Rear Differential cover removal

[Gerald C.]

Okay,

The differential on my 1963 is out and on my workbench. The rear cover will not come off after Bubba put on some Locktite type orange gasket sealer. I used a rubber hammer to try to break it loose and tried penetrating fluid. Nothings budging! I can't even get a small screwdriver or chisel in the seam to try to move it a bit.

Any thoughts will be appreciated!

Thanks

[Harry S.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Try some heat

[Peter H.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Gerald. How About A Couple Of Putty Knives ( Scraper ) Peter 🇨🇦

[Joseph E.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Gerald,

I had the same problem with my '66 when I went to disassemble the rear axle. Two or three very thin paint scrapers tapped into different locations around the rear cover broke mine loose. The scrapers that I used were about 1.5 to 2 inches wide and as thin as could find. Once the scrapers are tapped in, you should be able to pry or wedge the rear cover off of the front housing.

Joe

[Gerald C.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Thanks for the advice. I'll give the scrapers a shot before I light the house on fire! I'll use the heat as a last resort.

[Larry E.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Thanks for the advice. I'll give the scrapers a shot before I light the house on fire! I'll use the heat as a last resort.

Gerald: I always use a good heat gun FIRST. Have a nice Craftsman gun that really puts out heat. Usually this
works and is a lot safer then the open flame. JMHO>Thanks>Larry

[Gerald C.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

I've tried all the suggestions and nothing worked. I can even get a knife blade in the seem. It looks like this gasket material is like a piece of the housing!

[Leif A.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

I've tried all the suggestions and nothing worked. I can even get a knife blade in the seem. It looks like this gasket material is like a piece of the housing!

Gary,
Contact Gary Ramadei (member here) and see what he recommends.

[Gary B.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Gary,
Contact Gary Ramadei (member here) and see what he recommends.

The best suggestion yet!

Gary

[Gary R.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

I have had some tight covers to remove and I found at the dollar store, a small meat cleaver. It really looks like toy but it is thin steel that I ground a taper on, and just tap it in between the cover and housing. Just find a small piece of sheet metal and it should work. I never had to use heat.

Now what you find inside may be interesting. Is it the original Dana posi, maybe an open diff if base engine, or maybe it has been converted to an Eaton, Yukon, or Auburn?

Original ring gears were good but the pinions were square shouldered and snapped in half at times. The pinion yoke splines were 17 and all 65-79 are 30, so if you need or want to replace the gears with new one you need a new yoke. The vendors all sell your basic master kits, none of them sell the correct shims for 63-66 housings. None had the small crush sleeve if you still want to chance using the original gears. The bearing caps were different in the 63-4's than the later housings. The axles, if original, were good.

[Gerald C.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Thanks Gary,

I'll head to the dollar store tomorrow. The car does not have posi and I'm not sure what's inside so it will be interesting to see. I've also tried a putty knife and that didn't work. Someone told me about using a tapered chisel, but I'm reluctant to do that. This gasket is like cement! The car appears to be pretty original and obviously the differential has been opened. So again, we'll see.......I may have a candidate for you!'

[Gary R.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

63 open diff I rebuilt back in November 2022. I always use shcs in the caps and ARP ring gear bolts.

[Gerald C.]

Re: Rear Differential cover removal

Torque settings??

Thanks