How do I get 8" chunk to separate from rear end housing?

[oz]

Greetings,
I am swapping out my 8" rear end chunk (out w/ 2.79 open, in w/ 3.40 tracloc) and have taken out the axles, and removed all the nuts that hold the chunk in the housing but the thing will not budge from the housing. I went so far as to lift the rear of the car off the jackstands by jacking against the yolk. It just didn't budge.
I don't think the rear end has ever been apart so it appears that the copper washers are still in place... do I need to try to remove them or something? If so, how do I do this without damaging the threads on the studs?

What the heck do I need to do to get this thing out???


THANKS!

 

[wild70stang]

There should be 4(or 2?) bolts in the axle. You may need to rotate it till you see them, and loosen them carefully. The copper washers act like spacers.

 

[oz]

I have removed the 4 nuts on each axle flange and completely removed the axles... there is nothing else keeping the differential in the housing at this point.

Any more suggestions?

 

[rbohm]

the reasons ford used copper washers are;

they help seal the threads
they deform and act as lock washers
they are soft and wont hurt the threads on the studs

take a thin putty knife and wedge it between the chuck and the housing. a screwdriver or a chisl can then be used to further wedge the two apart. you can then remove the copper washers. might have to use a pair of side cutters to clip the washers and remove them. you will have to replace the washers anyway.

 

[iskwezm]

yeah, your gonna have to pry it away, the gasket might have some sealer on it or its just stuck really good.

 

[pabear89]

If the Copper crush washers are left on you will not get it to come apart.
they will act almost like nuts holding it togeather.
Clip them off and use 2 thin cold chisels,
One on each side of the pumpkin, work them in togeather to break the seal.
but be slow because it will fall out and it's heavy.

PB

 

[oz]

OK, thanks for the replies. I was going to try the chisel idea next to remove the washers since it did look like the washers were holding the pumpkin in. I am a little concerned about wedging anything between the pumpkin and housing for rear of denting the gasket surface. Is this a valid concern?

I still can't believe that lifting the car by the yolk didn't at least break the seal... I guess it hasn't leaked in 37 years so it makes sense that it is sealed very well.

 

[C6AE]

Agreed, it's the copper washers. You'll never get it apart with them still there.

 

[gjz30075]

Ok, now that you have the copper washers off, put the floor jack on the yoke again from the front of the diff. This way, there's room for a large pan to catch the fluid. Don't jack too much. You want to just 'crack' the seal loose to let the fluid drain. Once you crack the seal loose, the rest is easy.

 

[Edbert]

A putty knife wont dent the gasket surface but i would not jam a screwdriver in there.

Other things to be wary of...when this comes loose it will be HEAVY, don't be under it, also when it comes loose it will be MESSY, don't be under it

The oil spilling out is another good argument for getting a putty knif into the gasket seal, let the thing drain before you have to deal with the big chunk of iron AND the oil pouring out.

 

[1320stang]

Yeah, those copper washers are what's holding it in.

 

[oz]

Thanks for the advice.
Yea, I know it will be messy and smelly... I have a pan in place and left a couple of nuts on it losely to catch it if it came loose... I will leave them there until all the oil is out.
With the temperatures expected to be in the 10's tonight, I expect the oil to take about a week to drain.

 

[68converted]

When you get the center section out, use a turkey baster to suck the rest out that will sit below the lip. It helped my clean up go quicker that way.

Of course you don't want to use the one from the house just before Thanksgiving- you know the one your wife was going to use.

 

[Edbert]

The wife is going to use the turkey baster?

...all I can envision now is that lesbian couple who conceived with one of those...THANKS!

10 degrees!?!?!?! We are hitting 84 here today.