can anyone give me some info on trying to remove the rear end. it has a torque tube i believe you call it and would rather admit i don't know what the heck to do then screw something up and ask questions later
Just dig in. First you will be a dummy and then you will figure it out and be wise. Everything that is bolted together can be unbolted. Common sense plays a big part before you start. I can only advise based on early Ford experience, but most are the same in that era. Chock the front wheels front and back. Jack up the rear end high enough so when the rear spring is unbolted from the crossmember it will go down enough to clear the crossmember when you pull out the rear with the torque tube. Then place jack stands under the frame rails forward of the rear tires. Unbolt the transmission collar, ebrake, speedo cable, brake lines and anything else connected to the torque tube. Unbolt the rear wheels. Unbolt the rear spring from the crossmember and lower the rear end with the jack. slide it out from the car. Watch for oil coming out of the torque tube. You may have to jostle the tube a bit to release the driveshaft inside from the transmission ujoint. Again figure out what will happen if i do this. Common sense and safety first. Hope this gets you started.
This pretty well covers how us dummys did it years ago. Remember there were no books or internet for most of the old shade tree mechanics and they started all this.
why are you pulling it? if i was pulling it to change a clutch i would put the car on jack stands supporting it by the frame, put a floor jack under the axle, disconnect the brake line, shock links, and rear tires. remove the bolts around the "bell" at the front of the torque tube and slide it back. remove the nuts on the u bolts holding the spring to the frame, lower the spring/axle so the spring clears the frame and pry the whole assembly back. i am probably forgetting something but that is the general idea. sorry read the post wrong, was thinking "ford"....i think the hamb has me brainwashed
This is from an old Motors manual: Rear axle removal, 1938-1951 Buick 1. Even though the torque tube is bolted to the differential carrier on 1940-1951 series 40, 50, 60, 70, do not separate these parts in an attempt to shortcut work on the differential. 2. Hoist rear of car. 3. Disconnect parking brake at equalizer. 4. Unfasten brake tube from fitting. 5. Unbolt rear radius rod at frame. 6. Disconnect rear springs at lower end and tie them to bumper to prevent damaging brake lines. The retaining screw at the lower end of each spring has a left hand thread. 7. Separate the torque ball from torque tube. On 1939-1940 series 40 and 50, disconnect the torque ball mounting from each side of the frame X member. Do not loosen the torque ball mounting lock nut, or allow the mountings to be exchanged from side to side, otherwise it will be necessary to realign the engine with the rear axle. 8. Raise the car high enough to clear the axle housing and roll assembly back.
stuart in mn has it right. Buicks don't have "U" bolts holding the springs on. They have coil springs. You also don't have to remove any tires. You roll the tires backward after you have everything disconnected from the rear end and after you unbolt the torque tube from the transmission.