... are the only things standing in my way of removing my old rear end and sliding the new one into my car.
I figured out how to get the e-brake cables down to just the cable, but is there a specialty tool to hold the locking tabs down so I can pull it out of the rear brakes? If not, I might just snip it, considering the e-brake doesn't work now, and certainly wouldn't anyway after sitting for a year and a half.
Second thing. I've got all the CA bolts out but I just need to get the driveshaft disconnected, from one end or the other. At this point it would probably be very difficult to take the 4 bolts out of the back end of the driveshaft. Especially considering the pinion shaft bearing seems to be broken, because the yoke, or whatever, wobbles around a lot on the front. Should the front end of it just slide from the rear of the tranny?
Driveshaft will just slide out of the transmission.
There should be clips just in front of the wheel wells where the cables coming from the rear brakes attatch to the cables coming from the middle of the car, you should be able to disconnect the cables there, then remove the clip holding the cable to the car and it will come out attached to the rear end.
This is what the connector looks like that will be holding the two cables together
(http://www.rickscamaros.com/online-store/scstore/graphics/pb-23.jpg)
Ok, good deal. I might try to manually shift the car into park (the shifter is loose, I didn't put the plastic shim back into the steering column.) If I can do that, maybe I can get the bolts out.
Now, next question. I talked to Claude about this, but I'm still having qualms about bending and flaring brake lines. It looks like I'll only need to bend the 2 lines that go on either side of the axle. Any advice in that area?
Double flaring is easy. Get a piece of tubing to practice on. You'll be a pro in no time. :)
get a descent flaring tool. I tried the cheap ass one from advance and it was difficult to use and it ended up tearing up. Went to sears and baught one and it worked like it was supposed to. I practiced on about 3ft of tube before I could make usable flares. Practice bending a little too. Jason.
Will do on the flaring tool, Monday is my next day off. As I understand, they don't really make tubing benders for the 3/16" (correct?) line that the rear brakes use?
I could be thinking of a different type of trans, but be careful when sliding the driveshaft out of it. You'll probably spill out fluid and you would want some kind of pan under there to catch it.
I'm pretty sure it might leak, but that's my last-resort way of removing it. I'mma try putting it in park first.
Ahh yeah, ATF everywhere, get a drain pan and DONT knock it over with the driveshaft once you get it out....
*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE
Today I busted my ass for a mere 4 hours and managed to get the new rear end in, CA bolts finger tight, and driveshaft bolts in. Of course, because I'm a N00b to this, I have a few questions:
1.) What's the easiest way to fill the differential? With the car jacked up, the angle of the fill plug isn't conducive to just pouring it in. Also, what's the capacity? 3 quarts?
2.) Do I need to use loctite or threadlocker of some kind of the driveshaft bolts? There was grease and shiznit caked in the holes, so they went in quite hard.
3.) This is a less-important question, but I have to know, is it normal for the driveshaft to rub the ler when the rear axle is dropped below where it would normally stop? If I have to, I can move the ler over a smidge (not too much, it'd get too close to the fuel lines.)
I might think of some more later on, if so I'll post 'em. Thanks for all your help so far, everyone.
If you cant get the bottle in to top up the fluid you can get a transfer pump, looks like a grease gun with two hoses coming out of it and it will get it in there easily.
Loctite should be used, it was on there originally so go with it.
Once the cars on the ground the rear shouldnt drop enough to hit the exhaust unless your jumping it, put the weight of the car on the rar and see where everything sits before you start tweeking your exhaust.
Cool. And those DS bolts? Just crank 'em down? No way in hell to get a torque wrench on 'em. (Nor do I know if I can even find mine).
Also, what color threadlocker? Red or blue?
How about a long piece of tubing for the fluid? I guess you'll need someone to get in a position to lift the bottle higher than the differential though. Can't wait to see your Bird again!
I put red loctite on my driveshaft bolts and ran em in with an impact wrench. Easiest way to do it really.
I'll probably just have to crank 'em down with a wrench. I really can't get an impact on 'em, I don't think.
I'd use red since it doesnt really come off much but you should probabally use blue just in case, crank them down with a combination wrench and make sure the mating surfaces are clean, you should be good to go.
Mating surfaces? You're talking about where the driveshaft mounts onto the on the rear end? Or do you mean the threads?
I suppose I can use some carb cleaner in the area.
yeah where the two pieces sit against each other, clean bolts are easier to handle aswell.
Loctite? Whoops. I didn't notice any when removing mine for u-joint replacements. I loosened them about 1/8 turn, and spun them out with my fingers. When I put them back in, I just put a tight-fitting box-end wrench on each bolt and hit it until my hand hurt. It's been 4 1/2 years now, am I safe?
I ended up having to run the driveshaft bolts in and out a few times, then cleaning the bolt threads with a wire brush. After that they went in fine. Loc-tite-ed them and cranked on 'em with a combo wrench. Didn't use a cheater bar for fear of breaking the bolts or rounding off the heads. I think my driveshaft should stay on, though.
Redgarding the rear end cover: I bought a new one from Summit Racing and it came with a gasket and new bolts. Though a lot of people say you don't have to have a new gasket, I used the one I got with it, just to be safe. I basically 'buttered' both sides of the gasket and stuck the cover on. Now, is there any relative amount of tightening you wanna apply to the bolts? I know I won't be able to find my torque wrench. So, basically I tightened them in a criss-cross pattern and then re-tightened. I just hope I haven't over-tigthened, causing the cover to warp or anything.
As of right now, all I have left to do is:
-Fill rear end with lube (Got the good stuff, Royal Purpe 85-140, still have to find one of those pumps)
-Jack the rear up to ride height and tighten the CA bolts
-Bleed the brakes.
After that, my car will be BACK on the road for the first time in over a year!
Forget about the pump to put the fluid in there just get a long piece of tubing to fit over the end of bottle lid and then put the hose into the fill hole and squeeze. Get about 2feet of tube. then lower the rear all the way and hold the bottle above the rear and and there you go.