Driveshaft Flange Removal

You know you're getting closer to finishing the installation when the fluids start to go in... Engine in now full of oil and so is the gearbox. I was about to put the coolant in when I noticed a little puddle forming on the floor. It got bigger as they tend to when oil is leaking out of the gearbox. Bugger.

So, when I removed it from the donor car I noticed that the left side drive flange didn't have it's inner retaining circlip fitted. So, I took one off the spare box, it just popped out, and fitted it to the flange, inserted through the oil seal and tapped it into place. I can only think that I've nicked the seal but can I get the flange out again to replace the seal... Nope. The thought of having to lift the engine & box again to replace the seal is driving up the wall!

Anyone got any advice how to remove the bloody flange in situ before I do something stupid?

The box has a Q2 diff installed too if that helps anyone with pointers/shortcuts.

Ta

Guy

Hi Guy,
They should pop out easily with a slide hammer, as the quick shock tends to work better than levering the flange with a screwdriver. Not having a slide hammer though, I use a couple of long studs through the holes in the flange and a piece of steel at the other end (if you see what I mean) and usually a quick tap with a suitably large hammer and it pops out. Of course you need the suspension out of the way to do this.

On a negative side, if the above dosent workit could be that the clip has half popped out of the groove - I had this problem with Phils Gripper diff when we swapped it to his new box - to get that shaft out I had to remove the diff and strip the diff down to remove the clip from inside:( Lets hope you dont have this problem.

If it wont come out you could (if its possible) just remove the diff.......

Thanks Neil - I always wanted a slide hammer. Just so I can add it to the next garage pic I post! They are cheap enough on eBay so I'll go that way. I'm sure it'll just pop off and I hope the circlip comes with it. Otherwise I'll have to remove the cover to retrieve it. Hey ho.

Glad to see your rebuild is going okay!

Guy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Guy Mayers

Thanks Neil - I always wanted a slide hammer. Just so I can add it to the next garage pic I post! They are cheap enough on eBay so I'll go that way. I'm sure it'll just pop off and I hope the circlip comes with it. Otherwise I'll have to remove the cover to retrieve it. Hey ho.

Glad to see your rebuild is going okay!

Guy

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You can never have too many hammers;)

It should come out ok, the clip cant come off the shaft on a standard alfa diff, so I guess the q2 is the same - the only one i have had trouble with was the gripper LSD...

big long crowbar and some wood has done it for me in the past Guy

Thanks Rob, the crowbar method worked on the spare box on the garage floor when I retrieved the missing cir clip for the new box but the new box hasn't succummed to that method in situ. There's not too many angles I can work it from and whilst the newly painted chassis is still wrapped up I think one slip could ruin my whole evening!
I'll try the slide hammer method when it arrives later this week!
Thanks for the tip though!
Guy