Can you get the case spreader from the parts store? Might make your life a bit easier.

 

Probably could get it, but the case does not seem to be the problem. I also would rather not pry it out if possible. Gonna try reversing the direction that I am rotating the carrier.

 

I would absolutely try and turn the carrier in the direction which tightens the bolts instead of loosening. I for got to mention that. It's not going to just slide out. You will need a breaker bar. It may lightly pop. I would keep trying to work it this way rather than a case spreader. It is really easy to mess a housing up with the spreader. Sorry your having such a hard time. I know it sucks and can be really frustrating. You just don't want to do anything to make it cost more or cause you more work for yourself.

 

Thanks Denn, So I presume I do NOT want to pry the races out, I should just remove them after the carrier is free ? Do I want a new gasket on the pumpkin housing cover ? I am about to ride the bike down to the auto parts store ( 6 miles down the road) and was hoping to get the tool to do the ujoints and anything else I might need. Although I will need to repeat the trip on monday to return the tool.....

 

did you get the carrier out? the bearing races come out with the carrier. They will just fall right off the bearings. Just try not to mix the sides up. I f you absolutely have to pry on anything do it smart. Try to put a piece of wood of something under the bar so you don't mar up any machined surfaces. Prying on the races will not pop the diff out. Did you try and turn it counter clockwise while its jammed up? The diff cover just gets a grey RTV. Clean off the old and put the new rtv around the housing and bolt it back on. It will be fine.

 

No on the carrier, but I didnt mess with that.

I went and got the ball joint tool from the auto parts store (rode the bicycle), its what they recommended for the ujoint removal. I was hoping it would make that job easy, and was anxious to see it how easy it would be. It was not.

I got 3 of the bearing caps off (on one axle) after what felt like a "vision quest" like wrestling match with each cap (pushing out with the tool). The final cap is giving me a problem. Since the other side of the spider has the bearing cap removed, the tool has hard time staying centered, it really wants to walk with the rotation of the tool, this caused the bearing cap to have enough of a angle that pushing it out caused a marred surface on the face of the yolk. The best solutions I have come up with are either A. Not pushing it out , use a c clamp to keep it the cap from spinning, then use a hacksaw to cut the cap in halves so it can be removed without having to be pushed out. Or B. Use the one of the bearing caps backwards against the spider to push out the final cap with the tool. C. Put the old cap back on and push out the difficult end, then hope the other side comes out without tilting ?

 

The physical labor involved in getting these joints out has made me consider taking them to a shop to have the joints pressed out and new ones back in...but to me that is defeat. I know "its ok" ,we all have limits, but I hate feeling like I "cant do something". Im gonna be sore as hell after this is done , but they are coming out by every bit of strength Ive got ! looking forward to monday, I have off, and can spend much more time rolling in the dirt (literally!!)with these axles

 

Spent most off the day trying to get the carrier out to no avail. I first tried going the other direction on the carrier bolts however that definitely loosened them. So I had it right the first time, the bolts are NOT reverse threaded, they are loosened to the left..... But that didnt matter much. I ended up snapping one of the carrier bolts and possibly another, I attempted again on a third bolt, but this thing is not even budging, and I really didnt want to chance breaking a possible third bolt inside the carrier. I hope this isnt as bad as it seems. Not sure what to do about getting this diff out. Help ! ...If I do get it out am I screwed because of the snapped bolt ? I am guessing I will need to extract it from the ring gear some how, then find a replacement... cant be too special , considering the relative ease of which I was able to break it, but I wonder if there is something Im missing here ? Are the 4 cap bolts and the caps the only thing I need to remove ? There isnt some clip or bolt I missed is there ?

 

Get the case spreader.

It's likely you will be able to thread the broken bolts out with just your fingers, once you have the carrier out. Mark the gear, and the carrier, and reinstall the gear in the EXACT same position it was in originally.

Do you have the axles pulled out?

 

A couple of positives on the day : I did manage to get the ujoints out of both axles. I kept track of how the two pieces line up , so that when I install the new ones, the shaft and the yoke sections go back the same, not sure if it matters or not, but I figured better be on the safe side. I also got one of the snapped cad housing bolts out. A couple days of pb blaster and vise grips. The other broken bolt is really in there. Weather looks terrible for the as far out as they forecast, but every break I get I will be cracking at this. As soon as I get the broken cad housing bolt out, I will be able to go ahead and replace the passenger side seal, and also reinstall the axle with new hub on it. essentially wrapping up the passenger side of this job. But I am real stuck and possibly screwed on the diff removal.