I have a 95 four wheel subaru with he rear crossmember rusted out. I looked in the service manual and they show the rear differential removed before taking out the crossmember. I'm just trying to get a feel on how difficult this job would be. Taking out the rear differential seems like a lot of additional work.

 

So my question is: If there enough room to take out the crossmember if the rear differential is just lowered after taking off the lateral links?

Taking off the rear diff is actually really easy.

You remove the two crossmember brace things that go under the axles (you'll see what you look under there).

Take off the four bolts on the bottom of the diff, four bolts holding that plate on. The four bolts holding it to the driveshaft, and the two bolts on the back of the diff. Just drop it down and pop the axles out. You don't even need to unbolt any suspension to get it out.

If a 95 has axle roll pins, punch them out. I can't remember when they changed that over, but doesn't add much complexity.

 

The rusted stuck lat link bolts are going to be much more of a problem than the diff. Since I work on cars in Maine, I've probably had to sawzall 50% of them off... Esp the ones on the gas tank side, I'm afraid to use a torch right up next to the gas tank.

I have a 95 four wheel subaru with he rear crossmember rusted out. I looked in the service manual and they show the rear differential removed before taking out the crossmember. I'm just trying to get a feel on how difficult this job would be. Taking out the rear differential seems like a lot of additional work.

 

So my question is: If there enough room to take out the crossmember if the rear differential is just lowered after taking off the lateral links?

 

Short answer is: YES. I just finished pulling the rotten rear crossmember out of a 98 impreza without removing the differential. it hangs down out of the way enough to get the crossmember around it. In my case one of the studs in the diff cover came out with the nut and one didn't. I don't know how it would work differently if they were both still in the way. YMMY of course but good luck.

At least your nuts came out. I just replaced my diff and had to sawzall the suckers off.

At least your nuts came out. I just replaced my diff and had to sawzall the suckers off.

I was surprised not to break a single nut or bolt on the job. The car is a longer-term project so I wasn't in a hurry and I cleaned all exposed thread with a wire brush as best I could and then hosed all the fasteners down with a 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone. I soaked them all probably 6 or more times over a month before putting a wrench on them.

 

I know that's not practical for most people but it seemed to work.

I don't think it would have mattered if I did that or not. The nuts were so rusted there literally wasn't any hex head on them. I cleaned them up with a wire brush looking for something to get a socket to bite, there simply wasn't anything.

I don't think it would have mattered if I did that or not. The nuts were so rusted there literally wasn't any hex head on them. I cleaned them up with a wire brush looking for something to get a socket to bite, there simply wasn't anything.

 

a set of these would have taken care of that for you.

 

we have the 9 pc set, and it has saved us many, many times - most recently a flex plate bolt that did not want to break free - it rounded out to where a regualr wrench was useless. pick the appropriate size extraxtor, and off it came with no further damage.

The problem is, at least on a 2nd gen sedan, there isn't room to get a socket on the pass side bolt. Barely room on the driver's side.

yeah, in that case, you got a problem that requires creative solutions.

a set of these would have taken care of that for you.

 

we have the 9 pc set, and it has saved us many, many times - most recently a flex plate bolt that did not want to break free - it rounded out to where a regualr wrench was useless. pick the appropriate size extraxtor, and off it came with no further damage.

 

I love my Irwin bolt extractors. I too have the 9 piece. One of my favorite tools.

a set of these would have taken care of that for you.

 

we have the 9 pc set, and it has saved us many, many times - most recently a flex plate bolt that did not want to break free - it rounded out to where a regualr wrench was useless. pick the appropriate size extraxtor, and off it came with no further damage.

 

I wonder how well they would work on my bolts on the diff that's bolted at the top of the subframe.. man they look downright ugly.

 

I gotta get a new diff anyways because of the transmission I got is 4.11 instead of 4.44

I wonder how well they would work on my bolts on the diff that's bolted at the top of the subframe.. man they look downright ugly.

 

I gotta get a new diff anyways because of the transmission I got is 4.11 instead of 4.44

 

if there is room to get them on they work quite well and will grip even the nastiest looking nuts/bolt heads. the biggest issue is the possibility of snapping the bolt if they are that rusty, cause these things DO grip and will turn whatever they are on - whether or not the rest of the bolt will turn is the big question.

The heads on mine rounded off and I had to sawzall. This is where a nice torch would have made quick word of heating them red hot. They'd have come right out. Sadly, that's not in most people's tool collection.

I don't care if they snapped because those two are the most rusted anyways I do have a torch but looking at these they are in pretty poor shape