Pilot Dan

Jack, from where you are at right now, I would try and remove the rear crossmember and rear as a unit. It will certainly be easier to install the new rear that way. Remove the sombrero bolts, then penetrating oil, patience, prying, patience, and maybe a little heat and eventually it will pop out. Try working on side at a time till you get some movement. Pilot Dan

Jackfit

Hi Dan,

I was thinking of removing the rear from carrier, but once I get the drive shaft off the rear, I think I will try to pop the cross member. I watched a few videos and I think I can do it. I am trying to get some penetrate oil on the treads before I turn the sombrero bolts. Any tips ?

Jack

rene-paul

Getting penetrating oil to the weld nuts in the frame is difficult. I would see if the bolts will loosen, then more penetrating oil to the head and pray for it to wick up against gravity.
That is the method I used. I did have to loosen/tighten/soak as I backed the bolts out.
Brgds,
Rene

Pilot Dan

When I did mine I was lucky, it popped right out with a little persuasion from the pry bar alone. If you have access to air tools, (compressor ect) a pickle fork in the air gun could help you get things moving once you remove the bolts. The biggest problem generally is getting the crossmember free. The bolts will usually come out ok but the sombrero's rust and get stuck. Try penetrating oil, a little heat, tapping and prying first.

Jackfit

Day 3 "The Great Journey moving along"

Happy New Year to one and all !

Garage on got to 48* today, not bad, since it was 18* when I turned the heat on. Started at 4 PM , lots of other errands to do.

Stopped at 6 pm about 2 hours work today. After all it is NYE.

Today the goal was to remove the strut rod bracket intact. The rods are attached to the TA and the strut mount must be knocked out of the TA in order to release rod from spindle assembly.

I had also hoped to remove the snub bushing which would have allowed me to disconnect the drive shaft. That was not to happen , ran out of time and I could not figure out how to attach a wrench to the bolt that hold the snub bushing, The nut is easy to get to, but without locking the top of bolt , it will just spin.

I will just crack nut or cut it of and pull down snub bracket. Disconnect drive shaft and then the FUN Begins. See that Crow Bar, Soon we do the " Sombrero Dance"

Cheers Jack

We may need this soon !



Home made "Shock Knocker "



Punch to finish job after heat and a few hard whacks with a hammer



Rod now free of spindle assembly



High Tech Tools Shock Mount is out and looks a little bent after 48 years




Strut Bracket Intact and free of rear and spindle



Day 3 Parts Collection



The "Sombrero Dance " Tomorrow if I can move....

65hihp

when my back and joints are screaming at me, I like to take some 800 Ibuprofin. In fact, I usually throw one down before I start, and then I can roll around like crazy and still get up at the end. One thing though, I pinched a nerve over-exerting with a bar like you have while laying under my car, and it was three months before my nerve pain was finally resolved with an epidural shot. So, don't start off 2015 by putting yourself in traction you old coot.

66jack

Looks like your missing a "drain plug" in the floor pan in the picture of the shock being removed...

Also, while your springs are out, maybe you should/could replace the plastic between the leafs...

Jackfit

Can I be a judge now ? Come on , how many points do I need? What I do need is a few days in some warm sun in the south. Lots of people seem to be heading to Orlando this Jan.

I would like to but as you can see, not far from project creep. I am actually enjoying myself, as long as the bolts keeps coming off.

Happy New Year to you and family , same to Ed

Jack.

Jackfit

Hi Jack
Happy New Year, the spring is only 10 years old. Plastic looks good, did not know you could, I know it use to be rubber, my old spring had it I think?

Son just moved to Seattle , I may ship the car to the west coast next year for a visit, cost less then driving it, plus my body can't sit quite as long as a few years ago. My visit to Reading was one of the high points. The TV interview and all the great cars of your club Please say hello to them

Jack

ps the drain plug is missing so that the water can drain out every time it rains ....don't you know that .....lol

myronf

looks like your driver side strut rod is bent.

Myron

Jackfit

Hi and yes it is and has been for many years. Camber was set taking that in to concideration. But it is time for new ones , 48 years is not bad

Jack

Jackfit

Thank you, John and Happy New Years

Day 4 11:15 am New Years Day

The "Sombrero Dance " Today ...I hope the nuts turn ! I read the article , my pry bar is not Super Charged as in the article....lol

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...breroDance.pdf




I will be back with update & pictures in a few hours

Jack

Jackfit

Thank you, John and Happy New Years

Day 4 11:15 am New Years Day

The "Sombrero Dance " Today ...I hope the nuts turn ! I read the article , my pry bar is not Super Charged as in the article....lol

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...breroDance.pdf




I will be back with update & pictures in a few hours

Jack

Jackfit

Day 4 of " The Great Journey " Rear End / Sombrero Removal

Happy New Years to All

Today's Goal was to finish the job of removing the rear end from the car. 2 hours time 1 hour work 1 hour crawl time ...lol

I needed to remove the cross member which requires the removal of the Sombrero Bushings / Nuts the hold cross member to frame. After 48 years of driving in the North East on salted roads and 300,000 miles , you would think all the nuts, bolts and rust would cause a great deal of problems.

Well , not one bolt or nut broke so far. The cross member to my disappointment , did not pop off. The bolts came right out

( I left them in when prying)

The cross member just came off with gentle pressure of the pry bar.

The most difficult part was getting the u-joint nuts off . The rear is locked up and you can not rotate the drive shaft. After dropping the rear down with cross member , I was able to do each nut .

The snuber bracket bushing was difficult because it is hard to put a wrench on the top bolt while you undo the bottom nut.

Tomorrow I will take the rear off the carrier and see what is left of the insides....

The job took 2 hours today 1 hour of work and 1 hour of crawl time on my back. It has taken me about 10-12 hours to get to this stage .

With a lift that time would be about 3-4 hours . Stay tuned for the opening of the rear tomorrow !

What I would like to be able to do later



Gentle prying , cross member came right off - bolts came right out



Cross member now free - both sides came off - no problems



Rear supported by jack as work on drive shaft u-joints



Rear End / Cross member now free of car in dolly



Sombreros after 48 years !





Rear End at Rest



Day 4 Parts Collection

856666

Hi Jack,

Great Photos.

I pulled the rear end on my 65' last year (twice) - and wish Gary had done mine.

Make sure you put some silicone paste on the Sombreros before the install - because they are just as hard to remove the second time if the diff is not set up correctly the first time.

Phil

Pilot Dan

Good work Jack, patience is the key ! When you get it apart, check the rear cover carefully for cracks. Hairline cracks can be hard to spot and they don't always leak oil. Doubt you will ever have to remove the rear again once Gary gets done with it .

Westlotorn

Nice work Jack, glad you got it without needing to cut bolts! Are you planning to keep the 3.70 ratio or try a new one after 48 years?

Mr D.

Great job, the hard part is over. Nice clean parts go back together much easier.

Jackfit

Hi,
I would like to put back a 3.36 , I put in the 3:70 in 1971. More long huals on highways now, not light to light. Car was really Quick with the m-20 wide ratio.

Anybody out there with a 3:36 ?

Jack

Mr D.

My 66 had 3:36 gears, great cruising car.