Is there a trick for reconnecting the drive shaft to the LSD? After removing the sub-frame, LSD and rear suspension to replace suspension components, bushings, sway bar, and some corroded brake lines I’ve almost got everything back together. I was finally able to wrestle the LSD up and get it bolted loosely into place (a lot fun by yourself), but I cannot seem to get the bolts from the drive shaft to line up and slide into the holes on the LSD. I can get two or three lined up but the fourth stubbornly refuses to go in. If I spin the shaft to better line up that last bolt, one or two others will fall out. I’ve tried everything I can think of including a profanity laced tirade that caused my wife to rather forcefully close the door between the garage and the kitchen. Any ideas?
Re-Assembly Trick?
Remove the two 13mm bolts that hold the center support bearing carrier to the chassis and that should give you enough flexibility in the DS to get it bolted up to the diff.
SC
Not sure if this is your issue, but the bolt pattern is a rectangle, not a square, so you could have it 90 degrees out of whack.
Also, when you drop the center bearing, you might need to loosen the big gland nut so that you can partially collapse/shorten the center of the driveshaft to get more working room at the back. (It’s a normal lefty-loosey). When you reattach the center bearing, check the procedure in the Bentley’s to get the preload right before you tighten it up again.
Before you go undoing the drive shaft try this, make sure the DS is lined up correctly and then once you have the two or three bolts lined up, put the nuts on those bolts and then maneuver the DS around a little to get the last one or two lined up. Just put the nuts on tight enough so they don’t fall off, don’t torque them down until they are all in place. This is the way Ive done it several times.
HTH
Brian
Chuck/Brian/Steve,
Thanks for the help. I had to use a combination of all three. The DS and LSD were 90 degrees out as Chuck indicated but there still wasn’t enough wiggle to start the nuts so I removed the exhaust and heat shields to start taking the DS apart. That gave me enough leverage to move the DS rearward and start the nuts as Brian suggested. When I got the heat shields off though, I noticed my center bearing is completely shot. So I get to have some more fun down there when the car comes back from the cage builder.
Thanks again.
Bob