Broke the posi-carrier case on my 64-so decided to up grade and replace all of the rear suspension. Have everything apart and all new pieces ready to install-but I cant get the rear crossmember down to clean it up and paint. There are only 2 bolts there I have looked in every manual and catalog that I have - and still dont have a clue as to what is holding it up there. (could it be 43 years of rust ? )

 

Put the bolts back in about halfway. Use a prybar or jaw puller to dislodge the crosmember from the cone seats. Use anti-seize or a good grease on the seats next time to prevent stickage.

I had to use the jaw puller on my 77 to get it loose. Same basic structure as a C2.

 

How did you get the pig out without the cross member being down? Or was it THAT broken???

Batman is right, pry bar between the frame and the x member...it will be tough so watch your fingers and elbows!!!

 

I changed out the rear housing on my 75 way back when for almost the same reason (rear housing cracked at spring mount), could not get the cross member out or in my case back then (25 years ago) didn't know how. Anyway, I pulled and reinstalled the bolts, it's a tight area to work in but can be done.

 

I have changed covers without pulling the entire pig by leaving the snubber bolted up but i still had to get the x member loose to get a socket in there. I can't fit while its still bolted up to the frame.

 

I got the bolts behind the spring out with an open end wrench 4 of the last 5 times I changes the carrier housing. the fifth time I took the spring down to clean and repaint it.

 

AHH, i have a 64 too, i am doing a body off resto. after pulling the body off i figured i could pull those 2 bolts and knock the crossmember loose from the top with a sledge hammer--guess what, she no come loosey. i ended up having the frame sandblasted with the crossmember still in place. the rubber-dubbers are whats holding the crossmember up there and short of dynamite i don't what would get it loose. back in the day when these cars were relatively new we would just pull the 2 bolts and pop the crossmember down with a prybar to release the whole rear suspension to do any work.

the rubber bushings are whats holding the crossmember up there, you will just have to keep prying until it comes loose--or pull the body--or cut a hole in the floor--to get at the 4 bolts that hold the rearend to the crossmember. good luck!!

 

Since you're in CA I will give you the easy answer from the NCRS forum blackhats: get the 2nd largest green pry bar that Orchard Supply sells, then insert it between the crossmember and the frame (in each wheel well opening), and pop it out.

I have a sisterinlaw in CA who gave me one for xmas.

 

Using a puller whose center bolt bears against the head of a loosened bushing bolt is VERY RISKY - those bushing bolts thread into a weld nut inside the "sombrero" formation in the frame, and if you pop that weld nut loose, the body has to come off the frame to repair it.

 

I have never met one yet (wood ) that hasn't come out with a pry bar.

I did a 70 this summer that was a DAILY Michigan driver since new - year round, and it came out with a pry bar in the usual way. This frame had so much scaly rust on it that i blasted the car down a dirt road for a while to get some of it off before redoing the entire front and rear suspension. It was awful but the pig cam out.

 

I use a pry bar to pop them loose. A set of wedges will work too.
Your 64 posi case is not a Eaton unless someone replaced it in the past. The Eatons are much better then the original Dana's.
If you have done this job before no sense in me going over it. If not PM me and I'll link you to a lot of info I have with pictures.
The best you can do is to tune & polish the new Eaton case. The rebuild kits sold will not have the correct side shims for the 63-66 housing. They are in the .070-.090 range the kit shims are in the .230-.250 range. Not sure what others do, but I grind shims to size when setting up the early units.

 

Well Batman

 

Try this again- you were right on Batman. I have a 3 foot prybar called a gorilla bar hammered it part way in and the drivers side came loose put it on the other side and it popped right off. It appears that somebody who worked on this car knew what they were doing- there was grease in the sockets. I guess I was expecting it to come right off when I origionally undid the two bolts. Thanx for the input. I drive this car when ever I can all year long. So Im anxious to get it back on the road.

 

When you say pig I guess you mean the differential housing. That was not broken I simply removed the cover bolts undid the driveshaft and the snubber and the whole unit cameout. What i broke was the Carrier for the positraction unit. It was cracked and twisted about 5 degrees and the clutches were in pieces on the one side. I cant believe it made it two miles to my house.