79 rear end removal.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
79 rear end removal.
I am going to have the rear end rebuilt in my 79. The man who is going to rebuild it said I would have to take it out.
Can anyone tell me where I can get information on how to take it out?
I have looked on the enternet and have no luck.
Thanks John.
Can anyone tell me where I can get information on how to take it out?
I have looked on the enternet and have no luck.
Thanks John.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 9
Get a Chilton's manual for the car.
Make sure the car is high and STEADY on the jackstands. .
BE CAREFUL OF THE SPRING! If the spring unloads on you, you will injured severely!!!
Put a good penetrating oil on all the bolts you are going to remove in advance.
The bolts are all large and tight. Don't even think about using a 3/8" ratchet. You will need a 1/2 or 3/4 kit, with a long breaker bar. Or air tools, for removal. Plus a good sized inventory of cuss words.
If you are just going to rebuild the diff, you do not need to disturb the brake lines or remove the trailing arms. It can be easier when everything is out of your way, but it is not necessary.
Here's a trick to make loosening the flange bolts that hold the half shafts to the spindle easier. Have a helper depress the brake pedal while you loosen all the bolts one turn.
Use new cotter pins and the correct torque specs when putting it all back together.
Good luck.
Make sure the car is high and STEADY on the jackstands. .
BE CAREFUL OF THE SPRING! If the spring unloads on you, you will injured severely!!!
Put a good penetrating oil on all the bolts you are going to remove in advance.
The bolts are all large and tight. Don't even think about using a 3/8" ratchet. You will need a 1/2 or 3/4 kit, with a long breaker bar. Or air tools, for removal. Plus a good sized inventory of cuss words.
If you are just going to rebuild the diff, you do not need to disturb the brake lines or remove the trailing arms. It can be easier when everything is out of your way, but it is not necessary.
Here's a trick to make loosening the flange bolts that hold the half shafts to the spindle easier. Have a helper depress the brake pedal while you loosen all the bolts one turn.
Use new cotter pins and the correct torque specs when putting it all back together.
Good luck.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,391
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Take any Chilton's Manuals you find and throw them in the trash. They're garbage. Then, just order the GM Shop Manual for the car from any of the major Vette suppliers and follow the instructions. GM Shop Manuals are not available at no charge in the Internet - you just buy them.
...not that I think you need one to simply drop the rear end out. Unbolt the spring, pull the half shafts, pull the driveshaft, and remove the entire crossmember with the rear end hanging from it. With power tools, you should have it out in an hour if you hussle, and 2 hours if you drink a lot of beer.
Lars
...not that I think you need one to simply drop the rear end out. Unbolt the spring, pull the half shafts, pull the driveshaft, and remove the entire crossmember with the rear end hanging from it. With power tools, you should have it out in an hour if you hussle, and 2 hours if you drink a lot of beer.
Lars
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Thanks for the help. Sounds like I have a good job ahead. John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 27
From: Auburndale Florida
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'09
I've got this job in my future
Is it possible to remove just the diff. from the housing? Leaving the spring, housing, strut rods and cross member on the car? That way the car height and camber would not be disturbed
Mark
Is it possible to remove just the diff. from the housing? Leaving the spring, housing, strut rods and cross member on the car? That way the car height and camber would not be disturbed
Mark
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,317
Likes: 111
From: St Louis MO
Take any Chilton's Manuals you find and throw them in the trash. They're garbage. Then, just order the GM Shop Manual for the car from any of the major Vette suppliers and follow the instructions. GM Shop Manuals are not available at no charge in the Internet - you just buy them.
...not that I think you need one to simply drop the rear end out. Unbolt the spring, pull the half shafts, pull the driveshaft, and remove the entire crossmember with the rear end hanging from it. With power tools, you should have it out in an hour if you hussle, and 2 hours if you drink a lot of beer.
Lars
...not that I think you need one to simply drop the rear end out. Unbolt the spring, pull the half shafts, pull the driveshaft, and remove the entire crossmember with the rear end hanging from it. With power tools, you should have it out in an hour if you hussle, and 2 hours if you drink a lot of beer.
Lars
To remove the cross member, I use a motorcycle jack to support the diff. To detach the cross member from the frame (the hard part of the task), I loosen the end bolt about 1/8 " (so it won't drop when it pops loose), and then use two crowbars between the frame and cross member - place one on each side of the sombrero - pull up on one while pushing down on the other. The cross member will come loose with a loud pop; repeat on other side.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,317
Likes: 111
From: St Louis MO
My shop manual shows this, but the thought of a gear oil bath is not my idea of fun!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,391
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Lars
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 27
From: Auburndale Florida
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'09
You can pull the carrier and the pinion gear out of the housing with the housing in the car, but doing a good rebuild with correct setting of the pinion depth is sure a heck of a lot easier of your have the housing out of the chassis and in a rotation fixture on a work bench. You're going to struggle more with the rebuild in-car than what it would take you to just drop the entire housing out, so there's no reason not to pull it. Re-setting and verifying the camber is easy, so it should not be an issue.
Lars
Lars
I need to clarify something. I was referring to removing just the center chunk and do the set up work on the bench or swap it out for another center chunk.
Not setting it up in the car like the GM 10 and 12 bolt rears in A and F bodies.
thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
I've head of pulling the pumpkin and leaving the rear cover and spring alone, but I haven't tried it myself, there was a thread on it here a couple years ago.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...oke-seals.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...oke-seals.html
Last edited by '75; Sep 6, 2012 at 11:01 PM.