Axle stand location advice please

[Rigid]

Hello all.
My diff and pinion are leaking and will be this winter's tidy-up project.
I'm looking in the ROM at how to remove the hypoid casing - 51.25.25 - and it states to support the body on stands - but where?

I've looked at the jacking bolts at the ends of the sills but not knowing the quality of the metal underneath is there a better place?
I assume I can't use the rear sub-frame because that is held together by the pinion and I'm taking that away.

Thanks
Richard

[flying farmer]

I put axle stands under the bolt heads that hold the anti vibration straps that link the subframe bushes to the floor pan.
if you are removing those as well I use a block of wood under the vertical part of the rear of the floor pan as that is a strong area (it is easier to tell if it is corroded as well)

Neil

[jbuckl]

As Neil says… if you are taking the rear subframe out complete…. Use the rear floor end with thick wooden planks …. 3”x2” minimum either side…. Also works for diff removal, front diff extension removal etc.

if the body isn’t strong enough there…. Attend to that first?

[Rigid]

Thanks both. I was trying to use the bolts on the end of the subframe but got worried by the wobble they introduced so gave up for the night. Better safe than sorry.

[marshman]

Pic of when I removed, refurbed and refitted my rear end ! Very stable, wood spreads the load, is just as stable on to decent axle stands as on the scissor lift that I used. Gives lots of clear access to the entire back end. Remember to chock the front wheels.

I initially just removed the diff with the diff extension as that was all I was going to sort out, but after to pulling it out I decided to refurb the lot, to be honest I think it would have been less of an effort to remove the whole lot in one go - though it does mean removing the back end of the exhaust and disconnecting the brakes. I replaced the whole lot in one go and it was pretty quick and easy - easier than just removing the diff and extension on its own.

PXL_20230707_105651993.jpgready to lift up

PXL_20230707_135856231.jpg trolley jack under diff and a scissor jack each side

PXL_20230709_134656841.jpgpic showing the wood block supports.

[Rigid]

Thanks Marshman, that's a lot of timber.

Tonight I'll be investigating if the diff can be removed without taking the exhaust off - 2 days of PlusGas and no sign of any movement yet. (drive shafts already off)
Richard

[marshman]

To be honest if using axle stands you just need a couple of short bits of 4 x 2 to spread the load where I have the two 6 x 3 blocks. I used my chunks of 6 x 3 because I needed to clear the exhausts as I was using the scissor lift packed out with the 2 longer lengths of 4 x 2 so I could get the lift height.

[marshman]

Thanks Marshman, that's a lot of timber.

Tonight I'll be investigating if the diff can be removed without taking the exhaust off - 2 days of PlusGas and no sign of any movement yet. (drive shafts already off)
Richard

What bit is stuck and being fed Plus Gas??

That was the first time the rear had been off & my car was an early 1971. Didn't really struggle with any of the mounting nuts and bolts other than actually accessing them - arms of a Orangutan needed for the two long ones holding the bushes in the outer ends of the two arms! Worst bit was separating the exhaust.

A couple of pics, one "sans" rear exhaust, one "sans" exhaust and complete diff, which may or may not help. I removed the diff complete with back support plate and diff extension, I did remove the back end of the exhaust.

PXL_20230606_142609798.jpg Exhausts and diff out.

PXL_20230607_114051297.jpg complete lot in bits - should have removed it in one lump

PXL_20230709_134644396.jpg pic of it all in with no exhaust

PXL_20230710_153910304.jpg complete assembly - showing where the exhaust "gets in the way"

[richardthestag]

Thanks Marshman, that's a lot of timber.

Tonight I'll be investigating if the diff can be removed without taking the exhaust off - 2 days of PlusGas and no sign of any movement yet. (drive shafts already off)
Richard

The subframe arms need to drop a lot to allow clearance for the diff to come off the nose extension. the exhaust will prevent that

here is a video in which I detailed the diff removal and replacement process after some shenanigans and buffoonery on my part destroyed a serviceable differential

https://youtu.be/Ja-IRbfJbbY?feature=shared

[Rigid]

What bit is stuck and being fed Plus Gas??

That was the first time the rear had been off & my car was an early 1971. Didn't really struggle with any of the mounting nuts and bolts other than actually accessing them - arms of a Orangutan needed for the two long ones holding the bushes in the outer ends of the two arms! Worst bit was separating the exhaust.

Thanks for the photos.

Mine is also an early 1971 and the PlusGas is for the exhaust tail pipes - still no sign of movement.
Don't fancy applying heat whilst upside-down lying on my back.
But I'm hopeful that with both driveshafts off and by loosening the sub-frame arms the diff (with or without the nose) will twist out.

Awaiting the arrival of a spanner extension to help get the last nut-on-stud off the rear of the diff - not enough leverage atm to undo and no room for a socket - unless I also loosen/undo the diff bracket. (but one step at a time - there's no hurry)