2007 Jeep Wrangler - Differential Shims

What Is A Differential Shim?

The differential in your vehicle receives power from the transmission and driveshaft, and uses the pinion, ring, and carrier gears to deliver power to the axle shafts and propel the wheels. Your differential gears are designed to operate at a tight tolerance, and any gap or misalignment of your ring and pinion gears can cause premature wear. A differential shim kit helps to keep these gears meshed tightly to prevent them from slipping and causing damage. Properly shimming the ring and pinion gears is even more important for off-road and towing applications to prevent wear and provide optimal, long-lasting performance. Differential shims are typically made from high-strength steel for durability and resistance to wear and tear, although they can experience damage over time or may crush during installation by design and not be reusable. Differential shims are most commonly replaced during differential rebuilds or when repairing damaged bearings or gears, but should be removed and replaced if they exhibit signs of failure. Signs of a bad differential shim include howling from the differential indicating that the gears teeth are damaged, as well as clunking and crunching noises that can mean damaged ring or pinion gears. Replacing differential shims can be a complicated, involved repair that requires an accurate setting of backlash and preload parameters, so be sure to consult your service manual to ensure you can complete this repair appropriately. If you dont feel confident completing this task, we are happy to recommend a How-To Resources you need to make a complete repair.