Dropping The Diff......
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (gary6696)
Two things to consider:
You may want to remove the cover to ship, since it only adds to the shipping and handling weight - and rebuilders have to remove it. If so, why remove the crossmember? Unbolt the pumkin from the cover as the Chassis Service Manual prescribes.
Also, If you haven't ever tried to pull the yokes, you may find that they are like mine - and have no retaining clips inside the differential. All I do to replace my yoke seals is remove the 4 axle bolts to the spindle flange - slide the axle and yoke out of the car - and replace the seal. It takes about an hour (jack car, pull axle replace seal and axle, drop car) to do. Lots of people have left the clips out. Unless you corner in a 4 wheel drift over potholes, I doubt you would notice. :lurk:
You may want to remove the cover to ship, since it only adds to the shipping and handling weight - and rebuilders have to remove it. If so, why remove the crossmember? Unbolt the pumkin from the cover as the Chassis Service Manual prescribes.
Also, If you haven't ever tried to pull the yokes, you may find that they are like mine - and have no retaining clips inside the differential. All I do to replace my yoke seals is remove the 4 axle bolts to the spindle flange - slide the axle and yoke out of the car - and replace the seal. It takes about an hour (jack car, pull axle replace seal and axle, drop car) to do. Lots of people have left the clips out. Unless you corner in a 4 wheel drift over potholes, I doubt you would notice. :lurk:
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,537
Likes: 280
From: Egg Harbor Township NJ
2015 C2 of Year
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10, '14-'15
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (magicv8)
Heh Magicv8 & Gary6696.....
Now you guys got me thinking.....Well I plan to drive to BG for the 50th so I want to cover all bases. I don't know the actual milage on my 65 but I assume it's over 100K. I'm not 100% sure but it also might be leaking from the front Pinion seal also, so hence the rebuild. Don't want any surprises at 65-70 mph in the middel of nowhere....
It sounds like it might be easier just to pull the pumpkin and leave everything else in the car. Excellent food for thought.....Thanks. :cheers:
Now you guys got me thinking.....Well I plan to drive to BG for the 50th so I want to cover all bases. I don't know the actual milage on my 65 but I assume it's over 100K. I'm not 100% sure but it also might be leaking from the front Pinion seal also, so hence the rebuild. Don't want any surprises at 65-70 mph in the middel of nowhere....
It sounds like it might be easier just to pull the pumpkin and leave everything else in the car. Excellent food for thought.....Thanks. :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (Viet Nam Vett)
I have replaced the front pinion seal twice, pulling only the driveshaft. Paint mark the nut and the end of the pinion and break the nut loose with a torque wrench to get a ball park figure on what torque the previous installer set the crush sleeve when the nut was installed. Not everyone sets the torque to factory specs.
I have not had a problem doing thiat - and it was suggested by the guy who rebuilds my rear ends (I have three - in case I have too much fun on the road). I usually break them power shifting - and I havent had the urge in almost a year.............. :lol: :lol: :lol:
I have not had a problem doing thiat - and it was suggested by the guy who rebuilds my rear ends (I have three - in case I have too much fun on the road). I usually break them power shifting - and I havent had the urge in almost a year.............. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 13,622
Likes: 3,557
From: NorCal
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (Viet Nam Vett)
In the Chevy shop manual and two after-market shop manuals, they show another way to drop the differential that sounds easier and hasn't been mentioned here. Instead of removing the whole differential, they say to leave the rear cover bolted to the car, and to remove just the front (main) part of the diff by undoing the 8 rear cover-to-diff bolts. That way you don't have to struggle with dropping the cross member or undoing the semi-impossible rear cover-to-cross member bolts. To put the diff back onto the carrier, all the manuals say to cut the heads off two 1/4"-13X1-1/4 bolts, slot the unthreaded end (for a screwdriver), and screw these into two below-center rear cover bolt holes (one on each side) to use as alignment studs. You'll need a new diff to cover gasket. I guess I never read this part of the manual before, since I've always dropped the whole diff too. It sounds like a real time saver. Does anyone know of any problem with doing it this way?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,077
Likes: 2
From: The Garden Spot of the Garden State
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (LouieM)
...i've also done it by taking the bolts off the rear diff housing and that is ONE PITA!!!.....you really have to whack the hell out of the diff nose to get that gasket to let go...the way to do it is to put a LARGE aluminum pan under the diff to catch the oil when you break the seal...i hit the bottom of the diff front (just behind the seal) with a large hammer and 2x4 to prevent damage..it is EVEN more fun putting it back in, i bought some matching bolts, cut the heads of and slotted them for guide pins that i could remove later.....a transmission jack is of no help when reinstalling because you have to move that ***** around to align the pins
...dropping the 3rd member with a little help from wd40 is INFINITELY easier
[Modified by Kid_Again, 8:45 PM 3/16/2003]
...dropping the 3rd member with a little help from wd40 is INFINITELY easier
[Modified by Kid_Again, 8:45 PM 3/16/2003]
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 13,622
Likes: 3,557
From: NorCal
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (magicv8)
magiv8,
Sorry I missed your posting above. :bb Sounds as if you and Kid Again have had different experiences with this method. I'll probably try it next time I remove the rear end, just to see how this PITA method compares with the regular PITA method. :D
Sorry I missed your posting above. :bb Sounds as if you and Kid Again have had different experiences with this method. I'll probably try it next time I remove the rear end, just to see how this PITA method compares with the regular PITA method. :D
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,537
Likes: 280
From: Egg Harbor Township NJ
2015 C2 of Year
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10, '14-'15
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (Kid_Again)
Well.... I spoke to Baird's on the phone and hey recomened that I Drop the crossmember and diff as a unit.. They confirmed that this would be the easiest way in their experience. As mentioned by kid an others...It's a real PITA trying to realign the cover gasket and put the diff back in by just droping the pumpkin.
So as we speak the Crossmember bolts are soaking in "PB Blaster".....
:cheers:
So as we speak the Crossmember bolts are soaking in "PB Blaster".....
:cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (Viet Nam Vett)
I have removed the diff and put it back with a hydraulic jack and a transmission jack at separate times. I pull one of my unclipped diff yokes to drain the posi fluid, then loosen the bolts a thread, remove the front snubber bolt - then use a jack and the weight of the car to break the seal. (No sweat yet). Off to Dean Davis for the best and least costly rebuild on the planet - then back in the car via the jack. The last bit of aligning is the only pain - but it is not nearly as hard as removing OR putting back the crossmember. :thumbs:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 1,009
From: Watkinsville, GA and Glen Cove, NY
Re: Dropping The Diff...... (Viet Nam Vett)
No problem Viet Nam Vett, I hope it works for you as easily as it did for me. My next project is getting those trailing arms out as I see from your other post that you did successfully. Hope mine goes as well. Bill. :seeya