So i've searched the archived and have read about the two methods for removing the differential x-member 1) BF prybar and 2)gear puller.

The gear puller method looks fantastic but I do not want to risk popping the welded nut on top of those mounts and have to pull the body to fix. I have a 3' prybar and have been soaking with PB blaster for a few weeks.

My question: where do place the blade of the prybar??? This may seem like a basic question but I don't want to screw anything up.

I grabbed this pic from 67-427ci - where did you apply all of the force?




Thanks,
brian

 

Hey Brian,
Suprised that nobody has responded to this yet.

I did my complete '66 rear suspension last year and had no problems disassembling a pretty rusty under carrage.

I don't know how to insert an arrow or pointer onto you picture but what I used was the 3' pry bar method. Soaking the area with PB blaster or equivalent is good. **Just get a good support under the diff so when it comes loose it doesn't come crashing down. A trans jack works good for this.

Follow the edge of the cross member to the cushion area and get the pry bar between those two. ( round rubber edge of bushing sitting in cup of cross member and "flanged area of frame. A slight force on the bar was all I needed to break it free.

edit> Remove the bolts first!

Good luck, hope this helped. Sorry I can't be more graphic.

 

The rubber mounts on each side of the x-brace are pockets that fit around a metal stub coming down from the fame (I’m not explaining this right). Your picture shows the end of the x-brace, the rubber mount and the metal stub from the frame.

Remove the bolt in the center of each mount and place the pry bar just behind the cross brace. You want to pry on metal to metal and avoid any fiberglass. Those rubber mounts aren’t cheap so avoid those as well. I did it last year and it came out with some persuasion. Maybe someone can post a pic of the detached x-brace.

Be carefull when it finally lets go, it can be a pain to control.. I put several plastic crates and 2x4s to catch it in case it fell.


Joe

 

When breaking the crossmember loose from the frame. Remove the two bolts that hold the x-member to the frame and then re-install them back in about two full threads. This is so the x-member will not fall down so far that it makes the other side get pinched and harder to remove. I have a 5 foot pry bar and sometimes I can bounce on it a few times and still get nothing. Often times it is about getting to the inner steel sleeve (which is thin and tricky) that is part of the bushing and catching on that edge so you are not fighting against the bushing moving in the rubber.
"DUB"

 

Call me tomorrow if you have not got it loose and I will be glad to tell you where to pry from by your photo.
"DUB"
(704)394-5150 EST M-F 8:30-5:00

 

Well - I was prying in the right place but I just needed a bigger prybar. I started out using an 18" and picked up a three footer at HD. They came out without too much trouble. When I applied a lot of leverage I could hear what sounded like rubber seperating and eventually it just dropped. Using the big bar felt very and made me feel like BuBBa. It;s kind of like that "what the hell am I doing?" feeling you get when you're pounding a KO spinner with a lead hammer.


As a follow up, here are some pics

here's the bar.... an attempt to place tape around the end to prevent frame scratching was futile



wrecking bar placement - must of the force was applied here and then on the other side. I applied force upwards. Is this the same point you guys used.


Here's what the male part of the mount looks like. Now I understand why they call it a sombrero mount. Note I didn't bend up the edge of the x member. This x-member must have been out before. You can see the two places I chipped paint off of the bracket for the sombrero mount. Oh no I ruined my pristine undercarriage


Finally - my differential catcher did it's job. On this side I could not use the bolt to catch the x-member because it was stripped and I had to cut the head off with a dremel (that was a real trip).


Thanks for the help guys.
brian

 

Glad it worked out for you.

Boy that diff really looks scary sitting on that bottle jack!

 

Glad you and the diff survived…

I smeared anti-size all over that ‘sombrero’ when I put mine back together.


Joe

 

My buddy Rick and the size pry bar you need for that job, and anti-seize on the bushing inner shell so it comes apart easily next time.

 

Just completed that job. A good floor jack with wheels that can spread the load will be a big big help on the install. Did it that way by myself.
Pilot Dan

 

nice looking job Dan.