Sure Grip Differential Removal 8 1/4

[Dart14]

Service manual reads "remove lock screw and pinion shaft". Lock screw no problem. Assume pinion shaft is the polished shaft (about 3/4" dia.) running through the center of the gears and springs in the center of the differential. Does this need to be punched out or should you be able to pull it out (the open end of the housing) by hand ? If it needs to be punched out, is their enough clearance for this to drop out inside the differential housing. Is the purpose of this shaft to keep the axles from sliding inward ? These may be basic questions but I am virgin when it comes to the rear end.
The sure grip diff is from a late 70 F body. Assume this will be an easy bolt in replacement in a non sure grip 73 A body.

[titan]

yes, remove screw,then pin will usually slide out ( may have to force it a little). yes it is to keep axles from sliding in. after pin is removed, slide axles in and remove c-clips and then you can remove axles.

[Dart14]

Pin seems to be stuck. Do I need to somehow force it out the open end of the differential or should I use a punch and knock it "into" the differential down toward the pinion gear ? And retrieve it when knocked out.

[titan]

yea tap it out with a hammer lightly from the end opposite the screw

[Dart14]

titan - looks like you have done this before. In swapping to the sure grip diff, should this be straightforward if the r&p gears are not changed ? What else do I need to be looking at for rebuild or replacement while the diff is apart ? Thanks.

[Clair]

The only real bugger of installing a SG in the 8.25 is setting up the gear contact pattern. The adjusters aren't accessible from the back, so you have to use a special tool (or C-body torsion bar...) to do this down the axle tube. Kind of a PITA, but it's doable. Once you get the gear tooth contact pattern set, it all torques down like any other axle.

Clair

[dgc333]

Originally Posted by Clair

The only real bugger of installing a SG in the 8.25 is setting up the gear contact pattern. The adjusters aren't accessible from the back, so you have to use a special tool (or C-body torsion bar...) to do this down the axle tube. Kind of a PITA, but it's doable. Once you get the gear tooth contact pattern set, it all torques down like any other axle.

Clair

I made the tool from a piece of threaded rod with a pipe reducer that had the 1 1/2" hex on it welded to one end to fit the adjuster and a nut welded on the other end for the socket on the torque wrench. I think it cost me about $10 to make.

Should be able to use a A or E body torsion bar too. If it's too short just use an extension on your torque wrench.

[Clair]

Dave! Good to see you again... in an internet kind of way, at least. That's a good idea! The A/B/E cars all use 1.25" t-bar hexes, so they may work but won't be a good fit. They ought to be long enough, though, since the typical A-body axle shaft is in the 28" range overall, and the "short" A-body t-bar is 37"? long or so. There are lots of C-barges that became engine donors, so t-bars ought to be cheap. Just don't use any 44" bars that are 1.04" or larger... send those to me for my Sport Fury project!

Clair

[cutting torch]

[QUOTE=Dart14] These may be basic questions but I am virgin when it comes to the rear end.


I bet you hope to keep it that way!

If you knock the pin through about a half inch to expose the hole for the pin, then rotate it around, you can use the hole to twist and pull it with. Don't worry about your gear contact pattern, since you will not be changing your pinion depth. You WILL still need to set your backlash and your carrier bearing preload. Good luck!

torch