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Topic: Help pulling rear differential crossmember

in Forum: C3 Driveline Components


Help pulling rear differential crossmember

Posted: 8/13/10 2:22pm Message 1 of 7
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Joined: 3/3/2010
Posts: 94
Vette(s): 1968 convertible

Home from work, parts here and I can *finally* get to work on putting the rear back together !

BUT......I can't get the differential cover mounted to the crossmember -- hell, it was hard enough getting the darned thing off.  I think at this point I want to remove it -- but I don't know how.  Can someone please let me know hot to remove the crossmber so I can bolt the differential cover to it and reinstall the two together (or is this not a good idea?)  



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Help pulling rear differential crossmember

Posted: 8/13/10 8:15pm Message 2 of 7
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20219
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
I can't remember what year model your car is...
If it's got the iron diff case, the crossmember is held on to the frame with two large bolts at the ends of the crossmember. Take the bolts out, and you may need a pry bar to pop the crossmember loose from the frame. It really depends on where the car has spent most of it's life...if it's a bit rusty, it might take some serious prying, and soaking with WD40 or such.
Most of them from around here come off fairly easily.
If it is a later model, with the aluminuminum diff, the "bat wing" is also held to the frame with 2 bolts, just in a different position. They are horizontal, instead of vertical, as the earlier cars are. Take the two bolts out, and the rear diff cover/batwing should just slide right out of the frame brackets without any major tugging/prying.
hth



Joel Adams
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Help pulling rear differential crossmember

Posted: 8/14/10 4:16am Message 3 of 7
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Joined: 3/3/2010
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Vette(s): 1968 convertible
Thanks.  this is a 68 with the two lower bolts from the bottom.
 
I had given one of the bolts a few turns but nothing seemed like it would come off so I got concerned.  There are circles that the bolts go through and I didn;t know if there was any weird threaded cap or something because it looks like small tabs are bent over around the circle.  But yeah, the two bolts in the middle I will remove and pry it off.
 
It this what I want to do in order to reinstall the differencial cover? 



Help pulling rear differential crossmember

Posted: 8/14/10 6:02am Message 4 of 7
Former Member
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Joined: 3/3/2010
Posts: 94
Vette(s): 1968 convertible
I pulled the bolts and the cross member will not drop.  I pryed it and it moves and I can see the rubber flexing -- are you sure that I don't have something else to remove?  those bolts I removed are very small - maybe an inch or so?  5/8's head but not very long.  I don't want to be prying on this doing damage so I thought I best ask again.


Help pulling rear differential crossmember

Posted: 8/14/10 6:17am Message 5 of 7
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Sebago Lake, ME - USA
Joined: 2/15/2007
Posts: 964
Vette(s): 1978 Silver Anniversary L82 4spd (M21) Red Leather. Pace Car is in the hands of a new caretaker.
Did mine on the '78 a couple of years ago and it did take prying. It snugs into that bushing pretty tight and over the years gets stuck together. I dropped my diff with the cross member as one unit and put it back the same way.


Help pulling rear differential crossmember

Posted: 8/14/10 6:26am Message 6 of 7
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Vette(s): 1968 convertible

Thanks - I just wanted to confirm that I was not missing an obvious -- its off now, I pulled out the obligatory 4 letter words and the persuader (3 pound hammer) -- she saw it my way and dropped for me :-) ..... back to it I go -- thanks again !!




Help pulling rear differential crossmember

Posted: 8/14/10 7:30am Message 7 of 7
Former Member
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Joined: 3/3/2010
Posts: 94
Vette(s): 1968 convertible
Its back in place and the differential cover is installed -- I need to install the haftshafts, drive shaft (replaced u-joints), spring and spare tire and I'll be taking a ride this afternoon  :-)


in Forum: C3 Driveline Components


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