1956 Victoria rear end gasket replacement

[bfdinardo]

Hello guys. As you can see from the first picture I have a bit of a leak from the rear end that I'd like to address. I've read through the manual and I just want to confirm with you all that I didn't miss anything.

step 1: drain rear end of oil
step 2: remove 4 bolts on the u-joint and drop down the drive shaft
step 3: remove 10 bolts around the circumference of the rear end housing
step 4: pull the casing forward toward the front of the car

Is it correct that all of the gears will be retained in the housing when I pull it apart from the axle? I'm a bit nervous that the innards will fall out or things will move around when I separate it. I just want to clean the inside and replace the gasket. Any advice? thanks!

Brian

[Daves55Sedan]

Good grief! You will not pull anything unless you first remove rear wheels, brake drums and pull out the axle-shafts on both sides. Don't need to pull them all the way out, but enough to disengage the splined ends with the pumpkin.
Hate to see ya tryin to jerk that pumpkin out while the axle shafts are still in. Ain't gonna happen.

[Daves55Sedan]

And be careful pullin that pumpkin out. It weighs a ton. Drop it on concrete garage floor, crack the case and now you are searchin for a different pumpkin. I always throw two layers of cardboard down on the floor with a large (clean) shop towel to set the pumpkin on once it has been removed. Then, you can get out from under the car and pull on that cardboard with the pumpkin laying on it to get the pumpkin out from under the car to clean the gasket surface and whatever else.

[Hot Rod Reverend]

Brian, I have a slide hammer for the axles if you would like to borrow it. If you are going that far you can check those rear axle bearings and seals as well. When you pull the “pumpkin” it will slide off the studs on the housing. ALL gears are retained in the pumpkin, and Dave is right that assembly is heavy.

A 5 gallon bucket works well to transport a rear end differential set around also. Perfect size.

[paul2748]

I put a floor jack under the pumpkin while pulling out - my floor jack has a 5 or 6 inch circular plate on it, not the crappy looking 3 X 2 inch plate on most the the jacks I've seen lately..

[Daves55Sedan]

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Just speaking for myself, being a lightweight wirey fellow, I can't see myself pulling a '55 Ford pumpkin off on a floorjack even if it did have a larger or modified receiver. You'd still have to balance it in on the jack in mid air with one hand if that's even possible while letting the jack down. My experience has always been that it is required to coax the pumpkin off the housing little-by-little with a screwdriver wedged between the pumpkin and housing, from one side to the other.
For me to remove one safely (without causing any damage to the pumpkin), I have to lay flat under the housing, work the screwdriver until the pumpkin has finally cleared all the studs, drop the screwdriver and pull it off and lower it down on my chest, then roll over with it letting it safely land on the two sheets of cardboard.

[bfdinardo]

Thanks gents. Luckily I have a brother and dad in town that enjoy tinkering like me so I'll have an extra set of hands to help pull the pumpkin off and down carefully. Much appreciated!

[paul2748]

I know what you described has been done, but not for me. The jack thing always worked for me. I'd rather have it fall to the floor than have it rupture my heart or break a rib.

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

Just speaking for myself, being a lightweight wirey fellow, I can't see myself pulling a '55 Ford pumpkin off on a floorjack even if it did have a larger or modified receiver. You'd still have to balance it in on the jack in mid air with one hand if that's even possible while letting the jack down. My experience has always been that it is required to coax the pumpkin off the housing little-by-little with a screwdriver wedged between the pumpkin and housing, from one side to the other.
For me to remove one safely (without causing any damage to the pumpkin), I have to lay flat under the housing, work the screwdriver until the pumpkin has finally cleared all the studs, drop the screwdriver and pull it off and lower it down on my chest, then roll over with it letting it safely land on the two sheets of cardboard.

[Anteek29]

Had a Datsun p-u years ago that developed a minor rear end leak like this at the gasket.
I scrubbed the area liberally with acetone and then applied JB Weld. Never leaked a drop after that forever.

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by paul2748

I'd rather have it fall to the floor than have it rupture my heart or break a rib.

Neither having it fall to the concrete, nor breaking bones is an option for me as well. Never having had any help with any of this stuff does not deter my resolve to get the work done either. I am of the mind that it shall be done and there shall be no damage to part or person. Then I go about engineering ways I believe it can be done safely. One thing I do know that for me, using my hydraulic floor jack to do this would end in disaster. You learn all kinds of tricks to get things done when you need to and you learn that body position under the car is everything. Anyway, I have removed and re-installed 3 or 4 pumpkins this way without ever having a catastrophe. This is one of those things that is very difficult, but when it is done you feel all the more grateful that the Lord granted success!