Rear differential remove and replace - 99 Mounty

[RickMar]

Hi,
I have a 99 Mercury Mountaineer in need of a rear differential replacement.
I do understand the importance in replacing with the same gear ratio.
I am pretty sure the gear ration is 3.73
I am just looking for any tips or precautions in doing this myself.
Over the years I have done just about everything repairing cars or trucks... this replacement will be a first for me.
I have asked local machanics about the difficulty level and was told it is not bad and I do not need any special tools.
Any information will be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Rick

 

[oneup1982]

All things considered, you are better off having someone help you or replace the entire axle. If you haven't done one before, there are quite a few things you have to think about. Pinion pre-load, runout, shims. Get the service manual if you are going to do it, and make sure you have all the tools it calls for. Skipping even one measurement will cause premature wear or failure.