ready to go on the car.