<<Help! I'm trying to change out the roto-flex's and don't quite
understand the process. I've taken the diff and the intermediate drive
shafts out. I've also removed the brake drum and the center nut, and
this is where I'm stumped. It seems to me that I can use a pulley
puller attached to the rear hub and pressing on the outer shaft to
press the drive shaft thru the verticle link, but nothing is budging.
Am I missing someting?
Contact Information:
Name: Mike Brenner
Email: brenner9@yosemite.net>>
Mike, saw this post and thought I'd respond, although it's been about 10
years since I did my rotoflexes. First, stop where you are, or you're going
to get alot more than you bargained for. If I remember correctly, the way I
did my rotoflexes is as follows:
1. Put jack stands under the rear frame and get the wheels off the ground
and remove the wheels
2. You don't need to remove the differential.
3. You basically want to remove the L or R side of the axle as a unit still
attached to the vertical link and then repeat for the other side. To do this
(And I don't recall the particular order):
a. Here's the part you're missing: Take a Churchill tool # xyz (basically a
6 foot long steel bar 1 inch thick cold rolled steel) and clamp it to the top
of one half of the rear leaf spring. Clamp it in such a way that the clamps
cannot come off accidently. If one of these flys off under load, you'll be
injured. I welded two C- shaped pieces of flat bar stock to the bar at one
end and then ran a bolt through each one so that I bolted it around the
spring. At the end of the bar out where the wheel is, support the weight of
that side of the car by another jack stand. This will relieve the pressure
on some of the bolts that hold the rear suspension together. If your spring
is worn out, you may not have to do this. Position the jackstand where
neccessary to relieve the load onthe bolts.
b. Disconnect the rear axle at the differential, remove the shock, and
disconnect the vertical link from the body.
c. withdraw the axle assembly with rotoflex and vertical link still attached
as a unit.
d. Remove the 6 bolts holding the two half shafts to the vertical link;
probably will take a pneumatic wrench.
e. Fit the new rotofles; I believe that you should not remove the steel band
around the new rotoflex until all 6 bolts are at least started. If you
replace the bolts, use at least grade 6 or stronger. Do not use hardware
grade bolts (grade 2); these will break.
If you've already pulled the rear hub off, you've just opened Pandora's box,
and have alot more work ahead of you. Let me know, and I'll step you through
the process.
All of this is covered in the Robert Bentley workshop manual. This is $ well
spent; the best shop manuals I've ever seen. He still advertises in Hemmings.
Hop this helps,
Frank M
'72 GT6
etc
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