I have damaged mine, dont know for sure what though, but the wheel goes kinda in and out sideways when I drive. I crashed a littlte with the car, and the wheel on that side broke to pieces. So now I guess I need a new one, or perhaps I may repair it, but I really dont know what is bendt on it, but something is.

As I understand it, Formula's came with a posi lock. I dont know about the gears, but if I decide to try just getting a new shaft ( if that's possible) is there differences on those, in size, splines and such?

If thats too expensive, or hard to get, maybe I'll just get a complete rear axle. But are there many kinds?

 

Right, you bent an axle.

There are only 2 kinds of rear ends that come in these cars,

Count the number of bolts holding the rear end's center section cover on. There will be either 9 or 10. The 2 types of rear end are known as "9-bolt" or "10-bolt".

 

Okey, I counted the bolts and it was 10. But are there only one kind of 10 bolt? Or do some have different shafts? When one bends an axle, does one usually bend the housing too?

Because it would be rather stupid if I buy a new shaft if the housing is bendt too..

Arenty there also different gearing on these rear ends? And with and without positraction? I guess I always could take out the gears and posi fron the one I got....IF that's possible....crap, I just don't know anything about these things..

But thanks for the help!

 

The axle itself is surprisingly easy to bend. It happens all the time, people don't even realize it, you can run over a curb in the drive-through and bend one if you hit it just right.

Since you have a 87 year-model car, it should have the early style (88 and before) axles, which have 26 splines. 90 and newer have 28 splines and will not work. Posi has nothing to do with it, neither does the gear ratio, the axles are all the same.

The only ones that are the right length are the ones from these cars. So, you need an axle from a 82-88 Camaro or Firebird with a 10-bolt. Left & right are the same.

If you take off the cover and rotate the carrier around in there, yo'll see a large pin through the middle of it, about 2cm in diameter. At one end there will be a little bolt. Use a 6-point 5/16" box-end wrench and tap it with a hammer to remove it. Don't try to use any other kind of tool, you will probably break off the bolt, and that's a real pain in the neck. Once you get the bolt out, the pin will fall out; once the pin is out, push the defective axle in, there's a little C-clip that holds it in, it will fall out; then the axle will simply slide out.

I'd recommend replacing the axle bearings and seals when you take it all apart since it's real easy. Get a piece of pipe or epectrical conduit, about 2cm or 3cm, about 2m long, take both axles out, and stick the pipe through the axle tubes; catch it on the back side of the bearing, and knock it out with yor hammer, from the opposite side of the car. When you go to put the seal back in, DO NOT try to tap it in around the edge with a hammer; instead, use a block of wood and hold it flat up against the seal, and use one strong blow with the hammer to knock it in.

It should take less than an hour from drive-in to drive-out to change the axle and bearings, it's actually a very easy job.

 

That was some howto! :hail: Okey...first thing I would need to chech is the splines, and then get an new shaft that's the same. Is the splines in the middle or out by the wheels?

It seems easy, and I bet it is if one have done it and knows the tools and workmanship. But I think I can do that too....unless one needs some kind of hydraulic press or something, cause I dont have that.

But you dont think that the whole housing got bent then? Do they usually hold up?

And finally...what should I expect pay for such an axle, I need just a ballpark figure.

 

No special tools are required, of any kind. About as special as you need is that piece of pipe, and a block of wood, and the right wrench. Everything else is just normal hand tools.

The housing rarely gets damaged from that, unless you really curb it hard.

The splines are inside, at the extreme inner end of the axle.

I have no idea what an axle would cost over there. You don't need a new one, a good used one would be fine, just look at the place where the bearing goes on it, and make sure it's smooth and not pitted. I usually pay about $75-100 for an entire junk rear end, if it's nothing special. Over there.... who knows.

 

If you have the original rearend in the car, it should definitely be a 26 spline axle. One other thing you need to make a note of is the disc brake axle is different from the drum brake axle if I remember right.

 

It took some time to get hold of the axle and wheel I needed, but I got them yesterday. The axle swap was fairly easy, but it still took some time since it was my first time ever to even touch a rear axle.

In your howto everything was explained nicely, exept the part about the pin and bolt. That was a bit confusing since it's not the bolt which should be hammered out, but the pin, AFTER the little bolt has been unscrewed. (Good thing I saw the little bolt just as I was to begin hammering the pin out.) Also it's a good idea to replace this bolts as it is a service part which should be replaced every 24 000 km, I was told.

I bought seals, bearing, gasket, and oil. I got everything wrong exept the bearing. The oil should have a limited slip additive, and the seal and gasket oughto fit, which my didn't, first time around anyway. I coudlnt replace the bearing since I couldnt find any suitable tool. The thing one would need is a "glide-hammer". Maybe you call it something else...i dunno.

Other than that, some cleaning, wirebrushing of rusted parts, primering, and painting would also be needed if the car is normally worn and used. Especially the diff cover where almost completely "rust-finished", and it needed some work to get nice.

Where I got the gaskets they could sell me a chrome diff cover for about $200. A little expensive in my book though. I used paint at $20, and had lots left to paint the wheel I got with new "charcoal finish" between the spokes, which had completely vanished.

Next time around it would be a snap!
Thanks, everyone.

Kjetil