Pumpkin Removal?

layinthesmack31

Registered User
Hey guys, i was wondering how hard it is to remove the pumpkin so that i can bring it some place to have my gears put in and then how hard is it to put back togather. The reason for this is because i have my 3.73 gears mounted on a trac lok unit and it just needs to be put in and i went to have it done today and i was quoted about 180 bucks but then when i took the car there they said oh thats a different rear end and said that it would be around 560 bucks. i about crapped my pants. it went from 180 to 560 i thought that was crazy haha. but there is a guy around here that specializes in the differentials and i just need to bring the pumpkin to him and he will do it for 200. so i just need to know is it really hard to get the halfshafts out and put back in? I do have a haynes manual so i could follow that but i just wondered what i might be looking at since i have never done it before. And i also have no access to a lift so it would have to be all done from lying on the ground. Please any info would greatly be appreciated. I really had my hopes up today and they got shattered :(. Thanks
Matt
 
Re: Pumpkin removal

There are several threads on disassembling the rear suspension re: lowering springs and also some on stiffening the rear suspension. Also check MN12Performance for how-to s.
George Clarke aka the SonySC@hotmail.com
 
Did you have them put in new axle side seals in the new pumpkin? Its an easy swap if you have stock exhaust back there and all the tools you need. I only had to take off the pass side wheel, caliper, knuckle, once the knuckle bolts are out, use a pry bar between the pumkin & axle to pop it out. I don't even take the axle nut off cause if to do, you must use a brand new one when you put it back together. You realy need a floor jack to hold the pumkin or you'll be wearing it on your face when you get all of the bolts out. It shouldn't take a shop more than 3 hours to do the job because I can do it in less time, so I would get a quote from another shop that does axles. good luck
 
i went and got another quote and they said 450 because they would be replacing the bearings on the pig i have with the 3.73 gears mounted on it. they said about 4 hours labor and places here charge 60 bucks and hour. so does that sound about right cause it still seems kinda high for the bearings. but do u think they gave me a high estimate? i hope so. cause i could do the 450 and then hopefully it would end up being less :). but that is what i found out so far. and that was from a transmission and driveline place. what u guys think about that? thanks
Matt
 
It seams like whoever changed the gears would have checked or changed the bearing in the pumpkin if they needed it or are they talking about the wheel bearings? If you're not having any problem with the wheel bearings, this swap does not have anything to do with the wheel bearings because they do not need to separate the axle from the knuckle which is where the wheel bearing is located. I wouldn't be in a big hurry to jump into either of these deals because I don't think they know about our cars. Can you fine any local members of the SCCoA because they may be able to give you some advice. Where are you located?
 
well i am from grand rapids michigan. and they were talking about replacing the bearings where the halfshafts go into the differential. i just dont know where to go. these places where by my house and have been recommended to me because they do good work. but i thought if the gears are already mounted to the differential how hard can it be to put in the pumpkin? thanks for the help
Matt
 
YEP....Bearing kit..

I just recently had mine done...This cat is a good friend and he knows wtf he is doing...He told me to get a bearing kit for the pumkin, it was like 70bux...He said that there was a possability in damaging a few of the bearings tearing it down and that it was the right way to do it anyway...So if they want to change out the bearings I would chalk that up to a shop wanting to do the job RIGHT rather than cheep...Nice piece of mind knowing that there are NEW bearings in there IMO...

Good Luck

Brad
 
My rear end is getting put back together today, but this is what I am paying. Around $450 for the gear swap and I had to get new bearings and stuff. I don't think it makes much difference that its mounted to a trac-lok because a good shop would still measure clearances and backlash. They also don't just pull and replace the setup, you have to shim it and make sure its all in there w/ the proper tolerances or you'll get howl and noise from the rear end. Bring the car down here and let my mechanic do it. He has done my SC, Tom Champagnes SC (sold it now), Mark Strands XR-7, and probably some other SC's. You tell someone you have an 8.8 and they think "easy" but they are thinking solid axle mustang. You tell them its an IRS from a tbird and the price goes up because now you have to pull all that **** apart.
 
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