Need advice on differential removal

[William C. Brown #33787]

Gents,

I'm looking for advice on how best to pull the differential on my 68 L-89. I can see at least three ways to remove the diff:

- Unbolt diff from cover and remove - Unbolt diff from cross-member (requires drilling hole in package boot floor) - Unbolt cross-member that diff is attached to

I really want to get the cross-member out of the car so I can perform some minor clean-up on it, but I understand that removing this beast requires some special talent. Is this correct?

I'm planning on shipping the diff off to VanSteel in Florida for restoration and a gear change to a lower gear. Any words of advice on this decision would be wonderful.

Thanks to all --Corey

[Mark L.]

Re: Need advice on differential removal

Corey, I beleive you should remove all the attaching hardware; half shafts, spring,strut rods, front support etc and drop the whole unit included the brace. You may need to persuade it to come free but then you can easily remove the housing from the brace without cutting a hole in the fiberglass and this will allow you to clean up the pieces. Unless you have side exhaust you will also need to remove the exhaust pipes. Good luck. Mark

[Dave Mak #30045]

Re: Need advice on differential removal

Coret, Special talent, nope. Penatrating oil and a big crow bar, yes. The cross-member tends to "Stick" to the frame. Once everything is removed (half shafts, etc.) Losen the bolts that hold in the half shaft. Enough so it can drop an inch or so, but not so much that they will come out. The reson is, you want the cross-member to separate from the frame but not drop to the floor. Carefully place the crow bar between the cross-member and the frame, and, well, you know, pry. Move slowly and work around the "boot" being careful not to damage the boot. They run about $100 a piece. The cross-member will "pop" out. It's not that big of a deal.

Good Luck

Dave Mak

[WayneC]

Re: Need advice on differential removal

Dave said: "Losen the bolts that hold in the half shaft. Enough so it can drop an inch or so, but not so much that they will come out."

I think he meant to say "the bolts that hold the crossmember"... one bolt up thru the center of the large rubber cushion assembly at each end of the crossmember.

[Wayne W.]

Re: `68 body reinforced areas

If you look at a 69 and up. With the hood open, look up under the front beyond the hood ledge at the ends of the header bar. You will see a triangular shaped bracket bolted to the innerfender and the bar.

[David L.]

Re: Thanks Wayne *NM*

[Jeff Burkey]

Re: `68 body reinforced areas

Wayne: As a matter of interest, would you recommend this procedure on "body-off" rebuilding only, or is there an opportunity to install this bracket for more structural rigidity without damaging the body i.e. stress cracks from rearranging things up front...??? Thanks, Jeff B.