You all know by now.....D36 and Tranny/OD rebuilt and resealed.

I was beginning to put the D36 back in while I wait for the tranny to be done.

But since I took it all out in reverse order...(D36 first then tranny)...and me being me...my first instincts are to sit tight and wait for the tranny and put it all back the way I took it out.

I got to thinking about wrestling that damn C-Beam again.

Then the thought hit me, why not bolt the D36 to the C-Beam and then bolt the C-Beam to the tranny....put in the drive line while both units are sitting on the ground......

....then stab the tranny and D36 as a unit....

The tranny steers up into place with one jack under it, while the D36 rides forward on either a smaller jack or skateboard (haven't decided which) then once the tranny is bolted in, then the D36 lifts straight up into place and the two batwing bolts hold it all into place.

What do ya think?

Trying to move all that as one piece to get the input shaft aligned would be a nightmare. It's bad enough with just the tranny.

I'm picturing that shaft sliding in as easy as it came out......I know I am smoking crack....

That could be a real balancing act. Maybe the C beam with the tranny, but certainly not with the diff on the other end. Just two bolts cbeam to diff and though they are a pain it is still only two bolts.

I've removed and replaced a few manual as well as automatic transmissions over the years and they never go back in as easy as the come out. While you have all this apart are you replacing the clutch and pressure plate? This would be the time to do it if they are anywhere near needing replaced. If you are or have replaced them, trying to get the input shaft aligned with the c beam and rear end attached would be a complete nightmare.

^^yeah, we did the clutch only 10K miles ago. That clutch is a big job for sure.

So now, I am trying to listen to you guys...I get the tranny back Tomorrow.....I'll just put it all back the way it came out.

Slip the cbeam into place loosely before tightening the trans bolts to the bellhousing.

is that a .38 Special song?

Damn, I see what you guys mean...that tranny needs a "wobbler"...something to wiggle it around to get it to slide in.......

So The tranny is in and all hooked up. I learned where the TV cable hooks up to...that was something new.

AND CC the cable was not hooked up at all when it came out. If i was running up the RPMS in say 2nd gear...it would kick out of OD unexpectedly, I think that has to do with the TV cable being unhooked.

Then the OD unit had drunk a quart and a 3/4 and it still is not yet full. I was under the impression that the thing would only take a quart.

Back to Kragen

Damn that thing....2oz and it was full..

So here I have the Tranny in place and the C-beam attached and supported in the back by the small jack.

That C-beam just slips into place doing it this way. The last pic is the D36 ready to attach to the C-beam and Drive shaft. Then, I plan to lift the whole D36 into place and attach the two bolts on the extremes of the Batwing.

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Dammit, no Loctite for the u-joint straps....back to Kragen

So I pulled the drive shaft back out....attached it to the rear yoke (using the Locktite) then slid the whole thing forward lining up the front yoke and the rear portion of the C-Beam at the same time.....then push forward and bolt it up.

I hate the C-Beam.

Quote:

Hehe. I said the same thing when I couldn't get the c-beam bolts back in at the trans....lol. You're making progress, though. Keep up the good work!

Matthew

Quote:I don't know why I read that wrong.....I left the C-beam bolts loose on the tranny side....then I put the D36 and driveshaft in....now I cannot get to the front c-beam nut to hold it still.

I'm going to have to pull apart the driveshaft in order to get my hand up in there to hold that nutQuote:
See above.....I hate the C-Beam

Thanks for the support

Quote:

Hold what still? You can't get the bolts in or something won't stay in place? I took an extra jack and moved the trans slightly up and down to get it in the correct alignment to get the bolts in. Might consider that. I used a crescent wrench on the top of the c-beam. Those beam plates sound better and better....

Matthew

Just the front nut...I can't get my hand up there past the Driveshaft to get to that other nut....I got the rear one..Ya know...I don't even own a crescent....I'll go buy one and try it prior to taking the DS back out.

Yeah, I used the crescent but it sucks because after you tighten everything up the wrench (same when I used an open end/box wrench) gets stuck up there against the trans tunnel and you have to be a magician to get it out. Like I said, if I ever have to take the c-beam off again, I'm making my own beam plates.

Matthew

That's why I like the beam plates...

John - you are really on to something with the assembly installation.

The C4 was built with the front suspension, engine, trans, c-beam, rear suspension all in one assembly, fitted from the bottom to the chassis. Just makes maintenance a bit of a pain.

When you are done, tho, that will be one sweet ride!

Almost done.....Diff is full of oil....got the spring on...Now that rear caster adjuster and the exhaust...

I started it one time with the headers completely open.....sounds cool like an old boat with a V8 in it. Not anywhere as loud as the RX7 was with open headers

RX7 with open headers? You start that in Irvine, someone in Burbank would hear it.

^^IT SHOOK THE CONCRETE FLOOR in the garage. My kid was sitting on the couch here in the garage...he nearly shat in his pants...he came off that couch running and looking to see what is was at the same time.....classic

So, with the drive shaft in there, there is no way to tighten the two c-beam bolts....I had to pull the DS and then take the rear on out in order to get past the nut and get to the front one.....then replace the rear one....SOB!!! I hate the C-Beam

Exhaust and I'm all done

Way to go!!!

I just didn't have these problems doing the c-beam in bastet44s 87. Odd.

I heard an uncorked RX2 at Summit Point WV a bunch of years ago. Talk about a loud sumnabitch. You could hear it shifting from a mile away.

OK..judging from my past post...what is it that I hate now??

Everyone repeat after me:

John hates his c-beam.

John hates the C beam.

Ah, you are wrong young grasshopper......now I hate the Exhaust!!!!

All went back together....Took a test drive last eve.

albeit better....the sad thing is the Vibration is still there.

check the alignment of the driveshaft.

There is supposed to be about a 1~2mm offset between the transmission and the rear end.

Quote:

????

How do you adjust the drive shaft alignment?

RACE ON!!!

Finishing up.....

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What you are seeing up there...I had to go to the "coolest" muffler shop ever.

Fantasy Muffler
Buena Park Ca

I bought one muffler from him a few years ago and he has fixed my muffler issues for free ever since.....

First couple of pics show the Muffler had cracked and then completely fallen off when I pulled the exhaust....so I went there and He welded (patched) it back together.

Then a pic of the Trans....yes I have an oil leak....Not in the tranny but further forward....(oil pan and power steering)

Last is looking back at the D36...all nice and clean. YOu can see that the stock exhaust is about to be all done....