Slash 4x4 diff rebuild

I rebuilt all 3 diffs this weekend and figured out a few things that might help out.  The basic process was:

Get the rebuild kit (TRA5381 or TRA6884 for front/rear or center).

1. Remove the diff.  For the front/rear, take off the bumper (4-5 bolts), take off the outdrives (2 1.5mm grub screws), then remove the two bolts that split the bulkhead in half.  Couldn’t be easier to get to them.
2. Take off the bearings (check/replace while you’re at it).
3. Remove the 4 bolts that hold the gear onto the diff housing.
4. Disassemble the whole diff and clean all the old metal parts with motor spray, WD-40, or your degreaser of choice.  Throw away the non-metal parts.
   
5. Pre-thread the 4 bolts into the new housing.  This is actually pretty important, you don’t want to apply a lot of torque when you’re reassembling.  By pre-threading them, this helps you tighten the bolts nice and easy later on during assembly.
6. Coat all of the blue X-rings and the gasket with diff fluid, then put in all of the outdrives and spider gears.  Take care to note that the outdrive that goes into the housing has an extra metal gasket the gear side does not.
7. Put on the thin rubber gasket, making sure everything is lined up.
   
8. Put on the big metal gear, again making sure all of the holes are lined up.  There are some small guide nubs in the housing that mate to the gear, so it should fit together nicely.  If it doesn’t, take it off and realign the gasket!
   
9. Tighten the 4 bolts by holding onto the plastic diff housing.  Try not to hold onto the gear while you’re tightening, as this will twist the gasket.  The bolts should be tightened just enough till you feel resistance – you don’t need to crush them.
10. Put the diff back in, and reassemble the car.  Presto!