Series 2 Special tool 530105 (Differential crown wheel : pinion backlash setting)

G'day folks,

I was wondering if any one has ever come across a new version / alternative version of 530105

This is a spanner that fits into the slots of the serrated nuts in a differential - to allow you to adjust the backlash / crown wheel position with respect to the pinion gear.

I'm quite sure many have just used a hammer and a punch to do this and ****ted the parts about. I DO NOT WANT TO DO THIS!

So I'm looking for either

1) an original tool (this request might get out of hand but remember this is not the off topic forum!)

2) an equivalent Land Rover tool - did Land Rover update the special tool number 530105 to something else?

3) an "industry" equivalent

Thanks in advance for any positive help that can be given (!)

I use a C-spanner, ground the pins to suit ..

... and a hammer/punch before I properly looked at it! It's not too bad really, 'cos you have to slightly undo the cap bolts to get it to turn at all anyway, then re-tighten each time.

Just found this.........



I have never seen one of these tools and never been able to find one to buy so, like most people, I have been forced to make one. You will need some masking tape, a hub box spanner (the one you use for removing hub bearings) and an angle grinder. Spray paint can and metal file will be useful for smartening it all up.


Bearing Adjustment Nut Spanner Rover Differential
Making Your Own Spanner-differential
To make my own Bearing Adjusting Nut Tool I have modified my hub box spanner to be duel use. One end is still a normal hub box spanner used for replacing wheel bearings but the other has been modified to fit the bearing adjustment nut.


Bearing Adjustment Nut Spanner Rover Differential
First, we put some masking tape around the round end of the hub box spanner so we can make clear pencil markings and put this end up against the bearing adjustment nut on one side of the differential (you may choose to remove it if you can to make this easier). Mark out three equally spaced gaps from the bearing adjustment nut and shade out the remaining space for cutting and removal.


Bearing Adjustment Nut Spanner Rover Differential
Cut using and angle grinder (or Dremel tool if you have lots of time) to leave behind only the three pegs you marked. Shape the pegs to make them more pointy to get a better fit. Test the tool and shave any excess material.

Smooth with a metal file and sandpaper to get a smooth finish and paint with a rattle can for a professional look. It will then be ready for reducing the backlash in your differential.


Bearing Adjustment Nut Spanner Rover Differential
The hole through the hub box spanner can be used along with a sliding T Bar to torque to the correct values.

Neat .. might have a go at that ... sometime ...

Yep thanks chaps - modifying something looks favourite at the moment

Back off carrier bolts slightly. Use a DTI on crown wheel, adjust ( tap adjuster round) until there is no backlash to pinion. The tighten opposite bearing until you have .007" thou backlash. This also preloads bearings. Torque up bearing carrier bolts and secure adjusters. Recheck backlash.

wammers said:

Back off carrier bolts slightly. Use a DTI on crown wheel, adjust ( tap adjuster round) until there is no backlash to pinion. The tighten opposite bearing until you have .007" thou backlash. This also preloads bearings. Torque up bearing carrier bolts and secure adjusters. Recheck backlash.

Click to expand...

Well that sounds like an in field trick (pun not intended this being a 4X4 and all that!)

I'll give that go - I'm planning to adjust the differential by the book first and see what the contact patch looks like - then I'll give your advice a go.

Stretch said:

Well that sounds like an in field trick (pun not intended this being a 4X4 and all that!)

I'll give that go - I'm planning to adjust the differential by the book first and see what the contact patch looks like - then I'll give your advice a go.

Click to expand...

No field trick the correct way to do it. Contact patch comes from pinion intrusion not from adjusting back lash or carrier bearing preload. Carrier bearing preload and and backlash are adjusted AFTER correct contact area has been adjusted by shimming the pinion in or out as required.

wammers said:

No field trick the correct way to do it. Contact patch comes from pinion intrusion not from adjusting back lash or carrier bearing preload. Carrier bearing preload and and backlash are adjusted AFTER correct contact area has been adjusted by shimming the pinion in or out as required.

Click to expand...

I'm following the instructions in the Green Book for the series 2a

In this book there is a complicated - special tool enriched - process to set the pinion position. There is then a process that details how to set up the position of the crown wheel. The process is to have the bolts on the axial bearing clamps a bit loose so you can adjust the serrated nuts. You set the backlash within prescribed limits - you then tighten the serrated nuts by half a serration to apply pre-load. Then the axial bearing retaining nuts are then torqued down.

My plan is to ensure that the contact patch between crown wheel and pinion is correct by visual inspection of the contact patch marks made in engineers blue. From these marks it is possible to see if the pinion shimming is correct and if the position of the axial bearings is correct. This can, however, only be done when the mechanism is under load. I've made up a rig to do this - I hope it works.

Stretch said:

I'm following the instructions in the Green Book for the series 2a

In this book there is a complicated - special tool enriched - process to set the pinion position. There is then a process that details how to set up the position of the crown wheel. The process is to have the bolts on the axial bearing clamps a bit loose so you can adjust the serrated nuts. You set the backlash within prescribed limits - you then tighten the serrated nuts by half a serration to apply pre-load. Then the axial bearing retaining nuts are then torqued down.

My plan is to ensure that the contact patch between crown wheel and pinion is correct by visual inspection of the contact patch marks made in engineers blue. From these marks it is possible to see if the pinion shimming is correct and if the position of the axial bearings is correct. This can, however, only be done when the mechanism is under load. I've made up a rig to do this - I hope it works.

Click to expand...

Ok carry on.

wammers said:

Ok carry on.

Click to expand...

I assume you got your instructions from the series 3 book or something like that then?

I enjoy playing with these things so it will be interesting (for me at least) to see if following your more simple instructions (than the palava in the series 2 Green Book) comes up with the same result.

Oh yeah I asked the same question on the series 2 club forum and angle grinder keys have been suggested. As I have a few of those (goodness knows why I didn't think of it myself) and my gucci wheel nut box tool has a hole for the tommy bar really close to the end that would need to be cut I'm going to try the angle grinder keys first.

I put this on your other thread.

Boguing's method is what I also used.

Lots of options now - thanks chaps