Eddie Hansen

well Have been trying to get my 1969 cutlass s convertible project back on track after waaaaaaaaayyyyy too many years (geez it must be more then 15!!) anyway My motor is at the engine builders,and is moving along nicely, he will also freshen the 4 speed with new seals/synchros etc. So I ordered a differential "Kit" from Jim over at jd race what a great guy!! He Needed some info regarding the diff, and I had to remove an axle to check, so I went ahead and pulled both, drained the diff ( hate that smell boy!!) so now both axles are out backing plates are off and getting ready to put all the good stuff back inside once it gets here. I need to pull the posi unit out, ordered the clutches ( YIKES!!!!$$$$$$$) all new bearings seals etc. I forgot how much I enjoyed working on this car!!

I will refinish the differential, and if you guys are interested I will post my progress on this and the posi rebuild, I am sure I will have LOTS of questions but I have reread the chasis manual several times regarding this and it really seems straight forward.

I plan to convert to 4 wheel disc brakes and now is as good a time as any with the axles etc out. Man it is like a pandoras box when you start changing things, anyway wish me luck.

EDIT BY ADMIN: Three threads have been merged upon Eddie's request. You may have some trouble following consecutive plots. i.e. engine, brakes, etc....

J-(Chicago)

I wish you luck. I'm not sure what you have for tools there but I used a 13 lb. slide hammer and a hook to pull the old races, and a brass bar and a hammer to set the new ones.

Eddie Hansen

J Thanks I have a decent selection of tools (they may be full of cobwebs but a good selection) I know U have a BF hammer or two
I am sure I also have a few brass drifts funny looking at the chasis manual those guys had all them specially made tools to do every darn thing LOL... no wonder the manual makes it look easy, will take some pics as I progress...

Lady72nRob71

Eddie, I am interested in a differential rebuild thread - bring it on!
The most I have ever done was pop the cover, change oil, and clean the grease off the outside...
I hear a lot about special diff techniques, so seeing the action in picures will be interesting.

Eddie Hansen

will do I have changed axle seals a few times never on a BOP rear, never did a posi or anything this ambitious ,but I feel good about it. it's one of these things that if your doing "this" might as well.......... The elephant keeps putting on weight!!


I blame Richard..... if his vert didn't come out so well and one of the best threads ever, I might of said "Good Enough" LOL.....

anyway will take some before and hopefully afters...

Eddie Hansen

I will post how I did it, but certainly seek expert advice on rear ends from somebody who knows what they are doing ( like monzaz ) this will be more of how to "get her done"....

citcapp

Eddie,

Be sure to chew well before you swallow, elephant meat can be tough. Great idea to do a picture thread on the rear end rebuild. Its about the only thing I have not done on a car.

gearheads78

You are in trouble then because I was just getting started in that thread.

Lady72nRob71

And getting it done means just chewing away everything that looks like like an elephant. Simple concept, really!

<running for the bomb shelter>

Jamesbo

X 2 on rear end pics

Eddie Hansen

Ok since these posts have now been merged there are several things that kind of went on at the same time
the differential rebuild, the disc brake conversion and the engine build, we will start with the differential



Gee Rob figures I decide to eat an elephant and I start at the rear!!!

Ok well I started by building a jig to hold the diff while I cleaned it, it was very simple and took all of 5 minutes doesn't need to be fancy. Jackstands would work, but mine are occupied holding up uneaten elephant LOL.

here is a pic of the jig

Eddie Hansen

I thought a lot of the witness marks was kind of over kill and kind of hooey, but as I was cleaning the rear end I found a number of them, I am not going to replace them on mine but will post them for the guys into that kinda thing,

I put the diff cover back on to keep all the cleaning crap out of there, it's basic scrub and scrape, I pulled the drums and axles out fairly simple 4 bolts a side and they pop right off, I used my impact gun but a breaker bar would have worked too. when your luggig this think outside get a friend, gotta tell you this ***** was heavy by myself. maybe I am getting old..

Eddie Hansen

Well found the ID code 'SD" which means it is a 3.08 Posi I knew that but it was nice to find the confirmation

Eddie Hansen

I don't know the upper control arm bushing looks great, might just leave this nightmare alone LOL

Eddie Hansen

found this witness mark after scrubbing a little it was a kinda aqua this is on the right side ( facing from the rear )

Eddie Hansen

ok on the opposite side ( leftside when looking from the rear) there was the same aqua but this was a dab

Eddie Hansen

This was a mark on the right side spring perch ( when viewed from the rear)

Eddie Hansen

from the side

Eddie Hansen

there was this orangey stripe

Eddie Hansen

there was a number 8 on the passenger side this wasn't paint but more of a resin?

anyway she has been fairly degreased, tommorrow it is wire wheeling, I do not want to sand blast it because I do not want all that grit getting inside and it will get inside no matter what I do, so I'll just wire wheel and then wash the housing down with lacquer thinner ( yeah I know I know) but it works great. rebuild kit is probably on the way already so I'll just finish up the prep.

Lady72nRob71

Not the tastiest place to start, but it will at least get better!

Looks like you got a good start.
With my poor woodworking skills, I would still be out there trying to get the stand to stay together...

Eddie Hansen

like anything else it's better to strat working on the parts when they are cleaner, gonna wait to pull the diff carrier till I have the replacement parts in hand, I have learned that if I pull everything and theres a delay well, crap gets lost.

Eddie Hansen

well still working on the differential, this was last weekend, basically cleaning everything up and getting rid of 42 years a grime

Eddie Hansen

lots a work

Eddie Hansen

this is before the primer , I did use an etching primer after I wiped everything down, then sprayed it with chasis black

Eddie Hansen

well in for a pinch in for a pound decided to change the bushings anyway used that technique from that guy on youtube where you walk a drill on the inside of the bushing worked pretty good
[img]

Eddie Hansen

Here is one of the victims

Eddie Hansen

cleaned up the ears with a scotchbrite and sandpaper flapper wheel

Eddie Hansen

before dismantling I checked the backlash mine was .009

Eddie Hansen

I then checked the backlash pattern with the marking compound supplied in the kit from JD Race

Eddie Hansen

the pattern was fine took a pic for reference, not for dismantling

Eddie Hansen

Ok it's important that you keep the caps the same side and same way, I marked them with a stamp, I also kept everything seperate as I dismantled it and marked them

Eddie Hansen

but my hands were too greasy to take a shot, there are 7 clutches per side, some have ears, some do not, plus 2 shims, the shims go in first, then a clutch with ears, then one without, with, without etc till the side is finished, then repeat for other side., then reinstall the spyder gears and shims, then line things up and put the preload spring and rod back in

YOU NEED THE MANUAL!!!!!! I also got excellent advice from Jim at JD RACE what a guy!

Eddie Hansen

while I was working I also popped the bushings from the upper control arms and redid the arms and the hd supports

Eddie Hansen

they were pretty cruddy, but cleaned up nice, used etching primer and chasis black here's some before and during the clean up

Lady72nRob71

Looks like you are making good progress. Neat trick to check the wear pattern on the ring gear.
Glad you went ahead with the upper bushings, as when else could you easily do them?

BTW, I forgot to ask, is the below hole for the vent valve?

Eddie Hansen

no, it was made while using the drill to take out the bushings JUST KIDDING

Yes rob, that is where that little plastic breather goes..LOL
as for the wear patterns it tells you if the pinion is in too deep or too shallow etc which is extremely important, when I change the pinion bearing, and put the new crush sleeve in you really only have one shot at it or you need a new crush sleeve, so that is the reason for checking the back lash and also the mesh pattern etc, anyway the carrier is all back together, now I will tackle the bearings.

I was extremely intimidated by this as I have never done anything with a differential before besides seals and outer bearings. Jim at JD Race was great and also the chasis manual is a big help.

here is more on backlash and marking etc

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cata...tructions.html

Eddie Hansen

well this will be for my second bite of the elephant, I figured while I was freshening up the rear end, to bite the bullet and convert to 4 wheel disc brakes, I was going to go with one of the ebay guys, but read here the right stuff was good too, and when you sit down and figure upgrades etc , then different shipping prices well right stuff was darn good.

I ordered the 4 wheel discs, stainless steel brake lines and hoses 9 " power booster, ordered the stainless steel e-brakes too, they gave me a credit for the rubber hoses, and the standard ebrake cables, phone orders also get 5 % off , man this is cool, from doing nothin on this car for years I got the rear end going, the motor is in the shop and now the brakes,


wheres the elephant I am hungry LOL.....


i'll take pics and stuff once I finish the rear end ( the differential not the elephant LOL) and start this job, then it is lowering the body down and quarter panels...



after that I am thinking I will have the doors, hood, trunk and fenders media blasted then go from there.

Beob

what are you doing to the rear and how much are you spending on it? Im not sure what to do with mine, was considering just leaving it as is for now and if anything goes wrong down the road ill deal with it then.
Do you have any pics of your car posted anywhere?

citcapp

Your on a roll, keep it going, what fun