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Nissan Pathfinder (2007 year). Manual - part 253

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

FFD-17

FFD

2007 Pathfinder

Tooth Contact

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.

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

FFD-35, "Drive Pinion Height Adjusting Washer"

SPD357

SDIA0570E

SDIA0517E

PDIA0440E

FFD-18

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

2007 Pathfinder

–

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

FFD-35, "Drive Pinion Height Adjusting Washer"

Backlash

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

●

If the backlash is outside of the specification, change the
thickness 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

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.

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

Rotate the companion flange on the drive pinion by 90

, 180

and 270

while checking for the position where the runout is

minimum.

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 pinion and drive pinion bearing or a malfunctioning drive pinion
bearing.

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

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

FFD-35, "Side Bearing Adjusting Washer"

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

FFD-35, "Side Bearing Adjusting Washer"

SPD513

Runout limit:

0.1 mm (0.004 in) or less

SDIA2078E

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

FFD-19

FFD

2007 Pathfinder

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.

Remove side oil seal.

CAUTION:

Do not damage gear carrier.

Remove snap ring (hole side) using suitable tool.

Remove differential side shaft assembly out of gear carrier using
suitable tool.

NOTE:
Tap on differential side shaft assembly from side gear side.

Remove snap ring (differential side shaft side).

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

FFD-20

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

2007 Pathfinder

Differential Assembly

Remove differential side shaft assembly. Refer to

FFD-18, "Differential side shaft"

Remove side seal from gear carrier using suitable tool.

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.

Remove the side bearing caps.

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.

Remove housing spacer.

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 bear-
ing 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 ASSEMBLY

FFD-21

FFD

2007 Pathfinder

●

Keep side bearing outer races together with side bearing
inner races. Do not mix them up.

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.

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

FFD-22

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

2007 Pathfinder

Drive Pinion Assembly

Remove the differential assembly. Refer to

FFD-20, "Differential Assembly"

Remove the drive pinion lock nut using Tool.

Put matching marks on the companion flange and drive pinion
using paint.

CAUTION:

Use paint to make the matching marks. Do not damage the
companion flange or drive pinion.

Remove the companion flange using suitable tool.

Press the drive pinion assembly (with rear inner bearing race
and collapsible spacer) out of the gear carrier.

CAUTION:

Do not drop drive pinion assembly.

Remove the drive pinion rear bearing inner race and drive pinion
height adjusting washer using Tool.

Tool number

: KV38108300 (J-44195)

PDIA0702E

PDIA0703E

PDIA0704E

Tool number

: ST30031000 (J-22912-01)

S-PD179

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

FFD-23

FFD

2007 Pathfinder

Remove the front oil seal using suitable tool.

CAUTION:

Do not damage gear carrier.

Remove the drive pinion front bearing inner race.

Remove the drive pinion front and rear bearing outer races by
tapping them uniformly using suitable tool.

CAUTION:

Do not damage gear carrier.

INSPECTION AFTER DISASSEMBLY

Clean the disassembled parts. Then inspect the parts for wear or damage. If wear or damage are found, follow
the measures below.

Drive Pinion and Drive Gear

●

If the drive pinion and drive gear teeth do not mesh or line-up correctly, determine the cause and adjust,
repair, or replace as necessary.

●

If the drive pinion or drive gear are worn, cracked, damaged, pitted or chipped (by friction) noticeably,
replace with new drive pinion and drive gear.

●

Drive pinion and drive gear are supplied in matched sets only. Matching numbers on both drive pinion and
drive gear are etched for verification. If a new drive pinion and drive gear set are being used, verify the
numbers of each drive pinion and drive gear before proceeding with assembly.

Bearing

●

If bearings are chipped (by friction), pitted, worn, rusted, scratched, or unusual noise is coming from bear-
ing, replace with new bearing assembly (as a new set).

●

Bearing must be replaced with a new one whenever disassembled.

Side Gear and Pinion Mate Gear

●

If any cracks or damage are found on the surface of the teeth, replace with new one.

●

If any worn or chipped marks are found on the side of the side gear and pinion mate gear which contact
the thrust washer, replace with new one.

●

Replace both side gear and pinion mate gear as a set when replacing side gear or pinion mate gear.

Side Gear Thrust Washer and Pinion Mate Thrust Washer

●

If any chips (by friction), damage, or unusual wear are found, replace with new one.

Gear Carrier

●

If any wear or cracks are found on the contact sides of gear carrier, replace with new one.

Companion Flange

●

If any chips (about 0.1mm, 0.004 in) or other damage on the companion flange surface which contacts the
front oil seal lips are found, replace with new one.

PDIA0716E

PDIA0705E

FFD-24

FRONT FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY

2007 Pathfinder

ADJUSTING AND SELECTING WASHERS
Side Gear Back Clearance

●

Assemble the differential parts if they are disassembled. Refer to

FFD-30, "Differential Assembly"

Place the differential case straight up so that the side gear to be
measured is upward.

Using feeler gauges, measure the clearance between the side
gear back and differential case at three different points, while
rotating the side gear. Average the three readings to calculate
the clearance. (Measure the clearance of the other side as well.)

●

If the side gear back clearance is outside of the specification,
use a thicker or thinner side gear thrust washer to adjust.
Refer to

FFD-35, "Side Gear Thrust Washer"

CAUTION:

●

Insert feeler gauges with the same thickness on both
sides to prevent side gear from tilting.

●

Each gear should rotate smoothly without excessive
resistance during differential motion.

●

Select a side gear thrust washer for right and left individ-
ually.

NOTE:
Side gear back clearance is clearance between side gear and differential case for adjusting side gear
backlash.

Drive Pinion Height

Make sure all parts are clean and that the bearings are well lubricated.

Assemble the drive pinion bearings onto the Tool.

PDIA0460E

Side gear back clearance:

0.1 mm (0.004 in) or less.

If the side gear back clearance is greater than
specification:

Use a thicker side gear thrust washer.

If the side gear back clearance is less than
specification:

Use a thinner side gear thrust washer.

PDIA0576E

Tool number

—

(J-34309)

SPD769

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