Dreaded clunk when turning
I want to update and conclude this thread. Few things I wish I had known before I started.
Parts list:
Motive C7.25BI $80 gears (amazon)
Felpro RDS12775 gasket $8 (amazon)
REN 67031 Hammer Slide free (oreilly)
REN 67032 Hub puller free (oreilly)
2 bottles of Lucas Synth 75-90 gear oil. $24 Pep Boys
- Put jack stands under frame rails, not under the axle - way more space to work with
- Removing right axle shaft was a breeze, the left axle shaft was a bear. It goes through 2 sets of gears. Need the gear puller slide hammer, and the FRONT WHEEL HUB remover tool, the regular Axle removal tool is too large and will not fit the 5 x 4 lug pattern. It took 50 hard hits(slides) before the shaft came out.
- Putting transmission into neutral helps
- Chock the front wheels on both sides
- It is possible to remove both axle shafts without removing the brakes. Also you do not need to disconnect the brake line, nor the parking brake. There is one nut that interferes with the brake cables, but you can pry it away while you loosen the nut. The brake bracket that locks the adjuster will pop out, but you can pry it back in when you are all done.
- Using permatex on the cover gasket, makes it nearly impossible to clean it off when you go to change the gasket a few years later. Had to razor blade the old pieces of gasket and use brake cleaner to clean it all off...both the case and the cover.
- The Motive gear kit does not have the correct pin, there is no screwing out of the pin that holds the shaft. There is a small hole for the roll pin on the gear, which I think is impossible to get to with it in the car. Even if you could get it out, the shaft will not come out as it hits the main gear instead. The main gear must be separated from the plate.
- Removing the bearing caps takes a big breaker bar. Removing the carrier is possible without a prybar, but be ready to catch the spacers and race covers. Mark everything before you pull it out. It is heavy. The race bearings remained on.
- Need a vice, protect the gears with wood or ? Remove all the bolts holding the gear to the plate, they are all Left hand and there is a L on each bolt.
- Need a sledge hammer to knock that gear off, using some sort of rod or something to hit is off. It took several hits. Have something ready to catch the carrier when it finally comes apart. I thought it would pry apart with a screwdriver...not.
- The roll pin needs to be tapped out and you need a really long pin to get it all the way out. Reuse the pin if possible.
- Now the shaft will come out, swap out all the gears, reuse the shaft if possible.
- Putting it all back together, getting the gear back tight onto the plate, takes a bit of work. It is just as hard to sledge it off as it is to get it back together. Get bolt holes aligned and put in the bolts. Then start tightening slowly each one as it moves it all closer together.
- Now putting it back is real fun with only 2 hands, have a piece of wood that you can use to hammer it back in once it seems like it is tight enough to let go. little hits on each side until it is seated.
- Getting the Left axle back in, just as hard as taking it out, once aligned start hitting the hub, I used wood on the hub then hammer it till it stops moving.
- Refilling the gear oil, took about 1.5 bottles, so you will have lots extra.
- Recall that you do not have a Torx wrench that fits that fill hole cap, and that it actually needs a 1/2 rachet drive, without a socket.
- Don't forget you will need to readjust the brakes.
- Oh and most importantly, when you are all done, and remove the jacks and go to remove the last chock on the front wheel MAKE SURE THE CAR ISN'T STILL IN NEUTRAL or is will begin to roll down the drive way into the street.