Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 10,258
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From: Calif.
Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls?
I plan to remove the rear pumpkin from my '76 so I can take the unit in to be given the professional once-over. I've got the usual reference materials--AIM, Chilton, '74 shop manual and '76 supplement, and even a Haynes. I've done engines and transmissions before but this is my first go-round with the rear end.
Anything special a guy needs to know or is the R&R thing pretty straightforward?
[Modified by The Dude, 9:27 PM 8/11/2002]
Anything special a guy needs to know or is the R&R thing pretty straightforward?
[Modified by The Dude, 9:27 PM 8/11/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,569
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From: Hawaii
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (The Dude)
If you are planning to do this very often......I have a tip. I know some people will blow their top, but, it made it very easy for me to do mine and I was planning on switching my pumpkin every few months depending on whether I was drag racing or not. My shortcut was to cut a flap in the carpet behind the seats and above the rear end. I then took a drill bit and drilled through the fiberglass and kept drilling through until I got centered above the 4 bolts that hold the pumpkin to the rear crossmember. Then I took a hole cutter and cut holes above each of the four bolts so I could easily remove/replace those bolts. I couldn't figure out how to get to those with out dropping the rear cross member and that looked like a chore itself. Maybe I am wrong, but it looked tough to me. If you are only going to do this once, you might not want to tear up the back like that, but I was planning on swapping every other month or so and it worked like a charm after the first time. I know very bubbaish, but very effective.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Far side of the Moon
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Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (The Dude)
If you've done engines and tranny's than removing the pumpkin is pretty straightforward.
Just be careful, it is right at 100 lbs. Don't drop it on your hand. :sad:
[Modified by gb4622, 12:48 AM 8/12/2002]
Just be careful, it is right at 100 lbs. Don't drop it on your hand. :sad:
[Modified by gb4622, 12:48 AM 8/12/2002]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
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From: New Hill NC
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (Maurice)
Its simple. remove the exhaust, remove the outher half shaft bolts, remove the driveshaft, bolts, remove the outer long spring bolts, remove the snubber bushing nut. Now loosten the two outer bolts in the X member. With a large pry bar, break loose the X member from the bushings. Then you can remove the whole thing as a unit and not get oil all over the place. Takes less than an hour with proper equipment.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 2
From: Severna Park Md
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (wombvette)
yes like wombvette says..drop the whole crossmember and cover/pumpkin a a unit. Then dis assemble when it out.. much easier that way. :cheers:
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Quincy IL
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (Jvette73)
i've done this a couple of times and have made a board type device to hold the pumpkin to my floor jack. basically, the board straps to the jack with some black banding material I "borrow" from work and then i use the same banding material to go around the pumpkin and thru some metal brackets screwed to the top of the board. you have to steady it with one hand when you roll it around but it works.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 10,258
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From: Calif.
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (The Dude)
Thanks. It seems pretty simple, relatively speaking. And I have the luxury of time to strategize it out.
Now, my rear end runs and drives fine--no noises, grinding, clicks, pops or anything. But what kind of things could a shop discover once they have it in their possession? I know a shop is in the business of selling things and I'm sure they're going to want to do stuff they can bill for. But what's common? Side yokes mushroomed? Posi clutches worn?
The reason I ask is that I may be swapping my rear 3.08 pumpkin for another guy's 3.70 and I want to make sure mine's in good, solid shape and ready to bolt right in.
Now, my rear end runs and drives fine--no noises, grinding, clicks, pops or anything. But what kind of things could a shop discover once they have it in their possession? I know a shop is in the business of selling things and I'm sure they're going to want to do stuff they can bill for. But what's common? Side yokes mushroomed? Posi clutches worn?
The reason I ask is that I may be swapping my rear 3.08 pumpkin for another guy's 3.70 and I want to make sure mine's in good, solid shape and ready to bolt right in.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Reno NV
St. Jude Donor '08
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (The Dude)
it was fairly easy on our C4. pretty much the same set up but we dropped the spare tire and basicly the whole rear end.
we are doing the C3 this winter and imagine it will be alot more difficult due to the rust, grim etc holding the nuts on i think we are going to do a frame off on it and patch up the frame...
we are doing the C3 this winter and imagine it will be alot more difficult due to the rust, grim etc holding the nuts on i think we are going to do a frame off on it and patch up the frame...
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Schaumburg IL
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (gb4622)
As gb4622 put it, be careful - it is heavy. Use a floor jack with an adaptor or rent a trans. jack for the day.
Dropping the whole unit with the cross member is good way to go.
Dropping the whole unit with the cross member is good way to go.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 34,253
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From: Medford, OR
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (The Dude)
If you don't have a specific shop in mind try J&S Gear in Huntington Beach. I was recomended to them by another Vette owner. They were a pretty honest shop that didn't try and sell me any extra services. I took mine in knowing it needed new side yokes installed and that I wanted to change the gear ratio and that's what I got. No upselling involved. :) They're on Gothard just west of Warner if you want to give them a look. PH#(714) 841-4545.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 5,768
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From: San Diego CA
Re: Removing rear pumpkin--tips, tricks, pitfalls? (The Dude)
I plan to remove the rear pumpkin from my '76 so I can take the unit in to be given the professional once-over. I've got the usual reference materials--AIM, Chilton, '74 shop manual and '76 supplement, and even a Haynes. I've done engines and transmissions before but this is my first go-round with the rear end.
Anything special a guy needs to know or is the R&R thing pretty straightforward?
[Modified by The Dude, 9:27 PM 8/11/2002]
Anything special a guy needs to know or is the R&R thing pretty straightforward?
[Modified by The Dude, 9:27 PM 8/11/2002]
When reassembling - apply a liberal amount of anti-sieze to the two mating parts - this will ensure that in future they will not be bonded together.
[Modified by fauxrs, 12:02 PM 8/12/2002]