The Official 1987 Two Door Body Off RE-build Thread!

That's awesome, dude!

Needs more lower, though.

Great news. Looking good. When I was a kid, I had a 1/4 scale model of a car frame. It looked just like that.

On another note. You had me at M1009 Blazer... For sale?

Excellent work! We knew you get it done.

Just in time to add the finishing touches and roll on over to Groton on the 28th

Oh and if you're worried about paint...who needs that anyway.... It's only gonna get scratched a pooped on by angry birds...

Keep up the good work!!

toomanytoyz wrote:

That's awesome, dude!

Needs more lower, though.

I'll let you lower the FWB in honor of me lowering my car

IMPALADAKID wrote:

Great news. Looking good. When I was a kid, I had a 1/4 scale model of a car frame. It looked just like that.

On another note. You had me at M1009 Blazer... For sale?

I bet the model was easier to toss around! And yes, military blazer, no not for sale sorry Billy lol. I think I did buy the engine from it though... I'm not really sure.

MASShole9C1 wrote:

Excellent work! We knew you get it done.

Just in time to add the finishing touches and roll on over to Groton on the 28th

Oh and if you're worried about paint...who needs that anyway.... It's only gonna get scratched a pooped on by angry birds...

Keep up the good work!!

LOL maybe not that club meet, but the round up is a possibility...

Do I smell a deadline???

toomanytoyz wrote:

Do I smell a deadline???

I don't want to be official about it but...maybe...

I'd love to not bring a ford to the round-up is all I'm saying here!

I love the nice weather! I really do, because I can do stuff at home for once!

I ripped into the rear end tonight and I think I might get away with replacing the one axle shaft. I took out both shafts and yes, the RH shaft was BENT. I used a hammer to get it in to remove the c-clip and to slide it out. I am hoping that most of that has to do with the bearing being toast but...idunno. The diff looks perfectly fine otherwise so I really hope I can get out of this for a cheap fix. I don't want to run around like crazy looking for another impala rear end. I know I won't find one with as little rust as this one has without spending some cash or searching far for it. Keep those fingers crossed guys!







Clean fluid so it looks like someone's been in here before. Also, it had gasket maker instead of a gasket so who knows.

magnet was clean



I've heard nothing but bad things... However, a good source told me not to worry about it breaking.



And it didn't!



I know this picture blows but, take a look at that C-clip...



I totally believe that this car slid into a granite curb, as if the broken in three places wheel wasn't enough



you may not be able to tell, but this is BENT





So, the next step is to get a bearing and if the other side's shaft slides in all the way, then I'm gonna replace it and run it! I really hope that's all I have to do! I DO NOT want a rusty rear attached to that frame when it comes home!

Update...


That rear above, the one that doesn't have anything but a little surface redness.... It's bent! LAME! But I paid 100 bucks for it and got the calipers, brackets, brand new upper and lower control arms from it, so I still call it a win.

The one I have now, has the typical New England crusty scaly crap and needs a few hours with the angle grinder and a little bit of SEM. It has no bends in it though! It turns the wheels free and easy no crap wrong with it. Just needs a pinion seal, blood transfusion and a new kickass cheapo chrome diff cover!

Thanks again to Justin for picking this thing up and then driving it out to my house on his way to Tim's which he couldn't even make it to. Sorry dude, but thanks so much for bringing the rear out to me! I know you're all probably saying... "Justin showed up to something!?" (J/K dude) but I have the pics!



And after I finished with all of the mothers day activities and everything related I took all of the half torched crap off of this rear end and moved it out to clean it up. I have to move some stuff around in the tent/yard area to put it on jack stands and get it all painted and purty. Then I'm going to bend up some new lines, cut the rotors, grab cheap pads, rebuild the calipers and call it a day for the rear end situation.



I can't wait to have a rolling frame. Then I can pull the lines from the white car (oh joy...) and bend up some new brake and fuel lines for this pig. Still have to re-read the imp rear to boxy article to figure out what I need for a prop valve and master cyl. Time will tell me that though!

Matt, just pick-up a universal prop valve like the Willwood one on my car.

You can still run the stock master.

I'm glad you found one!!

That's great news and another step towards driving that sexy bitch around.

Just a pinion seal?.....Ask around before attempting

Scratch the chrome cover idea.....theyre cheap & pretty but dont throw heat

My 0.02

sdstick wrote:

Just a pinion seal?.....Ask around before attempting

Indeed. It could need a Pinion too depending on wear, but it'll need the seal at the minimum. I had an extra Timkin sitting around so I gave it to him with delivery

Sweet!

Steve's right IMO.

Spring the extra buckage for a finned aluminum cover. That's on my parts list. I just need a rear end :/

bfurches wrote:

Matt, just pick-up a universal prop valve like the Willwood one on my car.

You can still run the stock master.

Noted I'll factor that into bending new lines...

MASShole9C1 wrote:

I'm glad you found one!!

That's great news and another step towards driving that sexy bitch around.

I'm glad I found it too. A rolling frame will light a fire under my ass for sure...

sdstick wrote:

Just a pinion seal?.....Ask around before attempting

Scratch the chrome cover idea.....theyre cheap & pretty but dont throw heat

My 0.02

Count threads, mark the position of the nut to the yoke, although I do need to ask around about swapping the yoke from the less rusty rear end. But I'm not sure if that's wise/worth it nothing about either one is "mint"

The cover isn't a big concern for me right now, I'll end up building a different rear before that effects this one in anyway. Not to mention I can't find any parts showing anything other than those cheapo ones so... *shrug* I guess I'm going with that.

Cadet57 wrote:

sdstick wrote:

Just a pinion seal?.....Ask around before attempting

Indeed. It could need a Pinion too depending on wear, but it'll need the seal at the minimum. I had an extra Timkin sitting around so I gave it to him with delivery

Thanks again. we'll see what the verdict is on the yoke replacement this week. I won't be changing the seal until after it's painted (tomorrow I hope) anyway and you know that it takes a bit of time for the SEM to cure up.

MASShole9C1 wrote:

Steve's right IMO.

Spring the extra buckage for a finned aluminum cover. That's on my parts list. I just need a rear end :/

Where the hell are these things then! lol

I'm almost positive you can buy them at advance auto. It was an option when I did my rear cover/seal in 2010.

You can always change a cover so no need to listen to me on that one.

Pinion seal.........you might pull a rabbit outta ur azz & get it right........chances are you'll ef up THAT trick

Replace the pinion?...yourself?....dont want to keep you from learning but...dont do it.

Let the pinion seal drip a little & when your all done...& thats the only thing that bothers you....change it

Not until then.

Please someone jump in & tell him not to listen to me if I'm wrong

(Ya....I'm not... )

FTR...I'll help you any way I can. Not trying to bring you down. I've made that mistake & want you to avoid it is all...

MASShole9C1 wrote:

I'm almost positive you can buy them at advance auto. It was an option when I did my rear cover/seal in 2010.

Dead zone and advanced didn't have them in a quick search... Hmm. I'll investigate further later on. Again, I don't need that cover for painting the rear.

Doing the pinion is a process getting the preload and crush sleeve just right. I've watched it be done a few times. I personally wouldn't do anything inside a rear end other then take out axles and change fluid.

sdstick wrote:

You can always change a cover so no need to listen to me on that one.

Pinion seal.........you might pull a rabbit outta ur azz & get it right........chances are you'll ef up THAT trick

Replace the pinion?...yourself?....dont want to keep you from learning but...dont do it.

Let the pinion seal drip a little & when your all done...& thats the only thing that bothers you....change it

Not until then.

Please someone jump in & tell him not to listen to me if I'm wrong

(Ya....I'm not... )

FTR...I'll help you any way I can. Not trying to bring you down. I've made that mistake & want you to avoid it is all...

I'll have to get some other opinions honestly. Everything I've read until now tells me it isn't the end of the world if you pay attention to what you're doing. I've also seen a home brewed "tool" of a 2x4 with a hole drilled out to drive the seal in properly. I'll look into it further than I already have.

Gee you 'ol folks are good at scaring the youngin's away from doing anything.

Anyone that uses a 2 X 4 as a tool on an automobile needs advise...

OK THAT I've done...

You did catch my edit right? ..

sdstick wrote:

Anyone that uses a 2 X 4 as a tool on an automobile needs advise...

OK THAT I've done...

You did catch my edit right? ..

A time comes to mind when you did that in front of me so... Shut it!


I'm going to bed. We'll see what's up with the replacement of the seal later on.

1984twodoor wrote:

MASShole9C1 wrote:

I'm almost positive you can buy them at advance auto. It was an option when I did my rear cover/seal in 2010.

Dead zone and advanced didn't have them in a quick search... Hmm. I'll investigate further later on. Again, I don't need that cover for painting the rear.

Some SAs at the counter are dummies. Glorified cashiers. Talk to your advance commercial guy. They're usually more helpful/knowledgeable.

I wouldn't even waste money on a cover if it's not actually rotted or pitted bad. And if it is, just get a metal one and paint the whole thing satin black with silver bolts or something, lol. The chrome ones rust! The finned alum. ones are awesome.

When I painted my 14sf for my old truck I went all out and it still looks good today even though I don't own the thing anymore and it's uh, not as well kept in the cleanliness department. Check for pinhole rot in anything when you whizz all the rust off of it.

As has already been said by Steve, be careful doing ANYTHING inside that rear end, even the seals. I'm for you learning stuff but there are mechanics out there that don't touch that stuff! I've been through this whole ordeal before, even when a rebuild is "good" it can still make humming and noises from stuff not behind shimmed right or whatever...I don't remember but don't crush sleeves and all that crap come into play? I would paint that bish up while you have access and let someone totes profesh replace the seal and take a quick look at it at least.

I'm not doing anything "scary" in the rear. The pinion seal is done from outside but over torquing the nut would be the only concern. I'll do this on a lift with the rear end in car though, I will never be able to get the nut back down to the proper location fighting with tightening the nut and trying to keep the axles from spinning. I may just wait until I do a gear change for that next winter (depending on finances).

I do however have to pop the LH shaft out to do a wheel seal as she's been leaking into the backing plate. That I'll do when I buy the cover and fluid. Good thing I returned the new bearing/seal I had bought for the other bent rear!

I had the day off today because of a doctors appointment mid day and I had some other crap to do before I would have gotten home from work so I took the opportunity to not eff around and get this rear end painted up. She cleaned up nice, but not as well as I had hoped. I'm ok with it though because it still ended up looking pretty good with the SEM laid down smooth. Here are some pics from today.





Said bad wheel seal action shot...EEEEEEEWWW



Man I missed that sweet scent of Stage 3 of the shrine! It's been a few months, I forgot how thick SEM lays down. Debating on a second coat, this is my last quart of the old style stuff not the new whimp low VOC crap.

Saving money all day everyday!

Crossed one more thing off the list, they came out perfect!





That rust ate a set of bits though lol. I call it a win!

Did you do those yourself? They do look good!

I still have the factory rotors off the '93 since I was figuring maybe they could be cut down...

Matt Trakker wrote:

Did you do those yourself? They do look good!

I still have the factory rotors off the '93 since I was figuring maybe they could be cut down...

If they're thick enough they'll cut down!

I am pretty impressed with how nice they came out, the machine really does all the work if you pay attention to setting things up so it's really nothing on my part. I did have to shave quite a bit off to get there though, they just reach the minimum thickness

On one I could have gone further in to destroy one ridge near the center, but I'm already over it. Next time I need rear rotors they'll be slotted with the correct 5x4.75 bolt pattern drilled into them!

2 most important things on a vehicle....brakes & tires

sdstick wrote:

2 most important things on a vehicle...

Moog Springs and SEM Rust Shield.

I'll take "Nirvana" for $800 Alex.

Coming along nicely, dude!

"Correct" pattern, he says... lol

toomanytoyz wrote:

Coming along nicely, dude!

"Correct" pattern, he says... lol

Calm down she'll be half and half at first! You LT1 guys are all the same!

1984twodoor wrote:

Update...


That rear above, the one that doesn't have anything but a little surface redness.... It's bent! LAME! But I paid 100 bucks for it and got the calipers, brackets, brand new upper and lower control arms from it, so I still call it a win.

The one I have now, has the typical New England crusty scaly crap and needs a few hours with the angle grinder and a little bit of SEM. It has no bends in it though! It turns the wheels free and easy no crap wrong with it. Just needs a pinion seal, blood transfusion and a new kickass cheapo chrome diff cover!

Thanks again to Justin for picking this thing up and then driving it out to my house on his way to Tim's which he couldn't even make it to. Sorry dude, but thanks so much for bringing the rear out to me! I know you're all probably saying... "Justin showed up to something!?" (J/K dude) but I have the pics!



And after I finished with all of the mothers day activities and everything related I took all of the half torched crap off of this rear end and moved it out to clean it up. I have to move some stuff around in the tent/yard area to put it on jack stands and get it all painted and purty. Then I'm going to bend up some new lines, cut the rotors, grab cheap pads, rebuild the calipers and call it a day for the rear end situation.



I can't wait to have a rolling frame. Then I can pull the lines from the white car (oh joy...) and bend up some new brake and fuel lines for this pig. Still have to re-read the imp rear to boxy article to figure out what I need for a prop valve and master cyl. Time will tell me that though!

I say you CAN do the pinion seal.
You will need the correct socket to fit your pinion nut.
You will need to hold the yoke, using either Kent Moore J-8614-1 or a BIG pipe wrench.
You will need a "pounds-@-one-INCH" torque wrench.
Remove both axles from rear.
This makes measuring torque pre-loads more accurate.
Measure and RECORD your pinion nut "steady-state" rotating resistance, likely 15-25 Lbs/In.
Remember, you are measuring old pinion seal & bearing pre-load PLUS carrier side bearing pre-load resistance.
You can "align-mark" nut, yoke & pinion with a cold chisel if you like.
Remove nut, washer, yoke and old seal.
Inspect pinion yoke OUTER seal surface, if it is deeply grooved, replace with a correct & good yoke.
You can see if there is a "Seal-Saver" repair sleeve available too if it is badly grooved.
Clean yoke and housing counterbore where seal presses in.
Drill a hole in a short 2"x4", big enough for pinion shaft to protrude.
Install new seal into housing by evenly hammering on the wood, and keep it even until it seats.
Put a little Ultra-Grey on the pinion splines so gear oil won't migrate out thru the center.
Use red lock-tight on new pinion nut.
Sneak up on pinion pre-load after tightening the pinion nut just short of your target preload point.
YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO PAST THE DESIRED PRE-LOAD ADJUSTMENT POINT!
If you do, you will OVER CRUSH the crush collar, then you will be completely rebuilding the rear.
As you get close, measure pinion pre-load often, you want about 4 to 6 additional Lbs/Ins.
This increase is to account for the additional "grip" of the tight new seal.

Example:
Initial reading was 16 Lbs/In.
New rotating pinion Trq. reading should be 20-22 Lbs/In, installed.

Don't dilly-dally tightening that nut, or the red lock-tight will lock-up on you before you're done.

You need the lock-tight because the primary purpose of the crush collar is to maintain pinion nut "tightness".
This old pinion crush collar won't be new, so it may not provide adequate nut tightness.
The lock tight is added insurance.

If your initial pinion pre-load reading was very low, like 4 Lbs/In,
or you could actually feel axial "slop" in the pinion assembly, then you should completely re-build the rear regardless.

Proportioning valve,,,

IIRC, The OEM triple function "Prop" valve was a "F-disc/R-drum" unit as installed in 94-96 four wheel disc B-Bodies.
Speculation circulated that this was a bean-counter's cost savings measure.
You can re-use the old proportioning valve,
- but the rear drum metered residual pressures as well as F to R proportioning ramp-rates and ratios may be objectionable.
Inline tube sells a new solid brass "F-disc/R-disc" valve for around $80.

You can use a late Disc-Disc master cylinder, but it's ports are German style ISO Metric bubble flare, Not US threaded double inverted flare.

I don't like chrome diff covers, they rust right away and contain heat like a tea kettle!

Machine-De-Zine wrote:

1984twodoor wrote:

Update...


That rear above, the one that doesn't have anything but a little surface redness.... It's bent! LAME! But I paid 100 bucks for it and got the calipers, brackets, brand new upper and lower control arms from it, so I still call it a win.

The one I have now, has the typical New England crusty scaly crap and needs a few hours with the angle grinder and a little bit of SEM. It has no bends in it though! It turns the wheels free and easy no crap wrong with it. Just needs a pinion seal, blood transfusion and a new kickass cheapo chrome diff cover!

Thanks again to Justin for picking this thing up and then driving it out to my house on his way to Tim's which he couldn't even make it to. Sorry dude, but thanks so much for bringing the rear out to me! I know you're all probably saying... "Justin showed up to something!?" (J/K dude) but I have the pics!



And after I finished with all of the mothers day activities and everything related I took all of the half torched crap off of this rear end and moved it out to clean it up. I have to move some stuff around in the tent/yard area to put it on jack stands and get it all painted and purty. Then I'm going to bend up some new lines, cut the rotors, grab cheap pads, rebuild the calipers and call it a day for the rear end situation.



I can't wait to have a rolling frame. Then I can pull the lines from the white car (oh joy...) and bend up some new brake and fuel lines for this pig. Still have to re-read the imp rear to boxy article to figure out what I need for a prop valve and master cyl. Time will tell me that though!

I say you CAN do the pinion seal.
You will need the correct socket to fit your pinion nut.
You will need to hold the yoke, using either Kent Moore J-8614-1 or a BIG pipe wrench.
You will need a "pounds-@-one-INCH" torque wrench.
Remove both axles from rear.
This makes measuring torque pre-loads more accurate.
Measure and RECORD your pinion nut "steady-state" rotating resistance, likely 15-25 Lbs/In.
Remember, you are measuring old pinion seal & bearing pre-load PLUS carrier side bearing pre-load resistance.
You can "align-mark" nut, yoke & pinion with a cold chisel if you like.
Remove nut, washer, yoke and old seal.
Inspect pinion yoke OUTER seal surface, if it is deeply grooved, replace with a correct & good yoke.
You can see if there is a "Seal-Saver" repair sleeve available too if it is badly grooved.
Clean yoke and housing counterbore where seal presses in.
Drill a hole in a short 2"x4", big enough for pinion shaft to protrude.
Install new seal into housing by evenly hammering on the wood, and keep it even until it seats.
Put a little Ultra-Grey on the pinion splines so gear oil won't migrate out thru the center.
Use red lock-tight on new pinion nut.
Sneak up on pinion pre-load after tightening the pinion nut just short of your target preload point.
YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO PAST THE DESIRED PRE-LOAD ADJUSTMENT POINT!
If you do, you will OVER CRUSH the crush collar, then you will be completely rebuilding the rear.
As you get close, measure pinion pre-load often, you want about 4 to 6 additional Lbs/Ins.
This increase is to account for the additional "grip" of the tight new seal.

Example:
Initial reading was 16 Lbs/In.
New rotating pinion Trq. reading should be 20-22 Lbs/In, installed.

Don't dilly-dally tightening that nut, or the red lock-tight will lock-up on you before you're done.

You need the lock-tight because the primary purpose of the crush collar is to maintain pinion nut "tightness".
This old pinion crush collar won't be new, so it may not provide adequate nut tightness.
The lock tight is added insurance.

If your initial pinion pre-load reading was very low, like 4 Lbs/In,
or you could actually feel axial "slop" in the pinion assembly, then you should completely re-build the rear regardless.


Proportioning valve,,,

IIRC, The OEM triple function "Prop" valve was a "F-disc/R-drum" unit as installed in 94-96 four wheel disc B-Bodies.
Speculation circulated that this was a bean-counter's cost savings measure.
You can re-use the old proportioning valve,
- but the rear drum metered residual pressures as well as F to R proportioning ramp-rates and ratios may be objectionable.
Inline tube sells a new solid brass "F-disc/R-disc" valve for around $80.

You can use a late Disc-Disc master cylinder, but it's ports are German style ISO Metric bubble flare, Not US threaded double inverted flare.

I don't like chrome diff covers, they rust right away and contain heat like a tea kettle!

I'm not going Chrome cover guys don't worry! I'm just painting the old one Which leads me to my next point...

I'm not going to do the seal, I want to do a re-gear or a rebuild next year. I have to do one for my coursework anyway, so...why not do my own. Right? I appreciate the tips Glen, and I'll obviously save it in this thread so I have the right tools for the assembly of the new parts and pieces.

I'm not sure about the prop valve, I wouldn't mind a "install it and forget it" approach like the inline tube one, however, I would like the ability to adjust pressure to the rear now that I have upgraded the brake system. Hmm, something to think about. I'll have to figure it out soon though as I want to get lines run by the end of June and that's the late deadline.

Thanks for the info Glenn!

You actually made that sound 10x easier and it will certainly come in handy for me in the future.

Matt, you better have this thing full steam under its own ponies by the fall round up, if there is one

J/k. Keep up the work and the goal in your head and you'll be cruising again in no time.

Just surround it with reactive armor or that crazy exoskeleton that U.S. army strikers have overseas, lmao.

MASShole9C1 wrote:

Thanks for the info Glenn!

You actually made that sound 10x easier and it will certainly come in handy for me in the future.

Matt, you better have this thing full steam under its own ponies by the fall round up, if there is one

J/k. Keep up the work and the goal in your head and you'll be cruising again in no time.

Just surround it with reactive armor or that crazy exoskeleton that U.S. army strikers have overseas, lmao.

I'm installing a "crazy bitch radar detection system" as soon as it's on the road so it doesn't happen again.

I'm going to try to get the rear buttoned up today but this rain is depressing and not motivational when you work in a tent... That Tent prison in AZ is the best idea ever, tents just cause misery all around!

I'll second the tent thing. Living in tents and mud in Iraq or dry dusty tents in 120* sunshine in Cali = no fun.

The weather does suck big time tho. I've been trying to wash and wax my car for like a week, and the car show I planned to attend weeks ago was cancelled for today.

Better get all the work done you can before Siberian winter sets in for the other 9 months!

MASShole9C1 wrote:

I'll second the tent thing. Living in tents and mud in Iraq or dry dusty tents in 120* sunshine in Cali = no fun.

The weather does suck big time tho. I've been trying to wash and wax my car for like a week, and the car show I planned to attend weeks ago was cancelled for today.

Better get all the work done you can before Siberian winter sets in for the other 9 months!

And you signed up for that! Thanks for doing it, I'm not prepared to do what you did.

Siberian winter...not again! NOOOO lol! It'll get done, it has to! I don't want the car here this winter, it will be stored someplace. Too much can go wrong in winter in my driveway

Alrighty then, crappy weather but I got some stuff done. New wheel bearings and seals in the rear end. Painted up the backing plates, the old cover was also painted and put back on and obviously fluid change. Should be a good rear for me! I hope

Looks great! A cool "sleeper" type mod for that.

That fluid smells great doesn't it?

GasTT wrote:

That fluid smells great doesn't it?

Thinking about burning the clothes I was wearing actually.

Yep. Nastiest fluid smell EVAR. It ruined a nice fall/winter mechanics jacket I had :/

MASShole9C1 wrote:

Yep. Nastiest fluid smell EVAR. It ruined a nice fall/winter mechanics jacket I had :/

Yeah it sucks. I'm obviously not burning my clothes lol, but it does make it hard to wear them in confined spaces.

I like to refer to it as dinosaur diarrhea...

Aw man... Used gear oil is the WORST automotive smell. Period.

toomanytoyz wrote:

Aw man... Used gear oil is the WORST automotive smell. Period.

I had a summer job at a trucking company once, I said I'd never deal with gear oil again because of how nasty it was. Long story short ^^^ I will also be reminded by that stench.

1984twodoor wrote:

toomanytoyz wrote:

Aw man... Used gear oil is the WORST automotive smell. Period.

I had a summer job at a trucking company once, I said I'd never deal with gear oil again because of how nasty it was. Long story short ^^^ I will also be reminded by that stench.

GM now adds a grape smell to calm the stench but it only helps alittle

mikiehews wrote:

1984twodoor wrote:

toomanytoyz wrote:

Aw man... Used gear oil is the WORST automotive smell. Period.

I had a summer job at a trucking company once, I said I'd never deal with gear oil again because of how nasty it was. Long story short ^^^ I will also be reminded by that stench.

GM now adds a grape smell to calm the stench but it only helps alittle

Do they really? LOL That's pretty funny.

This is as far as I got today in the heat. I CLEARLY wasn't as determined as Crovo was! I also have an atrocious sunburn running down half of my calf/ankle/foot so I'm walking at 1/4 grampa speed today...

Whatever, I call it a success seeing as the other day I pulled the brake line to the rear out of the car to test fit inside the new box panels and I killed a bunch of spiders under there too!

The lines are good quality, I'd order from them again. Right Stuff detailing. 35 bucks + shipping for 100% stainless product with good flares to it.



EDIT: I need to get my stickney brackets for the the flex lines soon though!