Carrier Install Tips Tricks

Phillio99

Registered User
I'm about to install a new carrier in my Mark VIII, the issue is it's in Chicago and the temperature is about 15. I know all the Canadians will comment how warm that is, but my question is whether anyone has any suggestions to make the process a speedy one. Any tips or comments are always welcome.
Thanks,
Phil
 
Take it out and bring it inside. Alot easier on the bench anyway. Only 10 extra nuts and bolts. You are gonna shim it up, right?
 
In that case hopefully you don't have to pull the exhaust. Not much you can do but just unbolt everything. 4 12mm driveshaft bolts, pull the wheels then the calipers and 3 knuckle bolts pul half shafts out, remove abs sensors, then the 4 nuts that hold the carrier in.
 
Urgent help

I'm working on the car now. It looks like the halfshaft has to come off the rear knuckle to remove the spindle to pull the halfshaft from the diff? Is this the case? I think this is mark viii specific because of the lower control arm bolts.
 
I'm working on the car now. It looks like the halfshaft has to come off the rear knuckle to remove the spindle to pull the halfshaft from the diff? Is this the case? I think this is mark viii specific because of the lower control arm bolts.

Like Chris said remove calipers, then the 3 knuckle bolts and pull off the whole unit, axle/knuckle/hub in 1 piece. Take a large screwdriver and pop the axle out of the housing. If you have Mark 8 lcas and Mark 8 lca bolts then you will have to pull the axle from the hub to remove the rear bolt on each side if the bolts are facing the rear of car like they're suppose to.
 
I'm not exactly sure on the mk8 but you should just be able to take the 3 big nuts and bolts off to release the knuckle with the shaft still in it. I believe its a 18mm on the bolt side and a 21 on the nut.

Ok I guess you do have to take the shaft out. Leave the axle nut flush with the end of the axle and beat the crap out of it with A large hammer an hope it isn't to rusty, till it breaks loose from the hub splines.
 
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I'm not exactly sure on the mk8 but you should just be able to take the 3 big nuts and bolts off to release the knuckle with the shaft still in it. I believe its a 18mm on the bolt side and a 21 on the nut.

Chris, the Mark 8 bolts have large torx head bolts for the bottom 2 bolts and the nuts need to be on the rear side of each mounting point. I guess that they can back off or something but that's the way they come from the factory. The torx heads are too large of a diameter to be able to push by the axle when removing the rear bottom bolt. I know about this because I just picked up a pair of Mark 8 lcas and differential at the junkyard about 3 weeks ago.
 
Ok I guess you do have to take the shaft out. Leave the axle nut flush with the end of the axle and beat the crap out of it with A large hammer an hope it isn't to rusty, till it breaks loose from the hub splines.

I use a 2 jaw puller, works great and fast with an air impact wrench.
 
I've got the 36mm axle nut socket if I pull that nut will I be able to pull the shaft from the spindle? Do I only have to do one side?
 
Do both sides. It'll be too much work trying to get the other side out lying on your back, moving the rear to the side, its heavy.

Yes once the 36mm nut is off the axle is just splined in the hub. Just hope its not rusted in the hub.
 
Update

Called it a night, couldn't get the knuckle and axle separated, looks like I will rent a 3 jawed puller in the morning.

In the course of pulling the driver's side caliper, the piston compressed in a way that prevents in from being put back over the rotor. Is there a special tool to compress them?

Also, I dunno if anyone can field this, Mitchell maybe, will any problem arise from installing the LCA nut backwards so it and the entire knuckle can be pulled without having to pull the axle first?

Thanks guys for the input, hopefully tomorrow it will be up and moving.
Phil
 
Also, I'm having a tough time locating a new crush nut for the rear axle, is reusing the current one until I can get out to a ford dealership alright or am I asking for it?
 
Called it a night, couldn't get the knuckle and axle separated, looks like I will rent a 3 jawed puller in the morning.

In the course of pulling the driver's side caliper, the piston compressed in a way that prevents in from being put back over the rotor. Is there a special tool to compress them?

Also, I dunno if anyone can field this, Mitchell maybe, will any problem arise from installing the LCA nut backwards so it and the entire knuckle can be pulled without having to pull the axle first?

Thanks guys for the input, hopefully tomorrow it will be up and moving.
Phil

You have to screw the piston in on the caliper. You can go to a auto parts store and buy the little "cube" I call it for screwing the piston back into the caliper or like me use a pair of needle nose pliers and some elbow grease. The piston has the "V" grooves in it, turn it clockwise to screw it in and open to open the spacing.

As far as installing the bottom bolts to face the rear, I'm just telling you what I read on this forum from others who had done the swap, do a search for Mark VIII lcas to read. When I install my Mark 8 lcas I'm going to grind the rear bottom torx head bolt flat on one side just enough to be able to install/remove it without having to remove the axle. It'll be just a little bit of material so it shouldn't affect the strength of it.
 
I reuse the nuts all the time, but just make sure it goes on with resistance. For the piston in the caliper. There are special tools for that. Basiclly you have to turn the piston while compressing it. They sell the tools at auto zone and such, you could prolly even rent it. The best tools are the one that have the plate with a bolt going thru it to compress and turn at same time. The cheap more difficult to use are a cube with a bunch of differently spaced nipples on it for different cars.
 
Update, Diff IN

New diff is in, took much longer than anticipated, no bolt goes easy on the undercarriage of a 147,000 all year car. Broke two ratchets alone on the bolts that hold the brace that supports the rear cover of the diff to the car. Impact wrench needed there badly.

The diff installed was a used 3.73 trac lok, being that it was snowing and the roads had about two inches of fresh snow, impressions were limited. The gears do make some noise, I used mobil conventional gear oil with whatever brand posi additive the car parts place had, do I want to go synthetic? Different additive?

On a final note, I wanted to point out the reason why I continue to frequent this forum even though I don't drive an SC anymore. I sent a PM to one of the members here asking a Mark VIII specific question and if he could, to give me a ring since I was using my phone to browse this site (slowly) and working on the car. Not 10 mins later, I get a call from that member, answering my question, offering some tips, and generally making the process a whole lot easier. Kudos Doug and everyone else who has offered their assistance, I appreciate the help, would have been in a world of hurt without it
 
New diff is in, took much longer than anticipated, no bolt goes easy on the undercarriage of a 147,000 all year car. Broke two ratchets alone on the bolts that hold the brace that supports the rear cover of the diff to the car. Impact wrench needed there badly.

The diff installed was a used 3.73 trac lok, being that it was snowing and the roads had about two inches of fresh snow, impressions were limited. The gears do make some noise, I used mobil conventional gear oil with whatever brand posi additive the car parts place had, do I want to go synthetic? Different additive?

On a final note, I wanted to point out the reason why I continue to frequent this forum even though I don't drive an SC anymore. I sent a PM to one of the members here asking a Mark VIII specific question and if he could, to give me a ring since I was using my phone to browse this site (slowly) and working on the car. Not 10 mins later, I get a call from that member, answering my question, offering some tips, and generally making the process a whole lot easier. Kudos Doug and everyone else who has offered their assistance, I appreciate the help, would have been in a world of hurt without it

Glad I was able to help :cool:
 
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