Removing the rear end.

[aspen77rt]

Soon I will be getting the 8.25 in the Mirada. This includes new springs.

Once everything is unhooked, I plan on taking the 7.25/springs out as a single unit. Anyone see any issues with this?

 

[Aspen500]

Nope, that should work fine.

 

[BudW]

Fairly easy that way.

Put rear of car on jack stands, with rear of car high enough you can wheel rear differential out from under car.

Disconnect the driveshaft second

Brake cables third (I think it’s easier to remove cables from body and have them dangling on your differential, then to remove cables from backing plates once it is out from under car (if needed). Not sure it matters which direction you proceed here).

Brake line (from body, leaving hose attached to differential). One might need to use a short piece of rubber hose and small screw (in hose) to plug the open brake line with, or you will have a mess afterwards.

Leave tires on (two nuts finger tight is good) – so one can roll it around.

Unbolt the rear shackles from car with jack under center section of differential to hold it in place,

Lower jack down and out from rear of car

Unbolt the front spring (4 bolts each side) supports from each side.

Roll differential out from under car.

Repeat in opposite order to reassemble

Tighten the 8 front nuts (and/or 2 front bolts if loosened), 8 U-bolt nuts and shackles after weight of car is back on where it should be.

Brakes will need to be bleed afterwards.


Note: This is a great time to replace the shackle bushings (8x) and brake hose (I don’t like reusing 30-40 year old brake hoses, myself).

Note: your old driveshaft will need to be cut down (apx. 1.6 inches) or another (shorter) shaft found,

BudW

 

[aspen77rt]

Thanks for the checklist BudW. That was exactly along my thinking lines. I planned on getting a new driveshaft too.

 

[Aspen500]

A small vacuum cap works excellent for plugging the open brake line also, if you've got some lying around.

 

[AJ/FormS]

All I'm saying is be safe.
Ok so what just happened here? I edited the above comment into a previous post, and the original post evaporated.

The original post said something like; you have to jack the car really high to roll the diff out on the wheels. This puts the car on a very significant angle,and the frame will want to slide off the jackstands.This is not a happy thought for me as I'm sliding underneath, on a creeper,or worse shimmying in on cardboard, to undo stuff.Blocking the brake pedal down, will serve two functions; 1) it will block the compensating port closed,preventing the M/C from draining, and 2) it will lock the front brakes, leading you to believe the car will not roll off the jackstands. If you trust your life to that, or wheel-chocks,so-be-it.
As for me, I lift the entire car up level.And slide the rear out on a floor-jack.
How you do it is up to you, just play it safe.

 

[BudW]

I’ve always choked the front wheels and never had any hint of problems.
You have to jack the front of car higher to remove engine/K-frame from front of car, then you do the rear.