Ford 8" Rear End - Edited: Give me your tips on assembly.

This is the first time I've pulled a chunk out of a rear end.

This is a Ford 8". Snapped the yoke.

I've got the axles pulled. All the nuts are off. Nothing seems to be in a bind. I can't so much as pry the chunk away from the housing just a little.

What the hell. Anybody have any tips for getting these things off?

 

I usually just use a prybar to get it started off of the silicone seal. Make sure to have a couple of nuts on there about halfway so that it doesn't fly off when it does break loose.

Have you tried more than just pulling on it with your hands? That silicone can be tough to break loose.

 

Hell man. I haven't resorted to beating on it with my fists yet.

I've been trying to tap a pry bar in between the chunk and face of the rear end but no bueno. Good call on the nuts though. Need to put a few back on. That could've been ugly.

I guess I'll just be a little more persuasive with the pry bar.

 

If it's still in the car put a jack under the nose and see if it will break loose.

 

If it has the factory brass washers still on, they can hold it tighter than about anything. Use a BFH and a chisle to start, then the prybar.

 

Make sure and remove ALL the nuts. Sounds silly, but been there done that.

 

Its the washers,they are a bitch!!

 

Factory copper washers are used to seal the bolt holes, but they are soft and easy to remove. Use a hammer and a narrow sharp chisel to split the washers and knock them out of the way, then you can use the chisel and hammer to break the 3rd member away from the housing. But all traces of the washers must be removed first, or you'll have a very hard time getting it out.

-KK

 

Yep

 

When you get the washers off take the thinnest putty knife you have and tap it in between the housing and the chunk. You might have to do this in a couple of different places to get it started. When you get it started use a couple of screwdrivers to walk it out from the housing. If the chunk hasn't ever been out they can be really stubborn.

 

I wish I'd of come in here a few hours ago.

I posted about the pry bar earlier then went back outside. Tcoupekyle and I were under the car prying on it when he said....I wonder if it'll come loose if we take those washers off.

Pulled it right off afterwards.

I love the HAMB.

 

Ok.

Swapped the internals from the original housing over to a housing tcoupekyle brought me yesterday.

I didn't disassemble the whole thing. The pinion assembly rolled easy so I left it alone. By easy I mean it didn't bind anywhere and seemed in good repair for my experience with gears and bearings. (Oilfield centrifuges.) It did get a good wash, rinse, compressed air, and lube bath though.

I replaced the pinion bearing in the new housing before installing the pinion assembly just because.

I didn't pull the differential down because it had been working fine. The only damage was to the original pinion and pinion bearing in the old housing.

I don't have a dial indicator so setting backlash was about two hours of fiddling with it until it "seemed" right. By that I mean I rolled the pinion and watched/listened/felt the differential. feeling for binding and listening for noise. Screwed or unscrewed the adjusters until I got a good chunk/chunk/chunk/chunk/chunk all the way around a few times without any binding.

Anything I need to be aware of other than being mentally prepared to pull it again?

Are the brass washers inherent to mounting this sucker or can I skip them? I couldn't find anywhere today and none of these knuckleheads could be bothered to look in a damn book.

I have to pull the drive shaft and check my transmission next. Yay!

 

The washers are the seals around the bolts. Lots of chances for leaks w/o them.

 

Goop silicone on the threads before you screw the nut on, it works the same as those washers and is a hell of a lot easier to get off. I got so pissed at those washers that I threw em all out in the driveway. Hasn't leaked a drop yet.