I just did this yesterday on my dakota r/t . you don't have to compress anything except on installation atleast you shouldn't. I've done around 100 different 9.25 Trac-lock diffs. Only 1 I had to use force because a c-clip managed to mesh itself into the spider gears.
The build sheet on my 1998 Dodge Ram says I have a limited slip diff, but strangely I've noticed that with the vehicle on jack stands when I spin one wheel, the wheel opposite spins in the opposite direction. I've always put in the fluid used with LSD, but in the back of my mind is the question whether the build sheet is wrong. Also there was no tag on a diff cover bolt saying it was limited slip. Not typical of most limited slip devices! I've had the diff cover off and it looks similar to the diff shown here, though I didn't notice the clutch packs. What do you think? Is that test, to spin one wheel expecting the opposite wheel to spin the same way, completely reliable?
Awesome video, I have an 04 wrangler X with a similar diff. Any recommendations on where to find replacement clutch packs and spider gears? Any solid way to make sure they're the right ones? Current spider gears are missing their washers that sneak in behind them and the LSD isn't working at all so it's all locked.
I found it easier to not compress the side gears and just spin the spider gears and they just slide out. But I've only done one wrangler rear axle, and probably won't have to do another for while now that I'm working on Alfa Romeos and fiats
