IRS Differential Removal

[Elm Zobens]

Re: No biggie Elm

Well I finally got the differential out of the car!
I ended up removing the 4 bolts on the top of the carrier cover to crossmember bolts because I couldn't get the crossmember loose from the rubber mounts if my life depended on it. I will need to devise a way to get this crossmember off now that the axle is out of the way. It appears that the axle has never been removed from the car- Based on the clean paint still under the mounting points and a 2 letter label still attached to the differential cover. The bad news is that it a 3.70 OPEN END! Yikes! why would anyone order such a thing?
Oh well, that's another project. Thanks again for all the advice!
Elm.

[Elm Zobens]

Re: No biggie Elm

Well I finally got the differential out of the car!
I ended up removing the 4 bolts on the top of the carrier cover to crossmember bolts because I couldn't get the crossmember loose from the rubber mounts if my life depended on it. I will need to devise a way to get this crossmember off now that the axle is out of the way. It appears that the axle has never been removed from the car- Based on the clean paint still under the mounting points and a 2 letter label still attached to the differential cover. The bad news is that it a 3.70 OPEN END! Yikes! why would anyone order such a thing?
Oh well, that's another project. Thanks again for all the advice!
Elm.

[Chuck R.]

Re: I'm surprised Elm

What size pry bar did you use? The longer the better if you can get it in there.

Is the body off the frame?

Crazy question, you DID remove the two crossmember bolts before prying right?

Just trying to cover ALL the possible angles Elm.

Did you lace the sombrero mounts with penetrant where they go into the rubbers? It may take alot to get enough in where you need it.

I "Bounced" the bar up and down (as much as I could anyway) which stretched the rubber enough to allow the penetrant to creep deeper along the mount and the rubber until it released it's very rusty grip.

It WILL give Elm, it just may take a little more time and patience with it.

Chuck

[Chuck R.]

Re: I'm surprised Elm

What size pry bar did you use? The longer the better if you can get it in there.

Is the body off the frame?

Crazy question, you DID remove the two crossmember bolts before prying right?

Just trying to cover ALL the possible angles Elm.

Did you lace the sombrero mounts with penetrant where they go into the rubbers? It may take alot to get enough in where you need it.

I "Bounced" the bar up and down (as much as I could anyway) which stretched the rubber enough to allow the penetrant to creep deeper along the mount and the rubber until it released it's very rusty grip.

It WILL give Elm, it just may take a little more time and patience with it.

Chuck

[Elm Zobens]

Re: I'm surprised Elm

Chuck,
I have several pry bars- The largest I've been using is about 3 feet long and about 7/8" diameter (about 1" flat on the end). Your basic 'Crow Bar'.
The body is on the frame and the 2 cross member bolts are out (they actually did come out fairly easy).
I've hit the bushings several times over the past few days with WD-40 and I've been prying to the point of slightly bending down the ears on the corner of the cross member.

Is it strictly rubber contacting the 'cup' on the frame or does the rubber mount have a metal cup inside as well that slides over the cup on the frame?

It seems that this is unbelieveably tight for a rubber to metal connection.
I am currently trying to devise some sort of contraption utilizing a hydraulic ram to pull the cross member away from the frame.

The only explaination I have is that I am 99.9% confident that this crossmember hasn't been out of the car since it left the factory in 1969.
Elm.

[Elm Zobens]

Re: I'm surprised Elm

Chuck,
I have several pry bars- The largest I've been using is about 3 feet long and about 7/8" diameter (about 1" flat on the end). Your basic 'Crow Bar'.
The body is on the frame and the 2 cross member bolts are out (they actually did come out fairly easy).
I've hit the bushings several times over the past few days with WD-40 and I've been prying to the point of slightly bending down the ears on the corner of the cross member.

Is it strictly rubber contacting the 'cup' on the frame or does the rubber mount have a metal cup inside as well that slides over the cup on the frame?

It seems that this is unbelieveably tight for a rubber to metal connection.
I am currently trying to devise some sort of contraption utilizing a hydraulic ram to pull the cross member away from the frame.

The only explaination I have is that I am 99.9% confident that this crossmember hasn't been out of the car since it left the factory in 1969.
Elm.

[Dick W.]

Re: I'm surprised Elm

Old adage "never force anything, use bigger hammer". I use a 72" "pinch" bar to remove the crossmember, and sometimes it takes all the weight of my fat a.. bouncing on the bar to break it loose. We have removed ten or so and never had one that we could not remove.

I do not think tht a porta-power spreader will losen one that is real tight.

[Dick W.]

Re: I'm surprised Elm

Old adage "never force anything, use bigger hammer". I use a 72" "pinch" bar to remove the crossmember, and sometimes it takes all the weight of my fat a.. bouncing on the bar to break it loose. We have removed ten or so and never had one that we could not remove.

I do not think tht a porta-power spreader will losen one that is real tight.

[Chuck R.]

Re: You probably right Elm

It's probably never been out and YES, it's strictly rubber against steel.

Sounds like you need a longer pry bar Elm, mine was 5' with a flat chisel end and I had block spacer between the frame and the bar to get the bar away from the wheel well when I pryed up on my end of the bar

It's amazing the holding power that these rubber mounts have when they have a clean and water proof bite on steel for a period of years!

If your going to the "Big Guns" and are going to create a more powerful pulling devise, you should be very aware of doing possible damage to the welded mounts where they are stiched to the frame it'self. You just might puker them down if you put too much strain on them.

I wish there was an easier method I could share with you Elm, but it's one of those "Break a good sweat and keep at it" deals.

Not that I'm trying to skate on the problem, but let me ask you this, do you really need to pull it other than just to clean it up? It sounds like the mounts are solid.

I tell Ya Elm, my Up-State NY 68 has battled me at every turn due to the years of exposure and corrosion, but the crossmember was probably one of the easier removal tasks I faced.

What part of the country you located Elm? Is you ride heavily rusted?

[Chuck R.]

Re: You probably right Elm

It's probably never been out and YES, it's strictly rubber against steel.

Sounds like you need a longer pry bar Elm, mine was 5' with a flat chisel end and I had block spacer between the frame and the bar to get the bar away from the wheel well when I pryed up on my end of the bar

It's amazing the holding power that these rubber mounts have when they have a clean and water proof bite on steel for a period of years!

If your going to the "Big Guns" and are going to create a more powerful pulling devise, you should be very aware of doing possible damage to the welded mounts where they are stiched to the frame it'self. You just might puker them down if you put too much strain on them.

I wish there was an easier method I could share with you Elm, but it's one of those "Break a good sweat and keep at it" deals.

Not that I'm trying to skate on the problem, but let me ask you this, do you really need to pull it other than just to clean it up? It sounds like the mounts are solid.

I tell Ya Elm, my Up-State NY 68 has battled me at every turn due to the years of exposure and corrosion, but the crossmember was probably one of the easier removal tasks I faced.

What part of the country you located Elm? Is you ride heavily rusted?

[Elm Zobens]

Re: You probably right Elm

Chuck,
My car is an original rust-belt 'survivor' that has spent most of it's life (as far as I know) in Northern Illionis.
While the frame seems surprisingly solid for the vintage and loaction (no holes or weak spots that I've found so far), the crossmember is probably the 'crustiest' piece of metal on the car next to the differential itself.
Since I have the beast this far apart, I really would like to get the crossmember blasted and painted to go with my rebuilt rear end.

Do I 'Need' to remove it? NO.
Do I 'Have' to remove it? YES LOL

Thanks for the advice. Now I need to find a longer crow bar!
Elm.

[Elm Zobens]

Re: You probably right Elm

Chuck,
My car is an original rust-belt 'survivor' that has spent most of it's life (as far as I know) in Northern Illionis.
While the frame seems surprisingly solid for the vintage and loaction (no holes or weak spots that I've found so far), the crossmember is probably the 'crustiest' piece of metal on the car next to the differential itself.
Since I have the beast this far apart, I really would like to get the crossmember blasted and painted to go with my rebuilt rear end.

Do I 'Need' to remove it? NO.
Do I 'Have' to remove it? YES LOL

Thanks for the advice. Now I need to find a longer crow bar!
Elm.

[Chuck R.]

Re: I'll call you Teddy Roosevelt Zobens

Walk softly and carry a BIG crow bar

Yeah I know the feeling, working on a Vette is like eating peanuts, you just can't stop once you get going on em huh?

Well Elm, I'm here for moral support if nothing else.

Good luck with your .... ah....project,

Chuck

[Chuck R.]

Re: I'll call you Teddy Roosevelt Zobens

Walk softly and carry a BIG crow bar

Yeah I know the feeling, working on a Vette is like eating peanuts, you just can't stop once you get going on em huh?

Well Elm, I'm here for moral support if nothing else.

Good luck with your .... ah....project,

Chuck

[John H.]

Re: I'm surprised Elm

Elm -

The connection you're trying to separate is metal-to-metal (rusted together); the "sombrero" cup on the frame is steel, and the mating female part of the cushion is also a steel sleeve, bonded to the cushion. They WILL separate (eventually) with use of liberal amounts of PB Blaster and a BIG pry bar (or big cold chisels used as wedges, driven in with a BIG hammer).