Nissan Pathfinder (2008 year). Manual - part 220

DLN-344

< REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION >

[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

6.

Support the front final drive assembly using a suitable jack.

7.

Remove the front final drive assembly bolts, then remove the
front final drive assembly.

CAUTION:

Support the front final drive assembly while removing using
a suitable jack.

INSTALLATION

Installation is in the reverse order of removal.
• Install new side oil seals into the front final drive assembly. Refer to 

DLN-341, "Removal and Installation"

.

CAUTION:

• Make sure there are no pinched or restricted areas on the breather hose caused by folding or bend-

ing when installing it.

• Fill the front final drive assembly with differential gear oil after installation. Refer to 

DLN-338

.

WDIA0145E

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

DLN-345

< DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

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DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

Disassembly and Assembly

INFOID:0000000001297281

COMPONENTS

1.

Drive pinion lock nut

2.

Companion flange

3.

Front oil seal

4.

Drive pinion front bearing

5.

Gear carrier

6.

Side oil seal

7.

Bushing

8.

Differential side shaft

9.

Differential side shaft bearing

10. Snap ring

11.

Snap ring

12. Gasket

13. Drain plug

14. Collapsible spacer

15. Drive pinion rear bearing

16. Drive pinion height adjusting washer 17. Drive pinion

18. Side bearing adjusting washer

19. Side bearing

20. Side gear thrust washer

21. Side gear

22. Pinion mate shaft

23. Lock pin

24. Pinion mate gear

25. Pinion mate thrust washer

26. Drive gear

27. Differential case

WDIA0265E

DLN-346

< DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

ASSEMBLY INSPECTION AND ADJUSTMENT

• Drain the differential gear oil before inspection and adjustment. Refer to 

DLN-338

.

• Remove and install the carrier cover as necessary for inspection and adjustment. Refer to 

DLN-342

.

Total Preload Torque

1.

Install the differential side shaft if necessary. Refer to 

DLN-341, "Removal and Installation"

.

CAUTION:

The differential side shaft must be installed in order to measure total preload torque. 

2.

Rotate the drive pinion back and forth 2 to 3 times to check for unusual noise and rotation malfunction.

3.

Rotate the drive pinion at least 20 times to check for smooth operation of the bearings.

4.

Measure total preload torque using Tool.

NOTE:
Total preload torque = Drive pinion bearing preload torque +
Side bearing preload torque

• If the measured value is out of the specification, check and adjust each part. Adjust the drive pinion

bearing preload torque first, then adjust the side bearing preload torque.

CAUTION:

Select a side bearing adjusting washer for right and left individually.

Drive Gear Runout

1.

Fit a dial indicator to the drive gear back face.

2.

Rotate the drive gear to measure runout.

• If the runout is outside of the limit, check the condition of the drive

gear assembly. Foreign material may be caught between the drive
gear and differential case, or the differential case or drive gear may
be deformed.

CAUTION:

Replace drive gear and drive pinion as a set.

Tooth Contact

28. Housing spacer

29. Side bearing cap

30. Filler plug

31. Carrier cover

Tool number

: ST3127S000 (J-25765-A)

Total preload torque:

1.67 - 2.74 N·m (0.17 - 0.27 kg-m, 15 - 24 in-lb)

PDIA0697E

If the total preload torque is greater than specification

On drive pinion bearings:

Replace the collapsible spacer.

On side bearings:

Use thinner side bearing adjusting washers by the same 
amount on each side. Refer to 

DLN-364, "Inspection and Adjust-

ment"

.

If the total preload torque is less than specification

On drive pinion bearings:

Tighten the drive pinion lock nut.

On side bearings:

Use thicker side bearing adjusting washers by the same 
amount on each side. Refer to 

DLN-364, "Inspection and Adjust-

ment"

.

Runout limit:

0.08 mm (0.0031 in) or less

SPD886

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

DLN-347

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[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

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1.

Apply red lead to the drive gear.
NOTE:
Apply red lead to both faces of three to four gears, at four loca-
tions evenly spaced on the drive gear.

2.

Rotate the drive gear back and forth several times. Then check
for correct drive pinion to drive gear tooth contact as shown.

CAUTION:

Check tooth contact on drive side and reverse side.

• If the tooth contact is improperly adjusted, adjust the drive pin-

ion height (dimension X).

- If the tooth contact is near the face (face contact), or near the

heel (heel contact), use a thicker drive pinion height adjusting
washer to move drive pinion closer to the drive gear.
Refer to 

DLN-364, "Inspection and Adjustment"

.

SPD357

SDIA0570E

SDIA0517E

PDIA0440E

DLN-348

< DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

- If the tooth contact is near the flank (flank contact), or near the

toe (toe contact), use a thinner drive pinion height adjusting
washer to move the drive pinion farther from the drive gear.
Refer to 

DLN-364, "Inspection and Adjustment"

.

Backlash

1.

Fit a dial indicator to the drive gear face to measure the back-
lash.

• If the backlash is outside of the specification, change the thick-

ness of the side bearing adjusting washers.

CAUTION:

Do not change the total thickness of side bearing adjusting washers as it will change the side
bearing preload torque.

Companion Flange Runout

1.

Rotate companion flange and check for runout on the compan-
ion flange face (inner side of the bolt holes) and companion
flange inner side (socket diameter) using suitable tool.

2.

If the runout is outside the runout limit, follow the procedure
below to adjust.

a.

Rotate the companion flange on the drive pinion by 90

°

, 180

°

and 270

°

 while checking for the position where the runout is

minimum.

b.

If the runout is still outside of the runout limit after the companion
flange has been rotated on the drive pinion, possible cause could be an assembly malfunction of drive pin-
ion and drive pinion bearing or a malfunctioning drive pinion bearing.

c.

If the runout is still outside of the runout limit after repair of the assembly of drive pinion and drive pinion
bearing or drive pinion bearing, replace the companion flange.

DISASSEMBLY

Differential side shaft

1.

Drain the differential gear oil if necessary.

PDIA0441E

Backlash:

0.10 - 0.15 mm (0.0039 - 0.0059 in)

If the backlash is greater than specification:

Make side bearing adjusting washer thicker on drive 
gear back side, and side bearing adjusting washer 
thinner on drive gear tooth side by the same amount. 
Refer to 

DLN-364, "Inspection and Adjustment"

.

If the backlash is less than specification:

Make side bearing adjusting washer thinner on drive 
gear back side, and side bearing adjusting washer 
thicker on drive gear tooth side by the same amount. 
Refer to 

DLN-364, "Inspection and Adjustment"

.

SPD513

Runout limit:

0.1 mm (0.004 in) or less

SDIA2078E

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

DLN-349

< DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

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2.

Remove the carrier cover bolts and separate the carrier cover
from the gear carrier using Tool.

CAUTION:

• Do not damage the mating surface.
• Do not insert flat-bladed screwdriver, this will damage the

mating surface.

3.

Remove side oil seal.

CAUTION:

Do not damage gear carrier.

4.

Remove snap ring (hole side) using suitable tool.

5.

Remove differential side shaft assembly out of gear carrier using
suitable tool.
NOTE:
Tap on differential side shaft assembly from side gear side.

6.

Remove snap ring (differential side shaft side).

7.

Press differential side shaft out of differential side shaft bearing.

CAUTION:

Do not drop differential side shaft.

Tool number

: KV10111100 (J-37228)

PDIA0699E

PDIA0713E

PDIA0714E

PDIA0715E

PDIA0718E

DLN-350

< DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

Differential Assembly

1.

Remove differential side shaft assembly. Refer to 

DLN-341, "Removal and Installation"

.

2.

Remove side seal from gear carrier using suitable tool.

3.

For proper reinstallation, paint matching marks on one side of
the side bearing cap and gear carrier.

CAUTION:

• For matching marks, use paint. Do not damage side bear-

ing cap or gear carrier.

• Side bearing caps are line-board during manufacture. The

matching marks are used to reinstall them in their original
positions.

4.

Remove the side bearing caps.

5.

Lift the differential case assembly out of the gear carrier.

CAUTION:

• Keep side bearing outer races together with side bearing

inner races. Do not mix them up.

• Keep side bearing adjusting washers together with side

bearings.

6.

Remove housing spacer.

7.

Remove side bearing inner race using Tools as shown.

CAUTION:

• Do not remove side bearing inner race unless it is being

replaced.

• Place copper plates between the vise and the side bearing

inner race and drive gear to prevent damage.

PDIA0700E

PDIA0701E

SPD919

Tool number

 A: ST33051001 (J-22888-20)

 B: ST33061000 (J-8107-2)

PDIA0827E

FRONT FINAL DRIVE

DLN-351

< DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

[FRONT FINAL DRIVE: R180A]

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• Keep side bearing outer races together with side bearing

inner races. Do not mix them up.

8.

For proper reinstallation, paint matching marks on the differential
case and drive gear.

CAUTION:

Use paint for matching marks. Do not damage differential
case or drive gear.

9.

Remove the drive gear bolts.

10. Tap the drive gear off the differential case using suitable tool.

CAUTION:

Tap evenly all around to keep drive gear from bending.

11. Remove the lock pin of the pinion mate shaft from the drive gear

side using suitable tool.

12. Remove the pinion mate shaft.

13. Turn the pinion mate gear, then remove the pinion mate gear,

pinion mate thrust washer, side gear and side gear thrust
washer from the differential case.

SPD022

PDIA0496E

SPD025

SDIA0031J

SDIA0032J