I have a loose rearend (save the jokes.) Its a late 60's Ford 9" from a truck. I've already pulled out the axles and all removed all of the nuts from around the pumpkin but I can't get the darn thing separated from the housing. I figure its just a really really good seal. Thought I'd ask if there were any super cool HAMBer tips? I can't get a anything between the halves to pry it apart.
tap tap taparooo with the maul. tapping a knife blade, razor blade etc into the seal can split a little, Ive used that to split trans from a block before. you will probably break razor blades so I would use a paring knife or old crappy pocketknife.
we remove ours frequently from an alcohol funny car. the way i do it is start with a 1 to 2 inch wide paint sraper and tap it in between the housing and the center section. you may have tried this already but my .02 and works every time
I do quite a few of them a month and I take a brass punch and knock the studs in. Its the best and easiest way i've found so far. Its not too hard to press them back in by tightening a nut on them before you replace the pumpkin.
Personally, I just use a few choice four (or more) letter words and intimidate the shit out of it. I know the job is done when it pisses gear oil all over my floor....
I have a tool that I made out of an old LARGE screw driver. Ground it down so that it is like a scraper on the end...but it is not so flexable...just drive it in carefully after a good dosing with panther piss down all the bolts. No problem.....Good Luck. Ron.
I used to do that at the junkyard on the cars we were gonna crush, and wanted to save the pumpkins. I'd be a bit leery of doing it to a housing I want to use, because of the possibility of stripping the splines on a stud hole, but apparently you don't have any trouble....