I spent the whole day today (12 hours) swapping out my old 8 1/4 for my new
8 3/4 SG, 3.90 rear. I have to say that the installation went O.K., but
getting the old rear out almost killed me!
I have never spend more time in my life trying to remove 4 bolts! Those
spring eye bolts were absolutely frozen in the bushing and nothing was going
to remove them, I spent 3 hours trying to impact them off, tried to bang
them out with a 2 lbs brass hammer, and finally a 12 lbs sledge hammer after
we removed the bed. Didn't budge an inch. Next I tried a Sawzall, taking a
hour and ruining 5 blades only to cut through one end of a bolt (8 cuts in
all). I was pretty despondent at this point, and close to heatstroke in the
humid, 90 degree blazing sunlight, when Sam had a great idea. He went out
and got a cutoff wheel and a grinder. This cut through the rest of the bolts
in about an hour! I finally got the whole thing out.
Why cut the bolts you ask? Because I was also installing a new set of 3"
drop leafs and a set of Caltracs. Once I had the old rear end out, it only
took about 2 hours to get the rest together. I am not finished yet, I still
have to do the brakes, bleed the lines, and install the shocks. I hope to
have it done by Wednesday!
By the way, it looks like the driveshaft does not have to be shortened to do
the 8 3/4 rear. Woo Hoo! I hope to have a page on my website detailing the
install soon.
Mark Kuzia
flyboy01@mediaone.net
http://people.mw.mediaone.net/flyboy01/home.html
1995 Dakota 13.79 @ 102.45 mph
~360ci, 5-spd, 8 3/4 rear / 3.90-SG
1994 Dakota 15.36 @ 91.56 mph
~318ci, 5-spd, 3.90 LS (bone stock, no mods)
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