Rear End Disassembly Night 1

Tonight was the first night I've taken to work on disassembling the rear end. The plan here is to update the rear crossmember with slotted components for adjustable toe and camber (Dietz Automotive seems to be the most promising), as well as the rear disc brake conversion using EDP's brackets with Wilwood calipers. I'm not sure if I'll update to rear coil overs at this point, or make that part of the front suspension project. I'll also need larger wheels/tires after the brakes have been updated, and I'm leaning towards Konig B.Bomb wheels wrapped in something 205/50R15.

Anyway, tonight I got ~35% of the way towards having the rear crossmember detached, but I think the bits I've removed are the easier ones.

Those bolts attaching the half-shaft to the diff are a pain to remove if you didn't loosen them up prior to detaching the outside bolts. I'd suggest setting the e-brake and listening the bolts before taking it completely apart. As you can see my diff needs a new gasket as well. Who knows when the last time the fluid was changed....

One of these half-shafts was replaced shortly before I got the car. They both seem in good shape though. The exhaust that I had put on the car after I installed the long tube header years ago makes slight contact with the half-shaft when the suspension is fully unloaded on that side, though it doesn't seem to have done any damage.

So next time I'll be getting the diff out and the control arms off. I'll probably wait until I have a chance to work on the car during the day so I can use my air tools to make the job go faster. Not terribly excited to take off the control arms without them.