What all is required to remove the pumpkin?? the reason I'm asking this is that if i can remove the pumpkin on my own the install on my new gears will be $150 cheaper.

Thanks for any info guys

 

What the hell is a pumpkin? The rear end housing?..

 

yup...i'm assuming you don't know then lol

 

I might if i knew what you are trying to say..car parts and food don't mix..

 

the differential...the gear housing part. Does that make more sense? sorry i just have always referred to it as the pumpkin

 

I wouldnt install your own gears unless you've done it before or someone is helping you that's dont it.

 

No I'm not doing the install on my own...I am bringing it to someone and they will do it for 100 instead of 250 if i can bring him the differential pumpkin....and i was wondering if it is easy enough to do to save myself the extra cash

sry if it was worded poorly

 

pulling the pumpkin from your cobra isn't actually that hard. It is time consuming but really quite easy.

Essentially you're pulling the rear springs, disconnect the lower shock mount, disconnect the brakes, lower the rlca, sit on the rotor, pop the spring out, remove the rotor, disconnect outer tie rod ends, disconnect spindle from RLCA, pull axle shaft retaining nut (it's HUGE and needs 250lbs of tq), remove halfshaft from spindle and pivot the spindle out of the way, carefully remove half shaft from diff (a minor PITA), do to both sides, disconnect drive shaft and front diff bolts, support pumpkin, disconnect rear 3rd member bolts (paralell to the axles on the back of the diff cover). Drop out the rear diff housing.

There are steps missing but you'll figure them out. If you disconnect the RUCA from the spindle make sure to mark the orientation of the camber eccentric or you'll be buying an expensive alignment too.

Have fun. BTW.. it's not worth a 150 bones. Pay the man and make him do it. I've done it 3 times.

 

Yeah, the pumpkin isnt too bad to get out. For a gear install just expect to pay a little more than normal for a IRS car, since there is a little more involved in getting that pumpkin out.

 

Nobody has said anything about using a dail indicator to set the gear backlash yet????Backlash too tight or too loose=noise.

 

Incorrect my friend. Sorry... had an IRS for years and changed the gears more than once. Fact of the matter is that you can't change gears on an IRS pumpkin while it's still in the car... it's just not possible to work in that area, besides the rear cover is a structural support... once you remove it only the front diff case ears are holding the diff and they'll break off if you try jerkin around on the housing with only the front ears bolted up. The process requires removal of the diff case for proper backlash adjustment.

For those that care... the dial indicator is useful but after a while you get to know how to use the grease paint method 100% accurately for 8.8's (I know, the dial is still best). The grease paint method alone isn't a great idea but it works in a pinch for those that can read backlash traces in paint. The dial indicator is better since actual measurements are better than squished paint and it takes about 1/3 the time to get the shim pack set correctly.

 

Wow, I didnt know it was that complicated on an IRS equipped car. yeouch!

 

it's not that it's complicated... hell it's basically the same process. THere's just not enough room in there to pull out the diff and ring gear without pulling the pumpkin. If you hang the pumpkin by the front bolts you may just break it and then you'll have to buy a new housing or use and iron housing from a Tbird SC (like I did). THe iron unit is much stronger but also much heavier.

As for the paint method of setting up gears.. it's a common method of analyzing gear engagement. You put a colored paint on one and spin them a bit. You can then see exactly how the gears are engaging by the paint marks.

EDIT: Greg... why did you have to tear apart your differential to replace an axle? Normally that isn't required. Unless you mean something less than actually tearing it all the way down.

 

you need more than a FUKIN torque wrench to install gears.... dumbass

BTW: the first person to describe gears as "easy" .. yea theyre "easy" - EASY TO *** UP!