ToniH

I have a small leak in my Dana 36 cover. So, I plan to take it off, clean old oil and crud from the casing, maybe drill a drain plug hole, replace the batwing bushings and put it back with the Right stuff.

Question is: can the cover be removed and reinstalled without taking the whole differential out?

Thanks.

Gibbles

I was able to remove mine by unbolting the axle shafts, and the top mounts if I remember correctly.
From there it was a straight shot to remove the batwing.

Be careful on the threads, soft aluminum.
If you can't get a solid torque when reassembling, then you will need Heli coils.

When I did mine, I made a little video.
Then I decided I was a dork and never put it on youtube.

If you need it: "Heli-Coil Helicoil 5546-8 M8 x 1.25 Metric Coarse Thread Repair Kit"

Note that it has everything except for the drill bit needed
I ran a smaller than recommended to drill the holes, and it worked fine with lots of cutting fluid.
Sealed in there with red locktite

Gibbles

Forgot to add the obvious, when you unbolt the bat wing.
The transmission and all will want to fall.
Support the diff with a floor jack to lower to clear.
I you have a distributor cap at the back of your engine, remove it first!

ToniH

Thanks for the tips, I was kind of visioning it going something like this:

Start situation now: car is on jackstands, wheels are off, sway bar is off.

1. support the diff with a jack
2. maybe support hubs too?
3. remove rear spring
4. remove camber rods
5. remove toe rods
6. remove batwing endbolts
7. lower jack (rear end) until the bushings are free of frame brackets
8. open batwing cover bolts, break the cover loose of the diff, let drain
9. remove batwing

Now I am wondering if #7 is possible with the half shafts in place? And how much do I need to lower, maybe 4-5" to clear the frame brackets"? Is there enough flex in the drive train to allow this without damage? Maybe I should support the gearbox and unbolt the C-beam from the rear to allow this?

Gibbles

Half shafts, that's the word I was looking for, I used "axle shafts".
Yes, they need to come off, just at the diff end.
Tape your U-Joints or they will try and come apart.
You don't need to support the hubs, they have their own mounting via shocks and trailing arms
Camber rods, just unbolt the bracket, that way you don't fk with your alignment.
Same with the toe rods, just unbolt the mount
I used bailing wire to pull the camber and toe rods out of the way.

The only thing you will be flexing will be the motor mounts.
Don't go crazy there!
I used a wee 4 ton jackstand for support since I needed the jack out of there.

Also pull your spare tire tray, it will give you room to work.

When your under there, it will make sense.
If all else fails, it's just one more U joint and the C beam to get the rear end out.

ETA: It's just a few inches lowering, just don't drop it!

JoBy

The half shafts can stay in place, both sides.

I just did that. First picture is after removing fiberglass spring, camber brackets and toe rods.
Then I supported center section with a garage jack, removed outer bolts and lowered a bit.

On second picture the batwing is out and center section supported by garage jack.
Note the angle of the half shafts.
That plate is an ongoing project and the reson I removed the batwing.

ToniH

Tack so mycke JoBy. This is good news for me. So, I guess my plan should work. I'll give it a try.

Ps. LOL at your crazy fuel pump setup!

Gibbles,

I'll take the HEI cap off, just in case, and use a jack to support the diff. I think it will be ok.

Took the spare tire tray out in 2002 so it will not be in the way!

Alignment doesn't matter as the original toe rods and camber bars are not going back, I have Banski stuff to install too.

JoBy

You know some swedish
Yes, the fuel pump setup is not completely stock, but it seems to work very good. Four pumps, three filters and two tanks.
I don't have any pump in the tank, but larger pipes. The Facet pump on the left has a built in filter.
http://www.facet-purolator.com/wp-co...er%202017.pdf?
It pumps fuel from the main tank to a small tank behind the right wheel.
The small tank feed the three BOSCH pumps thru the long blue filter in the upper right.
It is a coarse stainless filter with minimal pressure drop as a safety for the pumps.
After the pumps is a fine white high pressure spin on filter seen in the middle.

ToniH

Knew more when I was younger, nowadays have lost it due not using it. Can still read some but talk very little.

Lived there with my family for few years when I was very little.


Cool fuel system

Gibbles

Swedish!
I'm your typical American mutt, but i am 50% swedish!


i spend a day in Sweden while i was in Finland for work (former Nokia place).
entire country Finland and Sweden reminded me of IKEA.

ToniH

I am not actually Swedish, but a Finn who lived in Stockholm awhile when young (long enough for the Swedish army to send me the dog tag). Also, swedish is an official language among finnish in Finland so in some jobs its a requirement. I have lived in UK too - and actually bought my first Vette there in 1989.