hi all

- have the car on a lift - the car came as it currently is - engine out, clutch linkages undone - ebrake connected drive shaft supported and connected to tranny

- when we unloaded, we rolled the car nose out of the trailer and on to the lift

- i now want to roll it off the lift...but it won't go - it rolls an inch or 2 until something engages - feels more like it is in a gear than that the ebrake is not disengaging fully

- as a first step, how do i ensure that the car is (or put it into) neutral?

many thanks!! - ed

 

Make sure the shift levers are in the neutral position. Straight up and down. Also make sure the reverse lever is in the neutral position.

 

Your Motor Is Out. Take Driveshaft Out. That Will Tell What Is LockIng Up. Rear Or Trans. Could Be Rear Axle Frozen Park Brake.

 

sounds like a good first step before removing the drive shaft - as a noob, can you describe in just a bit more detail, how i do the above? - from what i saw there were to linkage levers hanging under the car - is one shift and one reverse?? - and what signifies that they are in neutral ... middle detent? - other? - thanks!! ed

 

i think if aligning everything in neutral does not work...this will be the next step - never having doen this, i will have to come back at that point for some detailed tips on how to remove the drive shaft...but first some tinkering with the linkages

 

if the engine is out even if it is in gear it should still roll pretty easy

 

I agree,but......


you rolled it nose first,(forward) off the trailer and onto the lift, no problem. What tinkering did you do when it was on the lift?

Now your trying to roll it backward,(reverse). Trans may be in a forward gear.

How did you get it on the trailer?

 

Could the 1/2 shaft u-joints be binding up ? Worth a look if nothing else helps. Peace,,,Moosie

 

thx guys...so first of all a big DUH on my part, as i failed to mention that the tranny is out as well

so, gears cannot be an issue

have done no tinkering (yet) while it has been on the lift

don't know how the transporter backed it into the trailer - but we rolled it off

one thing i did do once it was on the lift was set the ebrake as an extra precaution against any roll back (and chocked (sp?) the wheels)

so perhaps the ebrake is sticking? - everything is going to come apart eventually...so what should the plan be to work my way to getting the ebrakes off??

again, thanks!! - ed

 

hi all

Background

- so just to reframe this

- i have a 70LT1 that has the motor and tranny out

- the drive shaft is connected to the diff and the entire rear end is in tact

- i plan on doing a frame off and am content to start here as the car will not roll backwards

- i am looking to (i) get the car to roll in either direction (right now it rolls forward) and (ii) get everything off that i can save what would be needed to allow the car (and eventually just the frame (chassis)) to roll

- finally I am an absolute VIRGIN with respect to car restoration and/or repairs - this is my first "project" (ever) - so please be patient if it appears that i don't have even the most rudimentary knowledge of how a car is basically put together - I don't - but want to learn and am willing to work hard.

Steps

- given that the transmission is out, does this mean that the drive shaft and differntial can move freely (in other words, it is the tranny and nothing else (other than the brake system or something being broken)) that governs if the rear wheels can move?

- if yes, i am assuming that the ebrake is not fully disengaging - i say this because the car rolls forward and so it is not the brakes being frozen in the engaged position - and i guess i answered my first question that yes the drive shaft and diff are spinning freely since it rolls forward

- have searched the archives and the closest thing i could find is this:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ve+drive+shaft

the relevant post says:

"Yes, start at the rear. Unless you have a magic wrench you will have to rotate the shaft to get all the bolts loose. This means getting the rear wheels off of the ground and putting the car in neutral. Make sure you chock the front wheels so the car don't roll. After you get all the bolts removed from the rear u-joint then do the front. Again, just slip the trans into park if you need to lock the shaft to loosen the bolts. The front yoke will slide in towards the trans to allow the shaft to clear and be dropped and then just pull it forward. Use a rubber mallet to knock the yoke in towards the trans, but clean the yoke where it goes through the tailshaft seal so it doesn't tear the seal and start a leak later on."

- but is that applicable to my case...that is, where the tranny is already out?

- clearly the drive shaft can come out...but if i understand correctly, the bolts to remove the shaft are only accessible by removing "things" that are rear of it

- i am looking mostly at pages K167, K168 and K169 of the 1970 AIM

- when Strokervette says first remove the "rear u-joint" - is that item 1 or item 4 on page K168?

- when he says the "then do the front" - is that item 8 on the same page?

- and stepping back a huge step, high level, what is the order of what i am trying to do?

* am i ultimately looking to just take off the brake system and leave the half shaft/diff assembly in tact?

* i am guessing the wheel/tire cannot be on the frame without the half shafts to attach to (AMATUER WARNING)

* again, i am happy to take as much off as i can now as a start to the project - but have to get at whatever is locking the wheels up when trying to roll backward

So just looking for a HIGH LEVEL view of what needs to be done - will follow on with specific questions around how does this or that nut come off or other detailed questions - but not right now - also am already prepared for general restoration items like tons of pictures, baggies, tags, labels, etc.

Many, many thanks - ed

 

The best thing you said is you have the AIM. Being what holds the driveshaft in front,(the trans), is out, you only have to remove it from the back.

This is quite easy. The U bolts, L washers, and nuts-(K-168, items 8-9-10), can all be removed if the u bolts are in the vertical position. (which is how they appear on page K-168). Unless you are extremely lucky chances are it's not in that position now.

If its not, you need to rotate the driveshaft to get them in that position, or a position you are comfortable with. To rotate the driveshaft you will need to rotate a tire. Simply roll the car a bit.( I guess whatever the direction is that you say it will roll).

Having said all that. I would check that the front of the driveshaft isn't hung up causing your non roll problem now. Since your car is an LT1 and its a 70 at that, your front yoke,(the piece that goes into the transmission), has the same sort of bolt setup as the back. You can see it on the same page,K-168 There's a note there saying: This area of the shaft must be entirely free of paint. I would remove that as well just in case.

Almost forgot. The joint is shaped like a "+" sign. There are caps on the ends, As soon as you free the driveshaft wrap around the "+" with tape. This will prevent the caps from falling off. Thats a no-no


You may want to clean things off. There are paint marks and a stenciled part number . I always find that stuff interesting.

Its a start good luck and have fun

 

dennis - many thanks - a few follow on questions, if i may

- the note that accompanies 8, 9 and 10 says "align paint marks" - as a general matter, what do you suggest for clean up/derusting of a part like this that at the same time would leave factory paint marks

- as a "just in case" whatever i use takes off the paint alignment mark, what is your technique for separately marking it - scribing a "scratch" in the metal through the paint stripe? - other?

- one paint mark that needs to be aligned is clearly shown on the drive shaft - the other is where? - on the inside or lip of the entry point of the differential?

- once 8, 9 and 10 are off, does the drive shaft simply slide out of the transmission? - does it need to be angled or positioned in any way - or just straight out?

- regarding the front yoke, when their equivalent of 8, 9 and 10 are out, what disengages from what - is the very front part of the drive shaft (that goes into the transmission) inserted within the next portion? - or are they just coupled by the yoke?

- finally, when you say the joint is shaped like a "+"

* are you talking about the very end of the drive shaft that inserts into the differential?

* and i cannot quite picture these "caps" are they identified in the AIM?

* from what you say, the caps aren't removed as part of the process of the drive shaft removal, but instead are exposed when the shaft is removed (from the differential?) - and it seems as if these can simply fall off?

Separately, once the drive shaft is removed, what is next in the quest to have the car stripped down to the minimum needed to have it on wheels and tires in order to roll (which i am guessing will take care of the rolling backward problem to the extent the driveshaft removal didn't)

again - MANY THANKS! - ED

 

When you release the E-brake is there slack in any of the cables. If there is your E-brake very well could be locked up.

If you jack up the rear can you roatate either of the wheels by hand?

 

Didn't want to overload you with info/ explanations.

So.... next Here is a link to exactly your front yoke http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CORVE...spagenameZWDVW.

The shiny tube end goes into the rear of the transmission. The other end of the yoke has the holes for the u bolts to go through.( one on each side of the horizontal) You'll notice the curved center of the u bolt is somewhat flattened. There is also a half circle shape machined into the outer end of the yoke.(where the bolt holes are.

Imagine when the u bolt is inserted into the yoke holes and drawn down a circle will be made from the 2 half circle shapes. That is where 2 of the cap,(cylinder shaped), on the joint fit. The other 2 caps fit at 90 degrees,(you can see a half circle shape at each end of the yoke verticals) . However, they are attached to the joint on the driveshaft and are pressed on. So they won't fall off. Here's a link to a joint. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/71-72...genameZWDVWPic is worth a thousand words no?

As far as cleaning, I like the green or purple pump spray and a brush, The paint marks at the ends are to put back after removing to maintain the balance. (there's a mark on the rear to align. If your restoringyou may want to rebalance the driveshaft after all these years and then it wouldn't matter how it went back in.(functionally) If you want to remark it, there are kita available.

 

Dennis - many thanks again - this post and the links to the pictures are a great help - i'll start with getting the drive shaft off and the front yoke separated from the drive shaft - i'll get these cleaned up (i assume green is something like "Simple Green" and purple is another form of spray degreaser?) - i may also try one of those rust remover/degreaser that supposedly leave paint in tact - as Confucious said...a journey of one thousand miles starts with the first step...so here goes!

 

Jim - thanks for this - in fact, when the ebrake is completely released (as in the hand brake all the way down) there is slack in the line - once i get the drive shaft off (which i need to do anyway as part of the tear down) and if that does not allow backward rolling, the ebrakes will be next - so pls stay tuned and thanks in advance for any guidance you will provide - ed