<VV> half shafts on reinstall

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/16/2008 3:00:51 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
cfmann at yahoo.com writes:

Should  we put the half shafts in first then connect the stabilizer arms, or 
the other  way around? we have the stabilizers hook in already, and attempted 
to install  the half shafts, but it was kind of odd, the half shafts seemed to 
short.  Obviously they are not, so we think the stabilizers shoud be loose 
first then  half shafts. I'm just looking for a little advice and direction. I 
plan to  head back to his shop on Friday to complete install.

chris  mann




Well, Chris. This is the hardest job on a late model. The best solution I  
have seen, and it is too late for this time, is to make a pair of Shock Absorber 
 replacements. These are steel rods that are used to hold the place of the 
shock  absorber while the power pack is out. You determine the length needed by 
marking  the installed shock, with the car on the ground, then removing the 
shock  and compressing it to the same height it would be while installed with 
the  car sitting on the ground. You make the replacement pieces. and put them on 
the  car, replacing the shocks. Now, when you jack-up the car to drop the 
powertrain,  the shock replacement holds the trailing arm in the same location it 
would be  when sitting on the ground. That holds the halfshafts and the lower 
control arms  in the correct position for removal and installation. There is 
still effort, but  much less. This method was published in the Minneapolis 
club newsletter, I  believe it originated with Fran Schmidt. - Seth  Emerson



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