Differential cover replacement
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
I spent about an hour working on it tonight. I got the spring off. I had to cut the spring mounting bolts on both sides. The four bolts that hold the spring to the carrier cover were badly rusted also. The piece of the rear cover that the rear 2 bolts mount to popped off where they were cracked. One front bolt came out with the impact wrench, the other required a 4 foot pipe on a breaker bar.
Since everything so far has been so hard to break loose, I am a little concered about the four top bolts that hold the cover to the cross member. We'll see how they go tommorrow.
There is a lot of gunk on the differential case I need to clean up before I pull the cover.
Since everything so far has been so hard to break loose, I am a little concered about the four top bolts that hold the cover to the cross member. We'll see how they go tommorrow.
There is a lot of gunk on the differential case I need to clean up before I pull the cover.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
From: freehold NJ
OK, so I've got everything torn apart. Parts laying all over my garage and it stinks of that used gear lube. I have a lot of cleaning up to to under the rear of the car.
Right now, the rear spring has been rebuilt complete with paint and new liner (it didn't have any liners before). I have the new bushing/bolt kit ready to install.
Meanwhile, I pulled the side yokes out. One was a little mushroomed. I got it out after just yanking on it for about 15 minutes then I filed down the mushroomed area. I have new seals to install on the sides and need to get a new front seal too. Any tricks to doing this?
What kind of sealant to use on the rear gasket?
Will post more pics as I go along.
Right now, the rear spring has been rebuilt complete with paint and new liner (it didn't have any liners before). I have the new bushing/bolt kit ready to install.
Meanwhile, I pulled the side yokes out. One was a little mushroomed. I got it out after just yanking on it for about 15 minutes then I filed down the mushroomed area. I have new seals to install on the sides and need to get a new front seal too. Any tricks to doing this?
What kind of sealant to use on the rear gasket?
Will post more pics as I go along.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
Attachment 47595863Here's a few pictures. More to come.http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...1&d=1154004437
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,083
Likes: 2
From: Montreal Qc.
Originally Posted by c3_guy
Here's a few pictures. More to come.
I think we should all pitch in and buy a prize for whichever one of you guys finishes first!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
Not a lot of progress tonight. I got the rear y pipe off ( no small feat) and the differential degreased.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...1&d=1154052875
I want to make sure I have this right. To only replace the cover, I can leave the driveshaft, half shafts and struts on. Do I need to undo the front bracket on the differential and lower the whole differential or do I just remove the cross member and the rear cover?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...1&d=1154052875
I want to make sure I have this right. To only replace the cover, I can leave the driveshaft, half shafts and struts on. Do I need to undo the front bracket on the differential and lower the whole differential or do I just remove the cross member and the rear cover?
Last edited by c3_guy; Jul 27, 2006 at 10:26 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
From: freehold NJ
Originally Posted by c3_guy
Not a lot of progress tonight. I got the rear y pipe off ( no small feat) and the differential degreased.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...1&d=1154052875
I want to make sure I have this right. To only replace the cover, I can leave the driveshaft, half shafts and struts on. Do I need to undo the front bracket on the differential and lower the whole differential or do I just remove the cross member and the rear cover?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...1&d=1154052875
I want to make sure I have this right. To only replace the cover, I can leave the driveshaft, half shafts and struts on. Do I need to undo the front bracket on the differential and lower the whole differential or do I just remove the cross member and the rear cover?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
The carrier cover is off. I loosened the strut bracket. I loosened the lower 6 cover bolts. I needed a 3/8 drive socket to get on the upper side bolts. Then I lossened the cross member with my new 3 jaw puller, I couldn't get it with my 2 jaw. I put a jack under the carrier and removed the cross member bolts. I lowered it and had a clear shot at the 2 upper cover bolts.
I removed the cover and crossmenber as one assembly and took out the 4 bolts from the crossmember to the cover on my work bench.
I am going to put the old cover back on while I wire brush and paint the area. It has been too humid to use POR 15 so I will prep and wait before I reassemble.
Thanks for the help. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...1&d=1154199282
I removed the cover and crossmenber as one assembly and took out the 4 bolts from the crossmember to the cover on my work bench.
I am going to put the old cover back on while I wire brush and paint the area. It has been too humid to use POR 15 so I will prep and wait before I reassemble.
Thanks for the help. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/atta...1&d=1154199282
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
From: freehold NJ
That's where I'm at. I've had company so haven't had time to work on it in 2 days. I still have to clean the strut rods, differential and cross member then paint. I still have to replace the seals on the diff too. I went ahead and bought new u-joints yesterday too.
I wish I had more time to work on it! It's a nice sense of accomplishment, right?
I wish I had more time to work on it! It's a nice sense of accomplishment, right?
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
Originally Posted by 90ZR1
It's a nice sense of accomplishment, right?
I took the night off yesterday and went to the local cruise night. The more I work on my car the more I appresiate any old car. My neighbor looked under my car and declared it a labor of love when he saw how rusty everthing I was removing was.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
While you're in there, it's always a good idea to check the ring gear bolts. It only takes a few minutes to check that they are all tight.
They have been known to back out and hit the rib in the rear cover. I have seen a few rear covers at Carlisle with gouge marks in the rib and a few with chunks missing. The bolts will make a clicking sound for a while... until the rib breaks them off... then the noise goes away... until the next one comes loose....
Good luck... GUSTO
They have been known to back out and hit the rib in the rear cover. I have seen a few rear covers at Carlisle with gouge marks in the rib and a few with chunks missing. The bolts will make a clicking sound for a while... until the rib breaks them off... then the noise goes away... until the next one comes loose....
Good luck... GUSTO
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
I'm done. I put the carrier cover, crossmember and spring on this morning. I replace the master cylinder and bleed the brakes this afternoon. Took it out for a road test, rides nice. Kinda loud. Don't have the new dynaflows yet.
All in all, it wasn't that bad of a job. Once the rusty bolts were loose it was pretty easy.
All in all, it wasn't that bad of a job. Once the rusty bolts were loose it was pretty easy.
Last edited by c3_guy; Aug 5, 2006 at 11:31 PM.
