Best way to install a new rear end housing

limp · Apr 6, 2022

Can anyone advise me on the best way to R & R a rear housing in a Fox body?
Something like..
Car on jack stands
Jack up rear, remove shocks
Lower rear, remove springs
remove lower and upper control arm bolts from housing and remove rear end
Then remove upper and lower control arms from car
Here is where I am not sure what is the next step........
Do I intall the uppers then jack up new rear end and attach to them,
then install the lower control arms to the body and rear??

90sickfox · Apr 6, 2022

Ok...let me try this.

Chock front wheels.
Put vehicle in neutral and e brake off.
Jack car up and place on Jack stands at area where lower arms bolt to body leaving enough room to remove arms. ( you don't want the jack stands to block the arms from moving or rotating down )
Remove rear wheels
Remove rear drums ( easier to do while on car )
Using a pry bar or bigger screw driver, to hold driveshaft still, remove pinion flange to driveshaft bolts ( 12mm 12 point wrench ). You may have to wedge the pry bar or screw driver through the u joint and against the underbody and tap wrench with small hammer to break loose ). ( think impact gun )
With a pan under transmission tail housing, slide drive shaft out.
Remove e brake cables from handle cable bracket under car. ( cables should be able to be pulled enough )
Remove cables from cable brackets under car.
Remove center brake hose connection at body above rear. ( little rubber cap from brake bleeder works great to keep from leaking brake fluid all out...place on metal end of brake line )...can be found on wheel cylinders or any vehicle front caliper. Easily reached without jacking car up. If you take them off of a neighbors car, make sure you return them so it's just borrowing.
Remove sway bar from rear lower control arms.
Jack up rear in center.
Remove both shock lower nuts.
Remove rear shocks.
Lower jack to allow rear springs to extend slowly.
Remove rear springs ( may have to use pry bar at lower coil to pry up and out )
Loosen all the rear arm bolts but don't remove.
Remove lower control arm bolts at rear. ( sometimes rear can twist so be prepared ) If using same arms there's no need to take out bolts at body.
Take out upper arm bolts at rear. ( be prepared for rear to rotate ) pinion flange will want to point down ).
Your rear is now ready to be drug out from under the car.

I always place the bolts in the arms at the body first. Then I loosely bolt up the upper arms. The lower ones are easier to fight with. The rear will try to rotate down.

Install is a reverse of removal. If using factory arms all bolts should be installed loose and tightened with the full weight of the car on the wheels. This avoids binding the bushings up. Use loctite on the driveshaft to flange bolts.

96pushrod · Apr 7, 2022

Good write up above. It’s not rocket science, a pry bar and a drift are 2 things that will make install of the control arms much easier.

If you have a friend or family member that can man the jack while you put bolts in the job is much easier. Jacking it up or letting it down really helps with aligning if the bolt holes. Just having a second of hands helps immensely.

Overall it’s a fairly straightforward job.

vristang · Apr 7, 2022

Just like it says in the Chiltons...
1. Remove rear end
2. Installation is the reverse of removal

If I recall, I used a jack to support the rear, removed the upper ctrl arms, let the rear end drop lower, then disconnected the lower ctrl arms.
managing the weight of the rear is the trick, unless you just bench press it?

Does the new rear have brakes on it?

limp · Apr 7, 2022

90sickfox said:
Ok...let me try this.

Chock front wheels.

Put vehicle in neutral and e brake off.

Jack car up and place on Jack stands at area where lower arms bolt to body leaving enough room to remove arms. ( you don't want the jack stands to block the arms from moving or rotating down )

Remove rear wheels

Remove rear drums ( easier to do while on car )

Using a pry bar or bigger screw driver, to hold driveshaft still, remove pinion flange to driveshaft bolts ( 12mm 12 point wrench ). You may have to wedge the pry bar or screw driver through the u joint and against the underbody and tap wrench with small hammer to break loose ). ( think impact gun )

With a pan under transmission tail housing, slide drive shaft out.

Remove e brake cables from handle cable bracket under car. ( cables should be able to be pulled enough )

Remove cables from cable brackets under car.

Remove center brake hose connection at body above rear. ( little rubber cap from brake bleeder works great to keep from leaking brake fluid all out...place on metal end of brake line )...can be found on wheel cylinders or any vehicle front caliper. Easily reached without jacking car up. If you take them off of a neighbors car, make sure you return them so it's just borrowing.

Remove sway bar from rear lower control arms.

Jack up rear in center.

Remove both shock lower nuts.

Remove rear shocks.

Lower jack to allow rear springs to extend slowly.

Remove rear springs ( may have to use pry bar at lower coil to pry up and out )

Loosen all the rear arm bolts but don't remove.

Remove lower control arm bolts at rear. ( sometimes rear can twist so be prepared ) If using same arms there's no need to take out bolts at body.

I always place the bolts in the arms at the body first. Then I loosely bolt up the upper arms. The lower ones are easier to fight with. The rear will try to rotate down.
Use loctite on the driveshaft to flanges..

Taking out the 7.5" and installing whats in the pic.. New lower control arms, will reuse uppers if they look good
Do I need to take out the emergency brake at the lever? Why cant I disconnect it at the drum? I know this is way overkill for my grocery getter.... Thanks for the help

limp · Apr 7, 2022

vristang said:
Does the new rear have brakes on it?

Its getting two of these.....

dcm0123 · Apr 7, 2022

I have to do the same. My biggest fear is the control arm bolts. In the past I have found them seized to the sleeves.
Did you run into problems trying to take them out?
Any special techniques to get them out?

nickyb · Apr 7, 2022

limp said:
Its getting two of these.....

Is that a Fred Flintstone brake in the lower part of that pic?d
yabba dabba do.

90sickfox · Apr 7, 2022

You can take them off at the drums. It's easier for me to remove them at the e brake handle cable bracket.

That's going to be one hell of a strong rear.

It's been a long time since I ran into a control arm bolt stuck in the control arm sleeve.

It's not a hard job once you start taking stuff loose. You may want to make some metal lines for the rear . The " T " fitting is bolted to the factory rear with a bracket. That bracket will not bolt on the 9 inch without making a bracket to bolt it to. It's been a very long time since I've put a 9 inch in a mustang. You will need one of these. It will be mounted on the studs on the drivers side with the rubber hose pointing towards the front. You might need an adapter to go from the hose thread to the hard line thread

limp · Apr 8, 2022

nickyb said:
Is that a Fred Flintstone brake in the lower part of that pic?d
yabba dabba do.

LOL... For all of the sheet I give on here, I deserve that.....flip flops or bare feet in Florida..... After living in Oregon for 57 years, I NEVER wear shoes now...

limp · Apr 8, 2022

dcm0123 said:
I have to do the same. My biggest fear is the control arm bolts. In the past I have found them seized to the sleeves.
Did you run into problems trying to take them out?
Any special techniques to get them out?

If your asking me I have not removed it yet.... Keeping the car a roller while working on sub assembly's until I get some garage space to finish it.... Sold my Dodge after owning it for over 31 years ( car movers are coming today) so I hope to get on this next week..
NOT my commiefornia plates... My sister is the Biden voting indoctrinated educated LOON...

limp · Apr 8, 2022

90sickfox said:
You can take them off at the drums. It's easier for me to remove them at the e brake handle cable bracket.

That's going to be one hell of a strong rear.
You will need one of these. It will be mounted on the studs on the drivers side with the rubber hose pointing towards the front. You might need an adapter to go from the hose thread to the hard line thread

Yes, I have this part on my list.
Read where some have run the brake lines from this bracket to the drums with no other " brackets" to hold the line?
Not too concerned with stuck bolts, My sister bought this car in 84-85 and when she ( blew up the motor in the late 90's) took it off the road it was stored inside, there is literally NO rust on it......
The 83 I am working on has a 7.5.. Instead of buying a 8.8 to replace it, I thought I would go the 9" route as I have experience with them....

My original reason for asking the R&R question is do you bolt up the control arms to the body or rear end first.... Hoping I would not have to experiment figuring it out myself....

General karthief · Apr 8, 2022

I think it doesn't matter, just remember when you take the upper control arms off the housing wants to tilt forward, I did mine by myself, removed the lowers first (after removing all the other stuff).

Boostedpimp · Apr 8, 2022

damn I always wanted a set of those steeda lower control arms... maybe one day

limp · Apr 8, 2022

Boostedpimp said:
damn I always wanted a set of those steeda lower control arms... maybe one day

I am spending my kids inheritance...........
They were $80 less at Summit then Steeda..... I pushed the button before the price increase maybe????

96pushrod · Apr 8, 2022

dcm0123 said:
I have to do the same. My biggest fear is the control arm bolts. In the past I have found them seized to the sleeves.
Did you run into problems trying to take them out?
Any special techniques to get them out?

I’ve never had any where a couple hits with a mallet or a punch wouldn’t get out. I usually turn the head with a wrench while tapping them out. If you have the rear end with some load on it from a jack they usually come out easier.

Boostedpimp · Apr 8, 2022

limp said:
I am spending my kids inheritance...........
They were $80 less at Summit then Steeda..... I pushed the button before the price increase maybe????

haha I've always seen them back in the day in the mm&ff mags and always wanted them but they were costly back then.. they are pretty pricey now plus all my cars already have good control arms on them so unless I pickup another car i'll keep dreaming. Congrats to you though, the car is looking good

7991LXnSHO · Apr 8, 2022

limp said:
LOL... For all of the sheet I give on here, I deserve that.....flip flops or bare feet in Florida..... After living in Oregon for 57 years, I NEVER wear shoes now...

Dang! I still have a blood blister under a big toe toenail from a gravity experiment in the garage over a year ago. And I wear composite toe footwear when I’m actually working on something heavy on purpose.
You and David Freiberger live dangerously.

7991LXnSHO · Apr 8, 2022

dcm0123 said:
I have to do the same. My biggest fear is the control arm bolts. In the past I have found them seized to the sleeves.
Did you run into problems trying to take them out?
Any special techniques to get them out?

When penetrating oil and a drift (edited for auto incorrect) punch does not work on leaf springs fasteners, I have resorted to a recip. saw. If you can fit a blade in the bushing without cutting the car, that might be a final option.

90sickfox · Apr 8, 2022

I put the arms in first. The I bolt the upper arms to the rear. Last ones are the lowers. It would be difficult to line the control arms up while bolted to the rear.

Best way to install a new rear end housing

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off

vristang

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

dcm0123

nickyb

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Boostedpimp

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off

Boostedpimp

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp

90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

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Best way to install a new rear end housing

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Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

I think they're a little easier to get off

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

I think they're a little easier to get off

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