Tailshaft bolts??

[psychotic46]

Hello i have a VR exec, 5 speed, and im in the middle of a diff swap and my tailshaft bolts will not come out?? i mean its like no size spanner i have will fit and no socket is small enough to wedge in, can any swing any ideas on how to get em off?

[SweetWagon]

14mm spanner mate

[hako]

You can drop the centre bearing and support (mark it so it goes back in the exact same position) so that the universal is at an extreme angle allowing more room to lock a ring spanner onto the bolt head - also pays to grind the head of the spanner flat to get rid of the chamfer or lead in....this way you get maximum grip of the head. A hit with hammer on the head may also help. If you end up burring the head so the spanner won't grip you can weld the spanner to the head of the bolt.....or seeing as you're replacing the diff you could cut the head off with an angle grinder. Don't use a open end spanner as it will probably slip. Good Luck and keep the Bandaids handy.

[psychotic46]

Oh mate, i used an open ender, BAD MOVE!! rounded and 2 were weather weelded or lock tighted on, and i had to ring my mate for a 16mm spanner, so i used a hak say (blunt) and an hour or so later its off, this diff cost hours of time, my ratches keept braking, my spanners are like made in 3rd word and to top it all the brake lines wouldnt align and ,my stupid handbrake cable on the left is like seized or something, took me hours im also not small and im squeezing under a car that i feel would have collapsed if i keept it up! As for bandaids i needed em great advice im sorer than a chick in a saw trap! WORST NIGHT EVER!!
Plus side ive got alot of before afters so i might post for peps who want standard to SL spring comparison.

[bogan_vk]

maybe just remove the diff with the tailshaft still attached ,that way you will find it easier to do when its not under the car.

[304runner]

This reminds me of at time I first did anything to one of my first cars about 12 years ago, I had to change the tail shaft but couldn't get a tool on the top bolt, so the car was stuck up on jacks in the driveway for two days until my mate could come over and help me, he laughed at me, jumped in the car and put it in neutral and turned the tail shaft by hand allowing access to the troublesome bolt.(facepalm)

maybe just remove the diff with the tailshaft still attached ,that way you will find it easier to do when its not under the car.

That would require him to remove the entire diff housing and that means he would need tools. Judging by his post he wouldn't have the right ones to get that far

And there is a lesson to be learnt here"psychotic46", buy a set of tools that don't break. I started out with a $99 Sidchrome set from Bunnings about 4 years ago and its done many things from a basic service to an entire engine conversion without fault....

Nothing more frustrating then being caught out halfway through a job because you dont' have the right tool...

[Morton]

Rubbish, they're impossible to remove out of the car, you need the car in gear or handbrake on to stop it turning.

The rear nut is 15mm and designed to lock onto the diff pinion flange. No spanner required to keep it still. The bolts are 14mm designed for spannerz only, holden can supply new ones when you stuff yours up :-)

[304runner]

Rubbish, they're impossible to remove out of the car, you need the car in gear or handbrake on to stop it turning.

Are you kidding?

almost laughable, in fact it is... ha ha ha ha

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Oh mate, i used an open ender, BAD MOVE!! rounded and 2 were weather weelded or lock tighted on, and i had to ring my mate for a 16mm spanner, so i used a hak say (blunt) and an hour or so later its off, this diff cost hours of time, my ratches keept braking, my spanners are like made in 3rd word and to top it all the brake lines wouldnt align and ,my stupid handbrake cable on the left is like seized or something, took me hours im also not small and im squeezing under a car that i feel would have collapsed if i keept it up! As for bandaids i needed em great advice im sorer than a chick in a saw trap! WORST NIGHT EVER!!
Plus side ive got alot of before afters so i might post for peps who want standard to SL spring comparison.

Sounds like your tools are about as good as your typing/spelling skills.

[GRPABT1]

The rear nut is 15mm and designed to lock onto the diff pinion flange. No spanner required to keep it still. The bolts are 14mm designed for spannerz only, holden can supply new ones when you stuff yours up :-)

This is true.

[bogan_vk]

Rubbish, they're impossible to remove out of the car, you need the car in gear or handbrake on to stop it turning.

The rear nut is 15mm and designed to lock onto the diff pinion flange. No spanner required to keep it still. The bolts are 14mm designed for spannerz only, holden can supply new ones when you stuff yours up :-)

i have to disagree ,thats what a big vice ,hammers ,oxy set and the correct spanners are for and if all else fails a cold chisel and club hammer either way if it was mine it would be coming off no matter what in or out of the car, to the op sounds like you have f/all tools and just those cheap chinese junk tools,you really need some quality tools and to make sure you have everything required for the job before starting it ,theres nothing more frustrating than being caught short having to ring a mate to come over with a tool.

[GRPABT1]

I think you guys are reading his post wrong, he means it's rubbish that they are impossible to remove

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I think you guys are reading his post wrong, he means it's rubbish that they are impossible to remove

I think YOU are reading it wrong...

"Rubbish, they're impossible to remove out of the car, you need the car in gear or handbrake on to stop it turning."

That bit there says that he means exactly what people are reading.

[psychotic46]

I Just hack sawed it, and brought new tailshaft bolts and nuts.
I agree my typing and tools suck out loud lol I wanna get a set of stanley's since i do this stuff all the time.
I was gonna try vice grips but lol mine keep snappingopen and smashing my hands.
I have a manual, and i put it in gear to do the bolts, it stiffend it but the shaft still span on me, also i left the tail till last, so my handbrake was already diconected, i use to be a Ford man in a ford diff it doesnt have drum handbrakes, there connected to the disc at the back.
But i wanna thank everyone for the ideas and suggestions, in other threads use have been amazing and helpfull.
Does anyone think i should do a before an after on the car being lowered i have photos, and the lowering question seems to be asked like twice a week?

[hako]

I'd say do it - this is a forum where members help each other and I'm pretty sure that what you can provide will be invaluable to others who contemplate lowering. Submit it to the "how to" section. Good Luck.

[monkeys437]

I spent 300 on kinchrome metric sockets and open/ring ended spanners after destroying many sockets and bolts with my $20 supercheap set. Best money ive spent. The way I see it, all you need to do is 4 hours worth of a mechanics labour yourself and they're paid off