Replacing rear differential cover and rear leaf spring....
08-20-2001, 03:14 PM
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Re: Replacing rear differential cover and rear leaf spring.... (JRChurch)
You could probably do it in a day. I took a couple of days, because I wanted to paint some stuff and clean it up. Also, this was the second time I took the rear suspension apart, so I kinda had a handle on what I was doing.
08-20-2001, 03:32 PM
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Re: Replacing rear differential cover and rear leaf spring.... (JRChurch)
Hey Rick,
If I did it, then anyone can do it.
Remove the spare carrier and wheels, to gain easy access to the rear end.
Remove the spring. There's a article on that written by Bryan (Bseery) in the tech tips section.
Then you have a few options:
1. Remove the differential and crossmember as a unit: Unbolt the half shafts and driveshaft from the differential. Remove the strut rod bracket. Put a floor jack under the differential. Remove the bolt that holds the differential front bracket to the frame. Loosen the two bolts that hold the crossmember to the frame, but leave them on, or replace them by longer bolts, and leave them loose. The idea is just to hold the crossmember/differential after you pry the crossmember loose. Use a large pry bar to pry the crossmember. Remove the two crossmember bolts, and lower the jack carefully, holding the crossmember and keeping it in equilibrium. Be careful, since the rear end is extremely heavy! A helper would be... well... helpful... but I did it alone.
Problem is that the crossmember may be a bear to remove, and also if you strip or break loose a nut inside the crossmember "sombrero" mounts, you'll make a relatively easy job into a real project. (Ask me how I know...:( )
2. You may remove only the differential, and leave the crossmember alone. Unbolt the half shafts and driveshaft from the differential. Remove the strut rod bracket. Put a floor jack under the differential. Remove the bolt that holds the differential front bracket to the frame. Then remove the four bolts that hold the differential cover to the crossmember, and lower the jack carefully, holding the differential.
Problem: those four bolts are hard to get to. But it's feasible if you use a deep well 5/8" socket, or a spark plug socket. You'll have to get them from the front (remove the wheels).
3. You may try to remove only the cover. Put a floor jack under the differential. Put a drain pan under the differential. Remove all the bolts that hold the cover to the differential housing. Remove the four bolts that hold the differential cover to the crossmember. The cover is now loose. Big problem: the gear sticks out of the differential housing, and I'm afraid it wouldn't let you remove the cover!
If I forgot something, others please jump in! When I did this I had lots of things out of the car!
Hope this helps!
-Pedro
[Modified by Pedro'74, 3:55 PM 8/20/2001]
If I did it, then anyone can do it.
Remove the spare carrier and wheels, to gain easy access to the rear end.
Remove the spring. There's a article on that written by Bryan (Bseery) in the tech tips section.
Then you have a few options:
1. Remove the differential and crossmember as a unit: Unbolt the half shafts and driveshaft from the differential. Remove the strut rod bracket. Put a floor jack under the differential. Remove the bolt that holds the differential front bracket to the frame. Loosen the two bolts that hold the crossmember to the frame, but leave them on, or replace them by longer bolts, and leave them loose. The idea is just to hold the crossmember/differential after you pry the crossmember loose. Use a large pry bar to pry the crossmember. Remove the two crossmember bolts, and lower the jack carefully, holding the crossmember and keeping it in equilibrium. Be careful, since the rear end is extremely heavy! A helper would be... well... helpful...
but I did it alone. Problem is that the crossmember may be a bear to remove, and also if you strip or break loose a nut inside the crossmember "sombrero" mounts, you'll make a relatively easy job into a real project. (Ask me how I know...:( )
2. You may remove only the differential, and leave the crossmember alone. Unbolt the half shafts and driveshaft from the differential. Remove the strut rod bracket. Put a floor jack under the differential. Remove the bolt that holds the differential front bracket to the frame. Then remove the four bolts that hold the differential cover to the crossmember, and lower the jack carefully, holding the differential.
Problem: those four bolts are hard to get to. But it's feasible if you use a deep well 5/8" socket, or a spark plug socket. You'll have to get them from the front (remove the wheels).
3. You may try to remove only the cover. Put a floor jack under the differential. Put a drain pan under the differential. Remove all the bolts that hold the cover to the differential housing. Remove the four bolts that hold the differential cover to the crossmember. The cover is now loose. Big problem: the gear sticks out of the differential housing, and I'm afraid it wouldn't let you remove the cover!
If I forgot something, others please jump in! When I did this I had lots of things out of the car!
Hope this helps!
-Pedro
[Modified by Pedro'74, 3:55 PM 8/20/2001]
08-20-2001, 04:06 PM
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Re: Replacing rear differential cover and rear leaf spring.... (JRChurch)
Rick,
I think you won't have any trouble finding someone interested in that cover. When you install the spring, remember: torque the bolts that hold the spring to the cover to 70 ft-lb only after you put the car on the ground! Then retorque them after you drive a few miles.
-Pedro
I think you won't have any trouble finding someone interested in that cover. When you install the spring, remember: torque the bolts that hold the spring to the cover to 70 ft-lb only after you put the car on the ground! Then retorque them after you drive a few miles.
-Pedro
