Rear Differential Snubber
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 261
Likes: 1
From: Montgomery TX
Rear Differential Snubber
Just finished replacing the rear end snubber on the 81. What a pain!
1. Had to use a pry bar to hold the bolt head from turning to get the nut off and back on. There is no room to get a 5/8" wrench in there on the bolt. Would need to heat up and bend a open end wrench to fit up in there.
2. Had to fish all the old pieces of rubber from the deteriorated snubber out of the crossmember with a hooked pick to get the new bushing in from the top.
3. Trying to get the bolt out and back in requires bumping the rear wheel back and forth to get t5he driveshaft to move to wiggle the bolt in and out. Otherwise it just hangs up on the U Joint.
4. I had to hold the washer on the bolt with an o-ring to get it in, I got tired of fishing it out with a magnet after it fell into the crossmember.
I've rebuilt this car from top to bottom and this had to be the most frustrating thing I have run into.
I hope this helps anyone else trying this repair.
1. Had to use a pry bar to hold the bolt head from turning to get the nut off and back on. There is no room to get a 5/8" wrench in there on the bolt. Would need to heat up and bend a open end wrench to fit up in there.
2. Had to fish all the old pieces of rubber from the deteriorated snubber out of the crossmember with a hooked pick to get the new bushing in from the top.
3. Trying to get the bolt out and back in requires bumping the rear wheel back and forth to get t5he driveshaft to move to wiggle the bolt in and out. Otherwise it just hangs up on the U Joint.
4. I had to hold the washer on the bolt with an o-ring to get it in, I got tired of fishing it out with a magnet after it fell into the crossmember.
I've rebuilt this car from top to bottom and this had to be the most frustrating thing I have run into.
I hope this helps anyone else trying this repair.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 506
Likes: 34
From: NW Michigan
I finally gave up. I was never able to get both pieces of the rubber bushing out. I was never able to crowbar the differential tongue down enough (especially with out crushing the brake line that runs right there...)
I need to change out a leaking pinion seal, so I guess the bushing will wait until I pull the whole damn diff for other work as well.
I need to change out a leaking pinion seal, so I guess the bushing will wait until I pull the whole damn diff for other work as well.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Just finished replacing the rear end snubber on the 81. What a pain!
1. Had to use a pry bar to hold the bolt head from turning to get the nut off and back on. There is no room to get a 5/8" wrench in there on the bolt. Would need to heat up and bend a open end wrench to fit up in there.
2. Had to fish all the old pieces of rubber from the deteriorated snubber out of the crossmember with a hooked pick to get the new bushing in from the top.
3. Trying to get the bolt out and back in requires bumping the rear wheel back and forth to get t5he driveshaft to move to wiggle the bolt in and out. Otherwise it just hangs up on the U Joint.
4. I had to hold the washer on the bolt with an o-ring to get it in, I got tired of fishing it out with a magnet after it fell into the crossmember.
I've rebuilt this car from top to bottom and this had to be the most frustrating thing I have run into.
I hope this helps anyone else trying this repair.
1. Had to use a pry bar to hold the bolt head from turning to get the nut off and back on. There is no room to get a 5/8" wrench in there on the bolt. Would need to heat up and bend a open end wrench to fit up in there.
2. Had to fish all the old pieces of rubber from the deteriorated snubber out of the crossmember with a hooked pick to get the new bushing in from the top.
3. Trying to get the bolt out and back in requires bumping the rear wheel back and forth to get t5he driveshaft to move to wiggle the bolt in and out. Otherwise it just hangs up on the U Joint.
4. I had to hold the washer on the bolt with an o-ring to get it in, I got tired of fishing it out with a magnet after it fell into the crossmember.
I've rebuilt this car from top to bottom and this had to be the most frustrating thing I have run into.
I hope this helps anyone else trying this repair.
It sounds like you don't have enough patience to be a mechanic nor the necessary tools. An impact wrench will easily remove the bottom nut without having to hold the head of the bolt with a wrench and even if you did have to hold the head there are plenty of angled-head wrenches available to do it.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 173
Likes: 1
From: Federal Way WA
It sounds like you don't have enough patience to be a mechanic nor the necessary tools. An impact wrench will easily remove the bottom nut without having to hold the head of the bolt with a wrench and even if you did have to hold the head there are plenty of angled-head wrenches available to do it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
I have never "quit" any project in my life because I have the patience to see them thru to the end. Yes, I have gotten awfully frustrated at times but I simply go on to something else for a while to clear my head then come back to it. Some people are born mechanics but most don't have the patience needed to do slow tedious work.
When parts fail and need to be replaced its not unusual to have to take many other parts off to get to the failed part and that's just the way it goes.
