Looking to remove my 12 Bolt "O" axle.

These are the steps I was going to take, if anyone see's something I should be doing first, please advise.
I'm also not exactly sure how to remove the rear brake lines from the body.....

1. Jack up both ends of car. Secure front end on ramps.
2. Secure rear end on frame rails on Jack Stands.
3. Compress differential up against body to loosen shocks and UCA's.
4. Disconnect brake lines. (not exactly sure how to get to this yet)
5. Disconnect pinion yoke from U-joint and detach driveshaft
6. Drop rear end out.

Am I missing anything ???

 

Unbolt the bottom shock bolt nuts when the car is on the ground, and jack the frame up. There will be an optimum spot to pound the bottom bolt out. Not too compressed, and not having the rearend hanging from the shock.
The brake lines disconnect at the top of the pumpkin. As far as messing with the Ebrake, it's easiest to torch it, and get a new one in my opinion. I hate fumbling with those rusty clips.

 

Once the shocks are out, you can yank down on the axle tube and pull the springs 1 at a time. I'd get the driveshaft out of the way first and foremost.

Unbolt the top ears, remove the ear bolts, and loosen the lowers on the axle some, but don't remove them yet.
swing it down like a big rusty hinge and remove the lower arms from the axle tube flange.

Then you can see what you're doing if you want to pull the control arms off the frame too.

I'd leave the front wheels on the ground and chock them.

 

There's no need to put the front end up in the air. You'll have plenty of room to work back there. In fact, having the car tipped forward with the front wheels on the ground will actually give you more room for your noggin under the gas tank.

As was said, disconnect the driveshaft first.

If you are putting the same rear -- or same type -- back in, there's no need to disconnect the brakes. Instead, you can pull the axles (make sure you're not parked too close to a wall before you start the job) and unbolt the brake backing plates. You then hang the plates from the frame (with wire) while you drop the rear. Of course, if your plan was to refurbish the backing plates, you would want to remove them instead.

If you have a rear anti-sway bar, unbolt that before unbolting the rear.

If you are pulling the axles, you just as well pull the cover and drain the rear first. Otherwise you'll leak all over when you move the rear around after dropping it.

 

The entire rear end is being replaced as well as Baer disc brakes with D+S rotors.

So I have to disconnect the brake lines to drop the entire rear end I'd think.

 

When you take your drive shaft out. Then you should be able to access the brake hose to disconnect it.

 

What rear is going back in?
In your situation,if your axle lines are good,you might want to disconnect them at the wheel cylinders & hang them up,if you can reuse them with your discs.There is a single bolt holding the hose "T" at the top of the pumpkin.Disconnect that too.Leave the front of the car on the ground,as mentioned.

 

Chevy 12 Bolt for the same period.

Cheaper gears and parts. Better rear end.
Got it almost new for $1000 from a guy in Texas.
3.73 Richmonds, Eaton Posi new, Strange axles, T/A Cover, etc.
Came with a $1100 rear disc brake setup too from BAER.

Dude, it's impossible to pass up.....it's worth $3,000 easily.
Olds12BoltDiscBrakes2.jpg
Olds12BoltDiscBrakes7.jpg
My Olds rear is worth poo poo.

 

Nice set up you're putting in there. I would do the same thing if I had that for my car too.

Looks like everyone gave you good advice on pulling it out. I had my type O out in an afternoon. I also took the tires off and mounted a pair of rims w/o tires on the rear. That way, once everything was disconnected it rolled out the back of the car nice and easy. I used the rims to roll the new rear in too. Made it easy to line everything back up.

 

Looks like it has some good pieces,so you're set.If you know how to tune a posi unit,I would suggest that,as you might wish you did it later on.If you won't be taking it to the track,it should be fine.

 

WOOT......

I couldn't get the MF'n driveshaft to drop because of a cross section in the exhaust.
It wouldn't pull back and drop with the rear end in still......had to wait til I got the rear dropped.
Couldn't get to finish the install because I forgot I had to press in the new 1310 to 1350 conversion U-joint.

I ordered some fancy UMI performance Roto-joint UCA's and got those in, but I wish I had gotten the LCA's too.
I'm going to have to get them now after seeing how sad the stock one's really are.

The springs in this car were newer, and the shocks were NAPA Gold HD's and I'm debating if I should
put in the KYB Gas Adjusts I bought or leave the NAPA one's in there for now. I didn't feel like buying Bilsteins for this.

2010JunOlds12BoltRemoved.jpg

 

looks like a nice set of ca grease zerks and all .

 

What's that ??

Hey, anyone have any suggestions on how to remove the U-joint factory plastic push pins ??
I heard using a torch to melt them but that wasn't working out too well.

The U-joints won't come out without me getting these plastic pins out.
I found this thread on Nastyz28. I'm assuming the GM Olds is the same.
http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1131336

It's definitely NOT working with the hammer + socket method.

 

torch is the only have ever done then. but an old timer told me about using a wood stove once?????????????????

 

I've done them but it is usually a two person job - One to hold the torch on the u joint and one person to hammer. We would start hammering once the plastic starts seeping out the hole

 

I had the driveshaft U-joint pressed out by a shop.
It's the Saginaw 1344 on both sides with middle clips.

I put a new conversion U-joint in it 1344 to 1350 and had it rebalanced and it's all installed now.
I have had a real BITCH of a time bleeding these brakes properly, and discovered my calipers were upside down.

Took it for a test drive and I LOVE POSI!!!!! Thanks for all the help folks!!!!
Now I just have to find a new home for my Olds "O" rear end.......tried 3 weeks now to sell it for $300 , no takers.

DSC02303.jpg

 

I just finished re installing my rear end on my 72. The ebrake cables have a disconnect point just forward of the axel and the brake lines will disconnect on top of the differential ( not much fluild will leak out). Next pull your axels out at which time the whole brake assemble and backing plate can be removed with out disturbing the brake shoes. I found it easier to remove the coil springs then disconnect the support links. I used a floor jack and cargo strap to secure the assemble to the jack. And I did this all by myself.