Tips for removing rearend?????

[J.Cagle]

I feel stupid for this, but is there a trick to removing the factory rearend out of my 64? I have everything unbolted but I cannot get it to budge. I thought I could just unbolt the ubolts and track bar and pull it out. The ubolts will not budge. Ive soaked everything with penetrating oil and drove metal wedges between the axle and trailing arm and still wont budge. Any advice? Thanks in advance!!!

[steverino66]

I had to cut through the tops of the u-bolts with a sawzall, then twist/break/hammer off the pieces - fair amount of rust had accumulated inside the bolt holes in the trailing arms

[63sbssbbw]

As steve said,just cut the U bolts, you'll be getting new ones anyway.
T

[J.Cagle]

I would do that but the rear wheels are stuck on. Ive been beating them with a sledge the last hour and they wont budge. Its always somethin!

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

I would do that but the rear wheels are stuck on. Ive been beating them with a sledge the last hour and they wont budge. Its always somethin!

remove the cover and pull the c clips. pull out the whole axle

[krazy_texan]

i just used an angle grinder to cut mine off then used a big prybar and a 3lb hammer and it came out but it did take some work but while you are under there you might look at your spring mounts as well i wound up having to replace mine as they where almost rotted through

[rustyrodknocker]

zip wheel.

[J.Cagle]

Luckily my truck just has minimal rust in the usual places on the body but everything else is solid.

[Imperial Kustom]

When I took the original rear out of my '62 I just loosened the nuts a little bit then drove it around the block until the u-bolts came loose! I am by no means condoning this. but it did work well since I wasn't able to afford new u-bolts and nits at the time.
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[vin63]

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

I feel stupid for this, but is there a trick to removing the factory rearend out of my 64? I have everything unbolted but I cannot get it to budge. I thought I could just unbolt the ubolts and track bar and pull it out. The ubolts will not budge. Ive soaked everything with penetrating oil and drove metal wedges between the axle and trailing arm and still wont budge. Any advice? Thanks in advance!!!

At this point, can you unbolt the trailing arms at the forward crossmember and then roll the reared housing and trailing arms out from under the truck as an assembly? This way, you will have more room to work on detaching the U-boilts, etc.

[awbrown]

Imperial has the right idea , big torches and hammers if it does not work ...

[chevy_man5]

Have you tried heat on the wheels? Maybe just run a torch around the wheel for a minute or so, then give it a smack. Might be enough expansion to bust it loose.

When we took the rearend out of my step-daughters '65, I cut the u-bolts with a grinder, and a sawzall. Make sure you cut them close to the top of the "U". If you don't, you will get to cut them again. That is the voice of experience on that!! Luckily I only did that on one of them.

[LT1 Burb]

That sucks, I dropped the one out of my truck yesterday in 30 minutes and everything unbolted, even the trailing arm bolts came out.

[pdxhall]

I'd like to see a picture of this mess. Mine came right out, too. No problems.

[shawno72]

What I did was cut the top of each side of the ubolt right where it starts to curve over the axle leaving just the straight part with the threads. Then just get your impact and start running the bolts tighter and one of two things will happen. Either they will start spinning in place hence braking them free so you can pound them out or as you tighten the bolts they will start to pull through. Piece of cake this way. At least it was for me.
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[J.Cagle]

Finally got the thing on its way out. It is cray how tight the ubolts can get wedge in there when they get rusty! After prying, hammering and grinding the last couple evenings it is about out.

Another question while Im here haha. Whats the best way to remove the spring purches on the axle thats going in? I dont have a torch or a plasma.......

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

Finally got the thing on its way out. It is cray how tight the ubolts can get wedge in there when they get rusty! After prying, hammering and grinding the last couple evenings it is about out.

Another question while Im here haha. Whats the best way to remove the spring purches on the axle thats going in? I dont have a torch or a plasma.......

Better take it to someone that does.

[J.Cagle]

I was afraid youd say that! I dont have a truck bc my 64 is not back together yet lol.

[Imperial Kustom]

Getting the perches of with a grinder and cutoff wheel isn't that bad. Just cut along the weld as close as possible to the axle tube. Get through the weld as far as possible while trying not to cut into the tube. Smack 'em with a hammer an grind down the leftover weld. Be sure to take careful measurements of everything so the new perches go back on nice and centered. Then I HIGHLY recommend taking the bare housing to your local race car or Drivetrain shop to have it checked for straight because it will most likely need it. Axle tubes love to move around when you weld to them believe it or not. Axle and bearing failure will result from a warped housing.
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