Installing a rear end need a little advice. =)

[smashin 5.0's]

So as you guys might already know i bent my axle from trying to make that last minute turn on the highway. Well, im dropping a rear end in there and i needed a little help. My bother and i are going to dedicate a whole weekend to do it. How long does it usually take for a amature like me and my brother to get it done? Also when dropping the rear end what do i do about the brake lines? Any other additional information is greatly appericated. Thanks again!

[GT350 Dominator]

I could do 1 myself in a couple hours, you guys with little experience, near the same, why not just replace the axel?
Make it easy on yourself and have everything you need sitting there before you start, the brake lines just undo them from the backing plates and the housing and they just hang there till you get the new rear in. The procedure is like on all car things, unbolt till its off, bolt it back till your done.
You'll need to post specific Q's to get specific A's.

[At1Maverick69]

Here's what I just did: I didn't take the brake system apart at all, all I did was take the whole thing off from the backing plate, so the line doesn't need to come undone, and you don't have to bleed the system afterwards. there's 4 bolts on each side that holds the backing plate to the axle flanges. This would be how I would do it, I've done this a couple of times on my Capri, and this way, you won't have to mess with the parking brake cable as well, as it would move out of the way together with the assembly .

If you're doing this on the ground, you'll probably need a few jackstands( I think I used a total of 5(2 to support the car up, 2 to hold the rearend assy., and the last one to point the snout of the differential pointing forward,a sit would likely swing downwards).

If you want more info, PM me, I am local to you anyway, I could always try to help you out, man. goodluck!

[85FourEyedGT]

Here's what I just did: I didn't take the brake system apart at all, all I did was take the whole thing off from the backing plate, so the line doesn't need to come undone, and you don't have to bleed the system afterwards. there's 4 bolts on each side that holds the backing plate to the axle flanges. This would be how I would do it, I've done this a couple of times on my Capri, and this way, you won't have to mess with the parking brake cable as well, as it would move out of the way together with the assembly .

If you're doing this on the ground, you'll probably need a few jackstands( I think I used a total of 5(2 to support the car up, 2 to hold the rearend assy., and the last one to point the snout of the differential pointing forward,a sit would likely swing downwards).

If you want more info, PM me, I am local to you anyway, I could always try to help you out, man. goodluck!

I did the exact same thing with mine, instead of having to worry about E brake lines and stuff, i just unbolted the entire braking system off of the old on and bolted it to the new one, worked great.

the time it will take you will depend on if you have the right tools. I suggest you use a REAL jack, and get the car high off the ground to give yourself a lot of comfort room to work in

and another thing, i dont know if anyone else had this problem, make sure to hook up the driveshaft to the rear end while its dropped, becuase it became impossible for me to do once it was completely bolted up and i had to unbolt and lower the rear again ....

rear ends like most things on 4eyes....are.....fun yup...i said it

[smashin 5.0's]

im going to have to drop the whole rear end because the rear right axle and backing plate is bent. Im going to have to unbolt the E-brake system as well as the brake lines. Since im doing all of that should i plug the brake lines so that brake fluid doesn't come pouring out? Also is it pretty easy to unassemble the E-brake system?

[At1Maverick69]

im going to have to drop the whole rear end because the rear right axle and backing plate is bent. Im going to have to unbolt the E-brake system as well as the brake lines. Since im doing all of that should i plug the brake lines so that brake fluid doesn't come pouring out? Also is it pretty easy to unassemble the E-brake system?

I don't get how the backing plate got bent too, if you just went off road I can understand that the axle tubes are bent, but unless the wheel fell off, your backing plate should be ok. But if you do need to, the parking brake cable needs to come off from the backing plate, it is held on by a funky washer that spreads apart. you need to squeeze the washer close with a set of pliers, then pull the cable from the back. It takes patience with that part, specially if you're going to reuse it.

[supercab78]

Sometimes a hose clamp will squeeze the prongs on the E-brake so you can start to remove it. Then remove the clamp to finish pulling it through.

[smashin 5.0's]

I mean for you guys what was the hardest part about dropping the rear end?

[qtrracer]

I mean for you guys what was the hardest part about dropping the rear end?

It's heavy and unwieldly even with a floor jack under the pumpkin. Going down is always easier than going up, and taking out is always easier than putting back in. Be careful with the springs - lots of energy in those so use appropriate care when lowering the arm.

[shovelhead 93]

I found getting the bolts out to be the hardest part of the job,they were bonded to the rubbers!!

[myler]

and another thing, i dont know if anyone else had this problem, make sure to hook up the driveshaft to the rear end while its dropped, becuase it became impossible for me to do once it was completely bolted up and i had to unbolt and lower the rear again ....

Interesting, there is no reason that should have happened. I've changed my driveshaft out without touching the rear end. I don't remember if i had the suspension loaded or if it was hanging free but i certainly never connect the driveshaft until last ever.

[GT350 Dominator]

Yea, the hardest thig is the bolts for the upper and lower control army by far, you probably need new control arms anyway, just cut those off and install new ones if ya got the money.

[JACook]

Sometimes a hose clamp will squeeze the prongs on the E-brake so you can start to remove it. Then remove the clamp to finish pulling it through.

Box-end wrench. 9/16" works well, 14mm works even better.

[86TXSSP]

me and a buddy of mine took out a 7.5 and installed a 8.8 in about 30 minutes. We do this alot so it's like changing oil for us. First time i tried it it took me like an hr and a half or so. Good luck it's not that hard keep the beer near by.

[smashin 5.0's]

It took us 5 hours! LOL yeah as you already know im a newb but hey i got it done without any major problems. Ill post pics up. Oh and im having a little trouble with the e-brake i have to pull it all the way up in order to lock the rear wheels up. Im not sure if i did anything wrong im pretty sure we did everything right though i may be wrong. I might of assembled pads wrong i dont know...

[82mustang]

if you remove the plastic tray under the E brake handle, then pull up on the handle and look directly under it for a nut on a threaded rod, you need to tighten that a bit... give it a few turns and check E brake, repeat.. good luck

[smashin 5.0's]

yeah i tried that. Could this be happening because you dont bleed the brakes? Also i don't know if you guys do this but do you guys remove the weight off the rear end? Its the one bolted under the rear and has rubber bushings. Not sure what thats called.

[86GT2go]

Hardest part of dropping the rearend..............must have been the rust; or maybe the LCA/UCA bolts being rusted to the sleeve in the bushings. Yup, that's what I remember about the swap being the hardest part.

[CapriGT]

It took us 5 hours! LOL yeah as you already know im a newb but hey i got it done without any major problems. Ill post pics up. Oh and im having a little trouble with the e-brake i have to pull it all the way up in order to lock the rear wheels up. Im not sure if i did anything wrong im pretty sure we did everything right though i may be wrong. I might of assembled pads wrong i dont know...

Are you using your original rear brakes? or did they come with the new rear?
You probably just need to adjust the rear shoes.

[smashin 5.0's]

No im not using the original shoes im using newer ones that were slightly used. I can adjust it by turning that little gold rod right?

[CapriGT]

Adjust with the adjuster at the bottom of each set of shoes.

[JACook]

The rear brakes must be properly adjusted -before- you do any adjusting on the e-brake.
Also, this is a purely mechanical function. Bleeding will not affect the operation of the e-brake.

[smashin 5.0's]

The rear brakes must be properly adjusted -before- you do any adjusting on the e-brake.
Also, this is a purely mechanical function. Bleeding will not affect the operation of the e-brake.

Thanks. I have heard of people taking off there quad shocks and the 10 pound weight off the rear ends it has two bolts holding it and its kinda the shape of a u. Anyone heard of this or even done it? Almost forgot heres the pictures..

[bob85gt]

removed mine when i took off the 7.5 and put in the 8.8 Its suppose to stop vibration. noticed no dif.