Swap the trunion bushes at the dif without removing trunion?

**flivesay** · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 04:15 PM

I've just replaced the sway bar bushings and wondering if you can replace the conical dif/trunion bushes without removing the trunion--I have the nut and keeper/adjustment nut off--

fl

**101/105guy** · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 05:59 PM

I've done it with the springs and shocks removed. Diff will move sideways enough to get the bushes out and in.

**flivesay** · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 06:13 PM

I ended up dropping the bar. its as I remembered--a pain to get the shims and side mounts lined back up--

thanks
fl

**flivesay** · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 06:16 PM

Anybody know what I should torque the dif bushing too? Its a yellow certerline poly bushing--

fl

iachella · #5 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 08:46 PM

Related question - Can the T-bar come out of the car without removing the axle or anything else?

**TorW** · #6 (**permalink**) 04-19-2009, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flivesay

Anybody know what I should torque the dif bushing too? Its a yellow certerline poly bushing--

**flivesay** · #7 (**permalink**) 04-19-2009, 05:21 AM

I thinnk you can. i dropped both body sides to get the dif bushing in--i don't remember anythink keeping it from coming out but maybe the rear exhaust section? hopefully someone has a definitive answer--

**Tifosi** · #8 (**permalink**) 04-19-2009, 01:19 PM

Barring clearance issues, the thing has some weight too, so even if you've made room, it could still be a PITA simply because you can lift, twist and manuver all at the same time.

I did as flivesay describes for the same reason, but didn't take it all the way out either as there wasn't need to try.

The obvious stuff in the road besides the exhaust, springs, shocks and wheels would be the driveshaft, swaybar end links, p-brake cable and soft brake line to the diff. Beyond that it didn't seem like one 'couldn't' wrangle it out of there if one put thier mind to it. (my thought was to get it free, shove as much as possible out the right side and wheelwell, tip the left down and bring the whole thing forward and out out in front of the left wheel, but as I said, wasn't neccisary for my particular project, so :shug: if it could actually have been accomplished. Hell, the whole thing could come out the left side or straight out the back for all I really know)

Lotta help there, huh? LOL

super1750 · #9 (**permalink**) 04-20-2009, 03:18 PM

Hi Guys

I just replaced the trunion cone bushes on a GTV yesterday. The only thing that had to be removed to get the trunion out was the rear exhaust section (tail pipe). I also loosened the mount on the middle exhaust section just in front of the axle to give myself a little more room. The trunion comes out quite easily but getting it back in with the shims in place is another story, I did get it in with the shims in the right position and a lot of swearing on the third try though. The trick was to put in the bottom rear bolts with the shims in place but not tighten them. Then put a long bolt (the head of a short bolt will not clear the flange) into the threads of the top hole from the inside so that just enough of the threads are sticking out of the outer side to keep the shims aligned when the whole trunion turns. Then lower the car onto its wheels and the trunion will turn so that the holes are roughly aligned. A little bit of wiggling and they should align. Remove the bolts on the inside and replace the correct bolts from the outside. Be sure to put the bolts loosely into their holes before you lower the car on to its wheels or you won't have enough clearance with the tire to get them in - ask me how I know

Good luck and be sure to take a few spare swear words with you!

Bob

iachella · #10 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 09:00 PM

I've started the trunnion removal for replacing the conical and spacer bushings on the side with poly. I'm not understanding something about the securing bolt for the conical bushing. I've removed the castelated nut and the long bolt, but I thought the long bolt was attached to the castelated nut. There is still the shaft in the castelated nut. Is something else going on here? Is there another part in there?

Thanks

**flivesay** · #11 (**permalink**) 06-25-2009, 05:15 AM

you don't need to remove the long bolt. Just the nut--slide out old bushing, grease and slide in new bushung.

**101/105guy** · #12 (**permalink**) 06-25-2009, 10:18 PM

Frank, there's more to it than that....
True, you can take the outer half of the conical bushing off after removing the nut and washer but the other half of the bushing is still between the arm and the diff.
So the diff needs to move to the right enough to get the stud away from the arm, or the arm needs to be removed from the car.
I usually choose the first method if only the conical bushes need replacing. This involves removing the springs and unbolting the shocks and lower arms. With the diff supported on a floor jack it can then be moved away from the t bar.
Easy, huh... ;^)
Randy

**flivesay** · #13 (**permalink**) 06-26-2009, 06:07 AM

you're right Randy--I made an assumption Stephano had read your part of the thread about the springs and the shocks dropped. From looking at the rearend from under the car, it looks like the long bolt and bushing shaft are one--when in fact they are not and the long bolt does not have to be removed

iachella · #14 (**permalink**) 06-26-2009, 07:33 AM

Thanks for the picture, Frank. That really shows me that the long bolt and the castelated nut are not together.

Yes, I have not done anything with the axle yet. I'm doing conical bushings in poly and side washers in poly, so I'm going to remove the trunnion completely. (Hoping that the big bushings on the body are in good shape; I've read about them!!)

I have removed the six long bolts on each side of the trunnion to body. I removed the big nut and the long bolt. I had assumed that after removing the big nut, something would budge. There is some steel piece between the nut and the bushing. Does that unscrew from the shaft that the nut was on? The drawing above shows it just under the castelated nut. Maybe it need to be knocked on with a mallet after 30+ years?

I'm hoping to wrestle it out of the car without moving the diff because there seems to be enough room in there. But if the sides can't drop away from the frame of the car, I guess it can't move to the side to come away from the diff.

**flivesay** · #15 (**permalink**) 06-26-2009, 07:57 AM

If I remember correctly (bad assumption most of the time these days) the metal piece is just a washer. My old bushings were all sort of morphed together with the washer, shaft and rearend housing (they were original). I used wire brushes etc to clean everything up. I believe I used a small pry bar to separate everything. I used poly at the trunion and the sides and and the rearend now behaves. I didn't change the trunion end bushes either as they seemed stiff and tight.