C3 Differential crossmember question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
Likes: 45
From: Middlesex NJ
C3 Differential crossmember question
Hey everyone I have a question,
My body has been off since September and I just finished replacing the section of my frame from the cowl back and am in the beginning stages of reassembling the suspension.
I replaced my control arm bushings and balljoints and am ready to install them in the car. While i was installing my control arm bushings my differential crossmember came to mind.
My diff. crossmember was really rusted and I decided to replace it. I found one on ebay that looked pretty clean so I bought it. I picked up new differential bushing and installed them as well.
The question I have is that tubes or sleeves that the crossmember bushings press into seem to have been egg shaped or oval'd out inside on the replacement crossmember?
My old crossmember did not seem to have this phenomenon. I didn't really question it at the time until I was pressing in my control are bushing and thought what if the crossmember had been really abused by a big motor torquing on the the differential working the bushing around and making the sleeves where the bushing press in go egg shaped inside?
Anyone else ever notice this with their differential crossmember with the bushing removed?
mikep
My body has been off since September and I just finished replacing the section of my frame from the cowl back and am in the beginning stages of reassembling the suspension.
I replaced my control arm bushings and balljoints and am ready to install them in the car. While i was installing my control arm bushings my differential crossmember came to mind.
My diff. crossmember was really rusted and I decided to replace it. I found one on ebay that looked pretty clean so I bought it. I picked up new differential bushing and installed them as well.
The question I have is that tubes or sleeves that the crossmember bushings press into seem to have been egg shaped or oval'd out inside on the replacement crossmember?
My old crossmember did not seem to have this phenomenon. I didn't really question it at the time until I was pressing in my control are bushing and thought what if the crossmember had been really abused by a big motor torquing on the the differential working the bushing around and making the sleeves where the bushing press in go egg shaped inside?
Anyone else ever notice this with their differential crossmember with the bushing removed?
mikep
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
If you are talking about the crossmember that bolts to the top of the differential, those holes should not be egg-shaped. the General provided a lot of slotted holes for adjustment in C3's but that wasn't one of them.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 492
From: Salmon Arm, BC
I just replaced my bushings in that crossmember last week. My holes were pretty much round. The bushing contacted the sides equally all around......hpoe that helps
1977 c3
1977 c3
Last edited by OMF; Jun 6, 2009 at 09:44 PM. Reason: add the year
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
Likes: 45
From: Middlesex NJ
Yeah its odd that mine had some egg shaped or bulging to it. It wasnt consistent but this is a later style crossmember from the original I had. Maybe the later style that seems to be multiple parts welded together had a different manufacture process? The bushings pressed in very tight, I am just not sure how to test them to see if they will rock under load.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
Likes: 45
From: Middlesex NJ
Actually I meant the sleeves where the bushing are pressed in not the holes that mount it to the actual differential. If those were beat I would toss the crossmember right out.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,273
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi M69,
Won't the large bolt on each end of the crossmember keep it from rocking?
Have you pushed the cross member up in place on the frame to see if the bushings seem loose on the frame receivers in anyway?
Regards,
Alan
Won't the large bolt on each end of the crossmember keep it from rocking?
Have you pushed the cross member up in place on the frame to see if the bushings seem loose on the frame receivers in anyway?
Regards,
Alan
