Front Diff

[Guest]

Help!!!!!

Any of you who have dropped the front diff out for any reason - repair, diff drop kit etc.

If I undo the bolts but leave the driveshafts attached do you think it will drop a reasonable amount - 4 inches at least.

I've unbolted the sump pan on mine to get it off so that I can replace number 2 piston, unbolted the engine mountings, raised the engine as far as it will possibly go without bending the firewall, and I still can't get the f***ing thing out, need at least an extra 4 inches of space to get it out, possibly more.

I've also unbolted the steering stabilizer but not enough room, next could be the steering arm but that is a real b**ger.

Any ideas would be most welcome, I aim to get the car stripped and rebuilt this side of the next millenium if possible. (took 1 1/2 hours to get the sump bolts out and the sump loosened so this is a very long job).

Cheers

[marky]

Give STEVO a bell mate you have pm. he will tell you the best way to do it

[Guest]

Give STEVO a bell mate you have pm. he will tell you the best way to do it

Will do tomorrow.

Cheers

[marky]

As its dark theres not much you can do now mate. Steve will give you some good pointers about doing the job.

[TonyN]

Andy, its pretty straight foward, only 3 bolts hold it on, but you may need to remove the bottem crossmember to let you drop it enough to clear the oil strainer if your not removing the driveshafts.

Its probably just as easy to take it out, as above plus driveshaft bolts and front prop, then you can remove it without disturbing the bottem crossmember. Then you'll have all the room you need.

[Guest]

Andy, its pretty straight foward, only 3 bolts hold it on, but you may need to remove the bottem crossmember to let you drop it enough to clear the oil strainer if your not removing the driveshafts.

Its probably just as easy to take it out, as above plus driveshaft bolts and front prop, then you can remove it without disturbing the bottem crossmember. Then you'll have all the room you need.

Thanks Tony, job for tomorrow then if it stops pi**ing down with rain.

Cheers

[kitesurf_phil]

Thanks Tony, job for tomorrow then if it stops pi**ing down with rain.

Cheers

Got rained off while welding this afternoon. Bummer! I was just getting the hang of it too

[Guest]

Update.

OK got the front diff out, man those bolts on the propshaft and the driveshafts were tight. It was time consuming but not difficult, took about 1 hour all told.

However next problem was it still didn't give me enough space, because of the STUPID shape of the sump, it wouldn't clear the oil strainer pipe at the front because of the steering arm.

So thought I, I'll undo the two ball joints on the steering arm and pull it forward, undid the bolts, would the b**ger come off the ball joints, would it b**gery. Next thought, undo the three bolts attaching the steering idler to the chassis, pull clear the steering idler and bingo, steering arm comes forward just enough and the sump comes out easy as you like.

All told 1 3/4 hours to drop the diff and get the sump off.

Not so bad then as I am up to 7 hours work so far to remove the head, undo the engine mountings, mess about for ages trying to work out how to undo the sump bolts then finally undo them, mess about for ages trying to get the sump out, drop the diff, unbolt the idler arm, remove the sump, unbolt the big end cap from number 2 piston, remove said piston, clean up the block face and the bores (just light pressure with 600 grade wet and dry).

Now just got to wait for the new piston to be delivered, get the old piston off the con rod (supposed to be heat shrink to fit so could difficult), fit the new piston - probably hard than removing the old one, then I can start putting it back together - hopefully no more than 7 hours so for all this work about the same time as the first time I did the cylinder head last year. Must be getting better at this spanner wielding lark - plus I got better tools this time round.

Cheers

[TonyN]

Andy, its to late now, so sorry! but on other cars, I've dropped the sump a couple of inches, just enough to reach the bolts holding the strainer on, undo it and then you can pull the sump out.

Maybe the surf one is different, kinda hope so in case I should have mentioned this earlier.............

[kevb]

theres circlips holding the gudgeon pin in.

[Guest]

theres circlips holding the gudgeon pin in.

Yep, turned out it was very easy as it is a floating pin rather than a real hydraulic press and liquid nitrogen job. Pressed in really easy with a vice (actually a Black and decker workmate) and a long socket as a drift.

All the major bits are back together now so I should finish it today.

Cheers