After two days of meetings in Cardiff I got back at 5pm & needed some R & R so decided to go for the other elephant in the room & attack the diff on my own...

Decided to go for using the crane hoist to take the weight of the diff. Thought it would help to level the diff on the crane. It soom became apparent that this wasnt going to work as I couldnt get the angle on the top bolts with ths straps in the way. Reverted to attaching by the rear of the diff & then using my trolley jack to level the diff. So the order of play:

1) Got in two drifts into the top holes

2) Once the top was secured was able to fiddle around with the diff until the lower bolts went in (easy as the main weight was still on the crane)

3) Did up the bottom bolts (no washers)

4) Took out the drifts one at at time & lightly banged in twao bolts that were the same diameter as the long top bolt (these were the bolts that came with the gearbox that weren't needed

5) Took out the bottom bolts one at a time a fannied around with washers (see my email to Derek below...)

Once I have a reply from Derek re the washers hopefully I will fill in the gaps on the top mounts with washers & hopefully the top bolt will just go in with minimal issues as one bolt will always be in place so everything should line up... famous last words! in my head I'm almost there but I'm well confused re the handbrake cable & my mind cant deal with it at the moment... hopefully its an easy fix...

The aluminum strip that holds the boot floor is touching (firmly) the diff... obviously those self tapping screws are going back in a different place.... not sure if this is an issue but unless my chassis is completely up the creak... which I'm sure it isn't...

Hi Derek

Well I couldn't help myself when I got back & made a start.... needless to say I have a few questions (see photo's attached)
 
1) Hand brake cable
 
I thought I'd understood this but I clearly don't... before I put the top bolt in (& then cry if I have to take it out) can you explain how the white plastic bits work (2) on the right hand side of the car & where they go? a picture may paint a thousand words... Also I mistakenly thought the silver metal cable would just slot into the mounts... it clearly doesn't as its too fat & I don't want to hit it with a hammer to get it in... with the plastic bits on the cable I'm very confused how you get them on the mounts (not helped by the fact I don't really understand their final resting place...
 
2) Bottom mounts
 
I got these bolted on but try as I may I can only get 2 washers on one side & one on the other. I tried swapping sides to see if it would settle but its 2 on one side & one on the other which ever way I do it. I was expecting to have 2 a side. As far as centering the diff swapping the washers makes so little difference its pretty much within 'experimental error' which ever way they go? I'm using washers (21) which are fairly thin anyway? every time I measure it I get a different result...
 
It looks like I have a much bigger gap on the top mounts I assume this is normal? I haven't tried packing with washers as yet (21's again?) but I'm pretty pleased with my progress tonight so am calling it a day.... I've temporarily put bolts in the top mounts that are the same size as the long bolt (they are the ones that went on the gearbox that I didn't need) One of these is loose(ish) so I'm hoping if I put the big bolt in this end it will just drive out the other bolt & job done! here's hoping...
 
anyway... I've probably made a horrible error on the bottom mounts so let me know your thoughts & about the hand brake which I have a mental block on...