Hot Rods Correct Way to Separate 9-in Third Member...?

...from the housing?

I was planning on reusing this cast-iron third member, and scrapping the steel '82 pickup truck housing. I'd really like to avoid scratching up the cast-iron sealing surface (my norm) with a cold chisel or screwdriver. The housing I could care less about.

The factory glued the third member to the housing with something real good; it wouldn't dare leak. Are there any pry points or other tricks I should know about, or is it just be real careful?

And yes, I did remove all the nuts and copper washers...

Thanks, Eddie

 

Stiff putty knife.

 

Pry all the sealing washers off the housing studs tgat hold the 3rd member in. Heat the outside edge of the 3rd member with a map gas torch to soften the sealant. Then use a slide hammer either hooked around the pinion yoke or bolted to the pinion support while standing on the housing. It will be loose in about 4 yanks of the slide hammer.

 

I’d not be afraid to use a chisel, any burr can be solved with a flat file.

 

If the 9' has not been a part sence new I believe that there are brass washers under the nuts that hold the carrier. These washers deform and hold the carrier so remove them before trying to separate. A screwdriver and small hammer works for the washers....

 

One time it took me quite a while before a friend told me to pull the axles out a little further. Oh, well.

 

A gasket scrapper , thinner than a chisel and thicker then a putty knife

 

I have made several very sharpe “ cheisel s” out of thin metal. I once had a volunteer fire dept bring a fire pump to my shop as they could not split it. I took my buck 110 pocket knife and my brass hanmmer and put the knife on the gasket and hit it a few times . Presto…. split pump! To split, it has to be sharpe and thin! A blunt chisel, is not going to split anything!






Bones

 

Try putting your floor jack on the pinion flange and jacking it up and then letting the pressure off. Block of wood on top and hit it with a hammer downward. Rinse and repeat.

Got to thinking about this. Is the rear end still in the car. If not, my method obviously won't work.

 

Copper washers under the nuts is the first thing to carefully inspect for. If there are none, then a thin putty knife that has a metal end on the handle for beating on with a hammer, is my tool of choice to get them separated.

And lots of patience

 

Don't do it this way, they forgot and left the washers on.

 

To all you guys offering advice about the little sealing washers…..THIS statement above is in the OP’s original unedited post……

 

I work a putty knife in on 2 opposite sides, then another putty knife right under the inserted one, then take a screwdriver and drive it in-between the two, separates without damage to surface.

 

These work well and are good for doing a lot of things on old cars.

 

I have an old wood chisel with a low taper that has a sturdy steel frame to the end, so you can whack it with a hammer- has held up since the mid-70's

 

A big dead blow plastic sledge. Hit the pinion carrier housing side to side until it breaks loose.

 

Support Group Heard From!...And How! Thanx, Guys!
I used all Twelve (or more) steps to properly deal with Mr. 9-Inch Rear Axle Assembly:
First, I made sure I gouged out all his yellow-metal washers (ummm, somebody may have not gotten all of them out on the first go-round.)
Then I hanged Mr. Assembly offa my engine hoist hook via his u-bolts, his housing dangling.
Blue-wrenched his periphery at the flange whilst was hanging, and:
Whacked the seam using a wood chisel while my youngest son (a 250-pounder) jumped up'n'down on the housing.

And then I menaced Mr. Assembly with my 12" hunting knife...and Mr. Assembly gave up! Components now! Ha! Take THAT!
Sheesh...put like that it sounds kinda painful...

Marquis de Eddie