The old addage applies here:
"What I used to do all nite - now takes me all nite to do"
CSTYLES came over on Wednesday to help me install my new diff drop brackets. We started at 9AM & were still wrenchin at 8PM. We never did get it finished. We got as far as mounting the new brackets to the axel but when we jacked the axel back up, the green cup (CV outer race) hung up on the passenger side A-arm. There it sits. The young buck was ready to work on it all nite but I was tired - it was raining (light sprinkle actually) - I was tired - things were getting frustrating - I was tired ... you get the picture. Now I have a nice Proton sittin in the driveway with no front end on it. Nice.
OK, pity party over. The main reason for this thread (other than playing straight man for Zeus to take some cheap shots at me) is to offer a little advice for those that will be doing the diff drop eventually.
1. It can be done at home by your average shade tree mechanic.
2. Allow plenty of time - you may be able to do it in a day but it'll prolly take two. An extra pair of hands can be invaluable (thanks CSTYLES for picking up the diff from my chest after it fell on me)
3. Beg, buy, borrow or steal a pitman arm removal tool (looks like a bearing puller but doesn't flex). You will have to remove the steering linkage. Do not use a ball joint fork (tore the boot).
4. Have extra jacks & jackstands available - I recommend 4 stands and 2 jacks.
5. Make sure you have PB Blaster on hand & a long breaker bar - suspension bolts are tight.
6. A couple of prybars (wreckerbars) will be handy as well.
7. Wear disposable clothes - you'll be so dirty that you'll want to just throw them away (if you're dropping your diff, you prolly tore your CV boots & there's a nice coating of grease on EVERYTHING you touch)
8. USE THREADLOCK when replacing suspension bolts.
The good news is that we should have all of the kinks worked out on the bracket design by the time any of Y'all try it (weld lines smoothed where they need to be, notch cut for that pesky bolt head that got in the way, ...). I hope to also update the directions (from the Isuzu forum) with handy little details.
Zeus - dude, you coulda warned me about what I was getting myself into
BTW, even if you're not dropping your differential, check your fluid. Mine was almost empty.
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Originally Posted by tom4bren
Please consider that when I got started I removed the front axle assembly and drove around in 2wd for several months while I collected parts. I simply put things back together one day. So for me, it was not a big deal because it was so broken up. USE THREADLOCK!
I helped
