johnprusinski Posted March 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 I unbolted the drive shaft from the diff and then the part in the middle and it still wouldn't come out. Is there some trick? I couldn't get it out to save my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B C Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 http://www.davelength.net/car/diff_swap.htmlThis little writeup does a fine job of explaining what needs to be done. The particular hangup you are having can be resolved with what he says here towards the bottom of the page:"The bolts screw down through the bracket into the top of the differential. You can get to the lower two with either the ratchet or the combo wrench. The top two (towards the rear of the car) can only be accessed with the combo wrench, since there is not much room between the bracket and the bottom of the car. Make sure that the floor jack is positioned to hold the differential once you start to take the bolts out. Once the bolts are out, slowly let the jack down, balancing the differential with your hand. The back of the diff will need to drop down just far enough to get the mount below the mount bracket, then the diff will need to move towards the rear of the car, to separate it from the driveshaft. Once the driveshaft bolts are clear, slowly lower the differential all the way down. At this point you can pull the jack and diff out from under the car, and set the differential on the ground." If that isnt working out too well then you will need to loosen the collar nut on the driveshaft. You can see it in the picture below, it is just behind the center support bearing. When you loosen the collar nut on the driveshaft you can collapse the driveshaft about 3" which is plenty enough to separate it from the diff input flange. Getting to the driveshaft means possibly dropping the exhaust, and dropping the heat shields which can be a little tedious, but the fact that the PO of your car pad-locked the trunk means he may have done some other nutty things like removed the heat shields under the car which would make it easy to access that collar nut. It may be worth a quick look. Hopefully you dont have to deal with the driveshaft at all but loosening the collar nut is another option you have if the normal diff removal method just isnt working. Just a note in general. The two-piece driveshaft is balanced as a unit. The last time I pulled my diff, the collar nut wasnt quite tight enough and the rear half of the driveshaft came out with the diff. Luckily my driveshaft is only a year old and the balancing alignment stickers are still on there and easily visible, but if you find yourself ever needing to remove the driveshaft, make sure to make a mark on each piece with paint so that you can re-align the shafts properly. Otherwise you will get some nasty vibrations at freeway speeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 I didn't mark mine when I dropped my diff, pulled the 2nd drive shaft out with the diff, threw it back on. It's still fine. Just some insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B C Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Yo Brian, im really happy for you and imma let you finish, but that kind of behavior doesn't fly when you are a guy that measures things to the 4th decimal place on a daily basis.(O__O ) jk, glad you arent having driveline vibrations, consider yourself lucky. KaiserRolls 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 I didn't mark mine when I dropped my diff, pulled the 2nd drive shaft out with the diff, threw it back on. It's still fine. Just some insight. You got lucky. Snap is right. It can cause some serious vibration if not assembled right. They balance driveshaft assemblies for a reason=) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 ok i actually see now. ill try again today after school. you guys are a big help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewCrew Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Yo Brian, im really happy for you and imma let you finish, but that kind of behavior doesn't fly when you are a guy that measures things to the 4th decimal place on a daily basis.(O__O ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Honestly, they balance just the drive shaft, its self. not mounted to the diff, or CSB. So that bitch SHOULd be able to go in on any spline variation. Not the one it came off of. Atleast, this was true for Chevy's. Oh well, my E28 runs just as she used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 I e decided to go into an intense study today, and when I say study I mean I'm watching too gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B C Posted March 26, 2013 Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 I have seen a Toyota Matrix with "CPT SLO" for a plate as well as a Jag XK8 with "STIG". I need to find a "JEZZA" and "HAMMOND" plate to complete the set.Whats next after the diff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 Haha I could get a custom plate when I register it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 I got the old diff out. I'm getting the second diff all cleaned and buttoned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 Yay! Welded already?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 It was welded on Saturday. I just was having a hard time pulling the diff and top gear distracted me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 I'm surprised something got done Saturday. Well, besides this guy doing a POP shuvit. Pop is in caps for a reason people;) Coming out again this saturday John? I'm bringing legit shoes and my setups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 I might, my buddy from Madison is coming down to check out the my car, and I might put the diff in. I'm sure we can swing by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Who's your buddy from madison?? I'm from Madison. I need fwiends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 His name is Kevin. We got the diff in and I accidentally took it off road haha. It's weird because it feels tough at certain points and easy at other. Is that how a welded diff? Or is my powers stealing going out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B C Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 PS belt could be slipping, pump could be failing, PS. reservoir could be low on fluid and have air in the system. You can diagnose this easily by removing the PS belt and taking a short drive. I cant remember which belt drives the water pump, whether its the PS belt or alternator belt, but if its the PS belt, make sure the drive is REALLY short, like just up and down the driveway when the engine is cold.I have no experience with a welded diff but i would have to imagine it would be a lot like riding an ATV on the street where low speed turning is difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straight6pwr Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 disconnect all bolts from diff, put something soft to catch the diff, shake it angrily until it falls. this reminds me of a funny story: some guy on r3v setup a webcam so he could chat and have people watch as he worked on his e30, it was pretty fun. so we could hear and watch him, and just type stuff into the chat window. he would ask questions and we would help him since he was new to e30s. anyways, one day he is working on dropping the diff and having trouble getting it to drop. so he comes and chats in the room and we all tell him how to wiggle it out. well, he goes back under the car and starts working. he gets a jack into position to lower it, and is shifting it around. of course, it was obvious he was going to drop it and everyone was typing 'oh shit get ready, this is going to be funny' and sure enough it fell off the jack and smashed his arm, and everyone is rolling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 disconnect all bolts from diff, put something soft to catch the diff, shake it angrily until it falls. this reminds me of a funny story: some guy on r3v setup a webcam so he could chat and have people watch as he worked on his e30, it was pretty fun. so we could hear and watch him, and just type stuff into the chat window. he would ask questions and we would help him since he was new to e30s. anyways, one day he is working on dropping the diff and having trouble getting it to drop. so he comes and chats in the room and we all tell him how to wiggle it out. well, he goes back under the car and starts working. he gets a jack into position to lower it, and is shifting it around. of course, it was obvious he was going to drop it and everyone was typing 'oh shit get ready, this is going to be funny' and sure enough it fell off the jack and smashed his arm, and everyone is rolling. hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha i got it out and im glad i had a friend help me get it back in. as you can see, it got a little out of hand when i got done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B C Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 lol, nice pic hahah its gotta accelerate like a jeep in 4 Lo now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnprusinski Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 update: i got jakes old exhaust last night and i decided to see if i can hang it today. i got the exhaust welded back up and was ready to weld the new exhaust to the existing pipe. when i went to go clean the existing pipe with a wire brush, the O2 wire came un tucked and it wraped around the wire wheel. the O2 got ripped out and it was destroyed. i will now have to order a new O2 and put that back in. i did however, learn to weld half way decent today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowleym Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Nice. Anyone know where I can pick up some 2.5" not stainless steel pipe for an exhaust? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaiserRolls Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Nice. Anyone know where I can pick up some 2.5" not stainless steel pipe for an exhaust? Hand-rail at a hospital. B C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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