I havent had rear brakes in months due to a slave cylinder sliding off its connecting points for the shoes. I have the 173cid/2.8L v6 with the manual 5 speed. What are the list of tools i'll need and where can i get a detailed set of instructions for removing my rear axles?

 

That makes no sense. Doesn't happen, unless something is put together wrong, wrong parts are used, or been in a serious wreck or something. Not saying I don't believe you, but rather, that there's more here than what you're telling us, and brakes aren't the sort of thing to fool around with and not make PERFECT when working on them.

Post a photo.

Detailed instructions for removing axles:
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• Remove rear end cover, let fluid drain out
• Rotate carrier until the little "pin" bolt is accessible
• Remove bolt with 6-point 5/16" or 8mm box-end wrench, breaking it loose by tapping the wrench with a hammer. NOT a ratchet & socket, NOT a 12-point, NOT an open-end, NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT. A 6-point 5/16" or 8mm box-end wrench. You can use a pretty persuasive love tap if necessary, but probably won't be. Usually the shock of the tapping will break it loose without having to beat the hell out of it. Be aware that simply attempting to loosen it probably won't work no matter how hard you pull on it, and instead is likely to break the bolt, which you DO NOT want to do.
• Don't argue. Just do it.
• When bolt is out, rotate carrier to where cross shaft clears the housing
• Let cross shaft slide out
• Push the axle you want out, inwards as far as it will go. DO NOT turn the axle!!!!
• Remove C-clip from end of axle and extract from rear end
• Pull axle out
• DO NOT turn the other axle or the carrier until both axles are back in!!!!
• Reassembly is the reverse of removal

The thing about a C-clip axle is, there's nothing "holding it together"; it just can't fall apart, as long as that cross shaft is in there. Once that's out, it literally falls to pieces.

Expect to have a war getting the steel brake line out of the wheel cylinder. It WILL fight back. Soak the nut REAL GOOD for several days with PB Blaster or Kroil or something; a REAL GOOD penetrating oil, NOT WD-40. Use a "crow's foot" tubing wrench of the correct size (don't know what that is, since I don't know what year your car is); NOT a regular open-end. With luck you'll be able to get the nut out without destroying it or twisting the line or something, such that you can actually put it back together and successfully tighten it. Rust is a yuuuuuuujjjjjje issue with those. Both the nut rusted into the cyl, and rusted to the line itself.

Expect the axle to be worn where it rides in the bearing. Only real cure is a new axle. And of course, new bearing & seal. And of course, if one side is fornicated, the other is equally so; after all they've run the exact same # of miles under the exact same conditions with the exact same fluid and so forth.

 

I suppose whats not being said is that the backing plate was rusted thin and bent in and slipped off. I removed the drum, checked out why i had brake fluid everywhere, and saw that there was a crack/hole behind the cylinder in the plate. Upon further unspection it was totally ducked. Thats why it slipped. Im incredibly greatful and thankful that youve shared this information with me. You have saved my daily driver and wallet

 

Yeah, rust is a mother on old cars...

Pretty sure you can get a new backing plate still. The same one fits a bunch of cars from the same era. Last time I looked, the plate with WC already installed, was like $25. Not too painful. Might be a good idea to just change em both, the other probably isn't too much different, even if it's still working right now.

 

Yea this old thing was dailied all thru the 80's, 90's, and a good chunck of the 2000's so its got some rust problems underneath. I have all new backing plates, one new slave cylinder, axle seals, diff gasket, oils, shoes, handbrake components, and some spare hardware just in case. Full rebuild on the fronts's being done at the same time. I do however need my new gastank and sending unit installed too. Would it be a decent idea to drop everything after disassembling the rear end and get it over with at the same time? Keeping in mind i have a very limited time and im doing this alone on the floor with 2 ft. of snow outside.
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