no_vaseline_IHB
New member
As many users know, I am working on a long term project car. The rear axle has less than 1000 miles of driving on it, but I assembled it about ten years ago. For the less auto savvy, here is a picture of the rear axle.
<img src="http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/CraigMBA/column036.jpg" alt="" />
When I put it together in 1999, I was missing the gasket that goes between the housing and the removable center section. I used Permatex Ultra black silicone in lieu of the gasket (I didn't want to wait for it). After a decade of exposure to the gear oil, the silicone broke down and it leaked. This is pretty standard, and not unexpected. Since I was installing disc brakes anyway, and since this is the only piece of the driveline I hadn't cleaned/painted, I figured I'd pull it out and do it up out of the car so I wouldn't get overspray over the newly painted parts AND so I could safely drain the gear oil and not make a mess when I went to reseal it.
As many have noted, gear oil is nasty. Like concentrated decomposting fish guts nasty. Shrimp paste nasty. You get the point.
I carefully removed the fill plug and drained the axle lube (about two quarts) into a 6 quart pan about 5" tall. My plan was to pull the center section out over the pan so I didn't make a mess. Piece of cake. Here is a picture of the center section (installed):
<img src="http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/CraigMBA/column037.jpg" alt="" />
To remove the center section from the axle is pretty simple once you get the axle out of the car. Eight bolts hold the two drive axles in the housing need to be removed, then you remove the nuts holding the axle housing together. Third member slips right out. Piece of cake.
I get both the axles out, and remove the housing nuts. At this point, I need to note that the third member is about 45 pounds, should slide right out, and looks like this:
<img src="http://www.metropartsmarket.com/rearend/product_2.jpg" alt="" />
While it's installed in the axle it's a 45 pound dead weight that is on one side of the axle housing, but I have carefully balanced straight up for easy extraction. Except for the silicone I used a decade ago has glued the third member to the housing. Nothing a little hammer and cold chisel won't seperate. Except...........it comes loose 1/2" and won't go any further.
W...T...F?????
I get two extra prybars and get my wife to come help me pry it the rest of the way out. Still no dice. The Mrs. observes it's caught on something. I state "On what? I got both the axles out. See, one's here and the other one is........missing?" Okay, it wasn't missing. It was still in the axle housing. Okay, so I didn't pull it all the way out. Stupid me. I reach over and yank it out. And here's where the fun begins.
The whole housing instantly rotates with the now freed third member STRAIGHT DOWN, dropping the 45 pound third member straight into the oil pan that I have neglected to drain - which contains two quarts of the most noxious substance known to man. I didn't get a picture of the splashdown, so an artist rendering will have to suffice.
<img src="http://www.space-art.co.uk/images/artwork/debris/Splashdown.jpg" alt="" />
The Mrs. gets the worst of it, and is now wearing about a quart of waste gear oil. She doesn't say a word and goes straight into the house. She is so mad, she won't talk to me for about two hours. In other news, tulips were on sale at Ralphs for $7.99.
<img src="http://whisperingwindscreations.com/Assets/GUI/productImages/63001_FreshTouchRedTulips.jpg" alt="" />
She let me back into the house. I am a lucky guy.
<img src="http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/CraigMBA/column036.jpg" alt="" />
When I put it together in 1999, I was missing the gasket that goes between the housing and the removable center section. I used Permatex Ultra black silicone in lieu of the gasket (I didn't want to wait for it). After a decade of exposure to the gear oil, the silicone broke down and it leaked. This is pretty standard, and not unexpected. Since I was installing disc brakes anyway, and since this is the only piece of the driveline I hadn't cleaned/painted, I figured I'd pull it out and do it up out of the car so I wouldn't get overspray over the newly painted parts AND so I could safely drain the gear oil and not make a mess when I went to reseal it.
As many have noted, gear oil is nasty. Like concentrated decomposting fish guts nasty. Shrimp paste nasty. You get the point.
I carefully removed the fill plug and drained the axle lube (about two quarts) into a 6 quart pan about 5" tall. My plan was to pull the center section out over the pan so I didn't make a mess. Piece of cake. Here is a picture of the center section (installed):
<img src="http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/CraigMBA/column037.jpg" alt="" />
To remove the center section from the axle is pretty simple once you get the axle out of the car. Eight bolts hold the two drive axles in the housing need to be removed, then you remove the nuts holding the axle housing together. Third member slips right out. Piece of cake.
I get both the axles out, and remove the housing nuts. At this point, I need to note that the third member is about 45 pounds, should slide right out, and looks like this:
<img src="http://www.metropartsmarket.com/rearend/product_2.jpg" alt="" />
While it's installed in the axle it's a 45 pound dead weight that is on one side of the axle housing, but I have carefully balanced straight up for easy extraction. Except for the silicone I used a decade ago has glued the third member to the housing. Nothing a little hammer and cold chisel won't seperate. Except...........it comes loose 1/2" and won't go any further.
W...T...F?????
I get two extra prybars and get my wife to come help me pry it the rest of the way out. Still no dice. The Mrs. observes it's caught on something. I state "On what? I got both the axles out. See, one's here and the other one is........missing?" Okay, it wasn't missing. It was still in the axle housing. Okay, so I didn't pull it all the way out. Stupid me. I reach over and yank it out. And here's where the fun begins.
The whole housing instantly rotates with the now freed third member STRAIGHT DOWN, dropping the 45 pound third member straight into the oil pan that I have neglected to drain - which contains two quarts of the most noxious substance known to man. I didn't get a picture of the splashdown, so an artist rendering will have to suffice.
<img src="http://www.space-art.co.uk/images/artwork/debris/Splashdown.jpg" alt="" />
The Mrs. gets the worst of it, and is now wearing about a quart of waste gear oil. She doesn't say a word and goes straight into the house. She is so mad, she won't talk to me for about two hours. In other news, tulips were on sale at Ralphs for $7.99.
<img src="http://whisperingwindscreations.com/Assets/GUI/productImages/63001_FreshTouchRedTulips.jpg" alt="" />
She let me back into the house. I am a lucky guy.
. I recall mixing up a couple batches of gunpowder as a kid. It burned, but not very well.