For a trans overhaul, I remove the 2 bolts that go thru the tailhousing on the trans and loosen the 2 that go thru the rear end.On my car I am able to use a prybar between the trailhousing and the c-beam. It will just barely "twang" past it. In the past, I removed the 2 bolts for the rear and shoved the c-beam toward the rear bumper and it allowed me to lower the trans. Doing it this way however, gave me heartburn trying to line up all 4 c-beam bolt holes.

 

I've 3 D44 d'shafts and all three measure 26 5/8 +/- center to center on the joints. This was a quick dimension with a tape. I've always understood the D36 c-beam could be drilled and used for the conversion if you were trying to keep costs to a minimum and had access to the correct machinery.
The only thing I'd recommend and I believe all will agree, since you're doing this a second time and trying to salvage the u-joints I'd likely take it to a driveline shop, let them do the joint swap and BALANCE the assembly for you. It is IMPORTANT! BALANCE!
I'd hang on to all "your" parts until the fellow sends you the correct stuff! If he's straight up he'll understand. Then you can compare before you start the assembly again. Have him measure the c-beam mounting holes for you and call you with them. If they're not what "seems" correct, keep looking. I've a D-44 c-beam but couldn't put my hands on it for dimensions this evening!

-Good luck!

 

My d36 c beam at the diff was on for for the entire life of the car and was a driver ( all weather) I couldnt budge the the 2 bolts even with a 3" foot helper on a breaker bar - I thought BlackRoseLT1 and I were going to pull the car off the stands so we stopped - I had it loosened when the Roll Bar was done

 

Tomorow I will measure the driveshafts eye to eye and compare the two. When i put them side to side, I didn't try too hard to be accurate because I would have never thought that these parts may have come out of seperate cars. I bought a complete rear disc to disc with the driveshaft and C-beam.



When I talked to the guy at the salvage yard where I bought the rear,
he said he had bunches of C-beams and Driveshafts and that they were not that hard to tell apart.

So with a little luck this time...

Its only been 5 months since I broke this thing...

 

The length difference in D36 vs D44 beams is approx. 3/4".


I've seen them side by side and they're quite different, the webbing is different at the ends. One is squared where the other isn't, I forget which beam, and which end to compare.

Here's a D44 beam. One end round and one end square. The D36 beam either had two round ends or two square ends.







I've never removed a C-beam on an auto vette, but it's tough on a 4+3 and a royal pain in the *** on a ZF6.


1. Support the trans.

2. Use a crescent wrench on the inner nuts, then the outer nuts, snug it up by feel (this may require rotating the bolt a bit to get the crescent wrench on properly.) The wrench will back up against the side of the tunnel as you loosen the bolts.

3. Now slide the beam all the way to the passenger side and all the way forward beside the trans.

4. Now remove the driveshaft. I've seen some vettes where the driveshaft could be removed with the beam bolted in, it depends on how much the seams around the storage compartment intefere, these vary from the factory.

5. Now the hard part: Pull the front of the beam down beside the trans. This may require prying the trans/engine toward the drivers side or lowering the trans jack a little. If you move the beam too far forward you'll interfere with webbing on the trans case. If you don't move it forward enough the rear diff won't allow it to pivot down.

Install is reverse of removal.

I ground off 1/4" from the top front inner edge of my beam to make install/removal easier.


On the other hand, if you're doing it at the same time as the rear end, it's cake. Just unbolt the rear batwing bolts and the spring & swaybar, then pivot the whole drivetrain down until the batwing bushings clear the mounts, then support the trans there, unbolt the C beam, and the rear will roll right out of there.



1/8" too short on the driveshaft is fine. 1/8" too long might not be. Remember it uses a slip yoke, even though it really never slips on these cars.

 

My modified dana36 c-beam.

 

There is no need to worry about the style of the ends. Line up the bolt holes of two C beams at one end. Then compare the holes at the other end. The short one is for the D44.

RACE ON!!!

 

What did you break?

.....just curious.

 

I broke the spyder gears inside the rear. I had wheel hop on a launch and I beleive that did it in. It didn't make any funny noises until I would make a hard turn. Then it would clunk like it was hit with a hammer and feel like the wheel fell off!

 

Wow!.......I hope you get her going soon. Sounds like you are taking the opportunity to make a good mod.

 

I have had my C-beam off a few times and never took the rear end off. Pretty much I did the same steps that Central Coaster did.