flex disk removal & replacement

baggins987 · Post by **baggins987** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 7:58 pm

Anyone have any tips on how to unfreeze a bolt on the donut? I can't seem to get enough leverage...

And this may be a stupid question, but I can't see a way to get to the sixth bolt (exact top of the disk) without jacking up the back end and turning the driveshaft by turning the rear tires. True?

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:18 pm

trying to replace the coupler without turning the driveshaft is just making your life difficult. Anytime you're working underneath the car, raise it up high enough to be able to work comfortably.

As for the bolts, this is a good reason to buy an electric impact wrench

baggins987 · Post by **baggins987** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:41 pm

I've got the front end up on ramps - I'll have to get it level, then put the rear up on jacks.

I've had it up on ramps and up on jacks, maxed out, before (not at the same time of course), and it's never been what I'd call "comfortable". You guys must be a lot thinner than me!

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:48 pm

maybe you need to find a hole to work over!

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:57 pm

I used to change the oil in my car in the ditch by our house, I'd just straddle it and that would give me lots of room under there with no ramps or anything. I hate losing tools and bolts, etc in the grass though.....

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:25 pm

hopefully you drained the oil into a pan and not the ditch!

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:33 pm

So Cal Mark wrote:hopefully you drained the oil into a pan and not the ditch!

Of course not! I live on a farm, that stuff is good for oiling grain augers, or you can paint it on a plow or anything else you don't want to rust while you aren't using it in the field. The rest goes into a huge old gas tank and gets emptied regularly by the local Farm Service (FS)

edit: make that livED on a farm. I don't anymore, but my parents do.

baggins987 · Post by **baggins987** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 4:18 pm

OK, it still wasn't comfortable, but I did manage to get all 6 bolts out.

But something is preventing me from removing the old disk. The outer shaft (?) moved rearward, but something (smaller dia) is sticking out of the transmission and preventing the disk from coming out.

Next step?

(BTW, the old disk looks fine)

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 4:28 pm

the disk will have to be pried off of the bolts unless you have one of the factory clamps that go around the disk to hold the shape. The new disk will come with a clamp on it that you should remove after installing it

baggins987 · Post by **baggins987** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 4:30 pm

All the bolts are removed. The disk is free to move around, it just can't come out because there isn't enough clearance between the drive shaft & the transmssion.

Earlier I thought the 3-lobed flange on the drive shaft telescoped in about 1Â½ in, but now I can't seem to move it in either direction.

baggins987 · Post by **baggins987** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:18 pm

OK, got it off. Had to remove the first crossmember (safety strap?) in order to drop the drive shaft enough to get the donut out.

baggins987 · Post by **baggins987** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:11 pm

Done! I've got to get something to lift the car higher before I do THAT again!

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:33 am

Good job! At least you knew to take the band off the new donut before driving, right? Doesn't matter, after a few miles, it'll fling off by itself.