1983 FB Rear Axle Removal Question
 

Hello All,

So I am trying to remove my entire rear axle so that I can change the shocks/springs, bushings, and paint everything.

I have managed to loosen all bolts and am ready to drop the axle, but I am stumped as to how to unhook the parking brake lines to the drums :scratch:

I tried searching threads, my service and Haynes manuals but no luck.

Any help will be greatly appreciated :nod:

Thank you,

Tom

Take off the brake drum, pop out the end of the cable from the lever arm.
The cable outer sheathing is held on to the backing plate with a C clip (I think), then you can pull it out.

So I feel really dumb, but from the attached pictures.....what am i missing to disconnect the park brake?

Everything seems really solid, am I just being led to confusion by corrosion? :scratch:

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Tom

The rust has the cable outside cover frozen on.
PB blaster, liquid wrench, wd-40 or a propane torch ;)
A large pair of vise grips or pliers too.

So I have been soaking it with liquid wrench and cleaning with a wire bush and repeating each night for several days now. I keep gently tapping with a hammer to see if anything loosens but no luck.

Could you explain where the cable outside cover you mentioned is supposed to disconnect to that I can focus my "persuasion" efforts there?

Thanks
Tom

that first pic posted looks like a weld bead around it.

It looks like you are working on the right area. You can either nuke it with a propane torch, or work around the problem. Why can't you leave it attached, and continue with removing the 4 nuts, and pulling the axle out?

Hey, thanks for the response.

So the reason I want them all taken apart is because i want to remove the entire rear assembly for cleaning and painting.

I am going to see if i can detach the cables from the other end and pull them through the chassis instead......will let you all know how i get on.....

you sure you want to do that? get up into the underbody neatherlands remove the cotter pin, pull hte cable out, then you have to thread it back in, attach it, do the cotter pin thing. Hope you have a car lift. Seems like allot of work.

I agree it is a lot of work and unfortunately I am doing this on jack stands so it sucks :icon_tdow

Urgh, the rear axle is the LAST part of my car that has not been taken apart, cleaned, repaired and painted.......once this is done the project car is completed!

I just cannot believe that this has turned out to be more of a pain in the ass than any other job I have done :scratch:

Anyway, back to my issue, i worked my way towards the hand brake and none of the cotter pins want to let go.....so much corrosion.....i almost got so mad that I nearly cut the cables just so that I wasn't on my back covered in :cursing: anymore........

Urgh, maybe tomorrow will be better......

Thanks,
Tom

You need to get a pair of vice grips on the taller narrow part in your first picture and work it back and forth. It'll come out.

Hi Tom.
I dont know if you got your cable off yet, but here is the service manual page on that.
It shows a circlip, which looks like it is already off your car.
So I think it is just fastened by canadian rust now.
I would try to move it with a vice grip as mentioned already, you could also try to clamp a vice grip on the upper part to try to deform it just a little to break the rust seal.
Good luck!

before you do that, detach the cable at the e brake handle. Then pull the cable out as much as possible so you can get at those stubborn cotter pins.

"when you try to drain the swamp, up to your ass in alligators" cajun proverb

WooHoo!!! :icon_tup: I got them off!

So the narrow "ring" you see where the crimped cable sleeve goes into the back of the drum - the slot used to contain a clip that held the cable in place.

Mine was missing but is was all still held tight by rust. After a lot of PB Blaster/Deep Creep soaking and several very hard smacks with a drift and hammer it let go.

Basically the "lip" on the narrow ring is used to push the cable out and away from the drum.

I lost my camera but will try to add some photos when I get chance.

Thanks for all the help guys!

Tom

Rear Sway Bar Question
 

So.......now I have the rear axle free I noticed something odd with my rear sway bar.

Is the stock bar supposed to be asymmetrical? :scratch:

It seems quite severe if it was caused by damage, especially as noting else looks problematic. As per the attached images notice how one side is slat and the other has a "hump" in it?

Thanks,

Tom

It shouldn't have that bump, Ive attached a picture of a couple 81 sways bars I had off for sandblasting and painting.
It looks like somebody jacked the car up by the sway bar.

Mine from an 83 GSL has the same bend, and it was super clean coming off the car. Also the bend is downward and on the passenger side...so jacking would not have caused it
.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...df7f95d760.jpg

Looks much the same as rear bar i took off my SE, will have to go up in garage and check it.

My 1982 base model also has the same bend on the passenger side.