D44 conversion finally in progress
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
From: OH
D44 conversion finally in progress
Well after a full month without my Vette the wait is soon to be over. I just got my D44 
Tonight I got the new u-joints and automatic yoke on the driveshaft and changed the gear oil. I lucked out, someone had just recently changed the carrier bushings, so got to skip that job.
Tomorrow time to bolt that sucker in and take a ride.
Tonight I got the new u-joints and automatic yoke on the driveshaft and changed the gear oil. I lucked out, someone had just recently changed the carrier bushings, so got to skip that job.
Tomorrow time to bolt that sucker in and take a ride.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
From: OH
Originally Posted by Corvette Kid NC
Did you go w/ the HD anondized Spicer joints? If so, could you post the part #s? Thanks.Kinda slept in today, so going to get started in about an hour. I'd post a ton of pictures, but ski_it_dwns tech tip already has pretty much every photo, in much better quality then I could get with only 18" of clearance in my garage
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
From: OH
AGGR! Damn C-beam is being a serious BIT*H. After 1-1/2 hours I am taking a break. Got the c-beam plate for the front threaded some so now its just a matter of forcing my will on the rear diff. mounts.
I can get the bottem holes to line up, but not the tops, called my father over for backup, this ain't a one-man job on jackstands.
I can get the bottem holes to line up, but not the tops, called my father over for backup, this ain't a one-man job on jackstands.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Originally Posted by rsafier
Nope. I had read a lot about u-joints on the forum. Then called up autocross/corvette mechanic guru Danny Popp and he said that AutoZones BruteForce u-joints are just as good as the Spicer solids. I picked them up for something like $12 per joint. They were very nice, and if something happens they came with a 1 year warrenty.
The brute force are JUNK! Hey thats great and all if they have a 1-year warrany, but if they snap will they cover your halfshaft, suspension components, ABS components and everything else that a wildly spinning halfshaft will destroy at speed?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Originally Posted by rsafier
I can get the bottem holes to line up, but not the tops,
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
From: OH
Originally Posted by scorp508
You just need to use the right tools! Get another jack and put it under the pumpkin. You'll get it lined up this way.
Yeah, had jacks on the tranny and rear-end, finally got it after lots of fighting. Of course my air compressor took a dump, so had a 2 hour break until I could pick up a spare from my dad. Got the driveline & body mounts torqued up. Half-shafts in place and ready to torque.
Left for tomorrow:
Torque half-shafts
recheck check gear oil level
Driveline install/torque
camber rods
Toe adjuster
rear spring
exhaust
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
From: OH
Finished (although no pictures yet, sorry). Just drove it over open-header to the alignment place. Now just gotta get the exhaust back on. I started to try from under jackstands and it wasn't going to happen, need some heat and more space.
Its nice to have the car back and running, and the open headers is pretty fun too, except for the resonance factor.
Its nice to have the car back and running, and the open headers is pretty fun too, except for the resonance factor.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 4
From: cincinnati ohio
Originally Posted by scorp508
This guy is a "guru"...? The brute force are JUNK! Hey thats great and all if they have a 1-year warrany, but if they snap will they cover your halfshaft, suspension components, ABS components and everything else that a wildly spinning halfshaft will destroy at speed?
The brute force are JUNK! Hey thats great and all if they have a 1-year warrany, but if they snap will they cover your halfshaft, suspension components, ABS components and everything else that a wildly spinning halfshaft will destroy at speed?Awful quick to slam on someone aren't you???? What are you some sort of u-joint hating drag racer??? BTW, his car is an automatic and not quite as hard on these components as a manual transmission. Why don't you come race with us sometime
RAFTRACER