1971 Spider Restoration Puzzle .

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Has anyone done rear axle bearings?

Yes, but almost 45 years ago. If I recall, there is a circlip or other ring that you need to remove from the rear axle half shaft, and then the rear axle slides out. Find a shop that can press off your old bearing and press on the new one, and installation is the reverse of removal.

Of course, I'm making this out to be far simpler than it actually is, and reality might be more challenging.

-Bryan

[davebdave]

Thanks Bryan,
I decided to order the axle bearings and seals. If I have to send the axles out this is the time to do it.
Dave

[davebdave]

I've been parking my Pontiac underneath the Fiat without issue until I put the rear axle in. My hood bird now looks like it got caught in an oil slick. The axles came out relatively easily with a slide hammer. I thought about changing the center section gasket but I couldn't get the bolts out and if I break one I'll be in a really bad mood. I think the leak is from the front seal and not the gasket (oh please oh please!)

poorbird by Dave W, on Flickr

axlebearing by Dave W, on Flickr

twinAxles by Dave W, on Flickr

Seals by Dave W, on Flickr

axletube by Dave W, on Flickr

[18Fiatsandcounting]

I'll put aside the question of how you manage to park your Pontiac under your Fiat, but I will say that you would have been really, really, REALLY unhappy if it had been a brake fluid leak instead of a differential oil leak.

Replacing the front differential seal isn't too hard, and leaks from this are common. I tend to mark everything so that the yoke goes back on the splined input shaft the same way it came off. And that nut doesn't get torqued as much as you think it would, unless you have put a new crush sleeve in the input to the differential. I'd do a little research on the various Fiat forums on this.

-Bryan

[davebdave]

Thanks Bryan, The Trans Am sleeps below the Fiat. I normally have drip trays between the lift runners but since the 124 was just a shell I hadn't been using them. I won't make that mistake again.

garage by Dave W, on Flickr

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Nice setup! I'm curious: Do the 4 posts for the lift have to be bolted to the floor, or are they movable? The reason I ask is that this might make sense for my workshop, where I have my two Fiats side by side but with the workbench, tool racks, storage shelves, etc., it can get kinda tight in there.

-Bryan
PS Fiats will leak oil even if there is no engine/transmission/driveshaft/differential/rear axle/brakes. Trust me.

[davebdave]

Thanks Bryan,
Our 4 post lift has paid for itself probably two times over. I've had it for almost 20 years so of course they have gone up a little in price. It is recommended that you don't bolt them to the floor, especially in areas where earthquakes are a possibility. We had the Great Virginia Earthquake of 2011 and I could tell that it walked about an inch by the dust footprint on the garage floor. If you bolt it down it could topple in a severe earthquake but they just walk if left free. They come with casters that allow you to move them around. You attach the wheels/arms, lower the lift and it picks itself up, even with a car on it allowing you to push it around by yourself. As far as delivery the individual parts of the lift are manageable but the crate it comes in is HEAVY. It needs to be delivered to a loading dock. Get one, you won't regret it. Ours is a Greg Smith. A nice upgrade is the sliding jack.

[wetminkey]

But,...for God's sake,...is the Trans Am's finish OK?
Todd.

[davebdave]

But,...for God's sake,...is the Trans Am's finish OK?
Todd.

The TA has a modern clear coat so no harm done that I can see, but if it did I'd have an excuse to find an artist to paint the bird in flames! I like your car list, you obviously subscribe to the "Life's too short to drive boring cars" mantra.

Dave

[wetminkey]

Thanks, Dave! Not only drive, but bought, built/restored, and OWN each of those vehicles right now! Brought the Camaro out from under it's cover, tonight,...and parked/covered the RX-7.
Damn glad to hear that the Trans Am has the PROPER paint on it! I paint with the same,...base coat/clear coat - tough, long-lasting finish. And beautiful, too!
Nice cars, man!
Todd.

[davebdave]

Hi All,
I installed the gas pedal, steering, and seat (passenger seat in driver's position as the driver's seat is completely disassembled). Now I really can't wait to drive it! (Why is there a hand throttle?) I got the rear axles back from the machine shop and reinstalled.

Then I watched a Youtube video on the Differential front pinion seal. Appeared to be easy peasy, but then I read my Haynes manual which basically says "not easy and don't even think about not installing a new crush washer."

Youtube says torque pinion nut to 17ft-lbs but Haynes says 108-160ft pounds to achieve approx. 1.5ft pounds of unloaded drag.

Curiosity had me expose the bearing which fell out so no preload there. Naturally I just replaced the old bearing/new seal/old flange and hit the nut with my impact driver for 3 seconds. However I'm now feeling guilty and suppose I'll have to cough up another $70 and do it right. Except for the 1.5ft-pounds of unloaded drag. No way I'm pulling the axles again. Even though it would take less than an hour now that I've done it a few times. If I just torque the thing to 130ft-pounds it has to be close; right?

Or maybe I drive it as it is and see if it makes any weird noises.

Or maybe I pull the entire center section and really do it right.

I don't have the required patience for working on cars.

Seat by Dave W, on Flickr

oldseal by Dave W, on Flickr

PinionBearing by Dave W, on Flickr

pinionseal by Dave W, on Flickr

[davebdave]

So last night I read all about crush sleeves. I see the theory that the washer is already crushed to the perfect length and so just a small amount of torque is needed on the pinion nut after replacing the seal. However the bearings are likely original, considering RIV was acquired in 1965 and completely renamed in 1979 (Wikipedia). I'm thinking the bearings have worn leaving the crush washer a hair too long at that point. A hit of the impact gun (after hand torqueing) hopefully put everything back where it needs to be. I knew better than to use the gun for this type of thing but it was there looking at me and it was getting late.

Both bearings, a crush sleeve, and a new seal are about $100 so I guess I'll just remove the third member and redo the bearings. It has already cost me sleep.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

(Why is there a hand throttle?)

A very useless device if you ask me, but I believe the original intention was to help drivers who had difficulty getting a car going on a steep incline. One foot lightly on the brake to prevent the car from rolling backward, one foot to let out the clutch, and the right hand to give the engine gas. Picture a quaint Italian town with steep and narrow streets with cars parked inches apart...

Youtube says torque pinion nut to 17ft-lbs but Haynes says 108-160ft pounds to achieve approx. 1.5ft pounds of unloaded drag.

I think your interpretation is correct. You need the larger torque to get the crush sleeve set up the way it should be, but "getting it the way it should be" requires some specialized tools and/or knowledge. If you're just replacing the front pinion seal, I don't think you need to crank down on that nut to 100+ ft lbs. I replaced the pinion seal on my '71 a year ago, and the nut was barely more than hand tight when I removed it, and it had been working fine that way for decades. After replacing the seal, I retorqued the nut to about 15 to 17 ft lbs, and used some of the non-permanent Loctite on the threads. Seems to work fine.

I don't have the required patience for working on cars.

Given your accomplishments so far, that's not the impression that I get!

-Bryan
PS Man, the "before" picture of your front pinion seal looked like my BBQ grill does after cooking up a mean set of ribs for lots and lots of people. Well, pre-COVID of course...

[davebdave]

Thanks Bryan,
Before I installed it I thought the hand throttle was an idle adjust like on a motorcycle. Our 1966 fiat 500 originally had something similar but it was removed before we got the car. I like the hill start explanation. I'm picturing the narrow street as you mentioned but with an Italian lady in high heels. I can see how it would come in handy. Although my wife didn't have any trouble growing up in Rome and driving around. I'll ask her if any of her cars had the thing. She drove a Fiat 126, Fiat Panda, and a Renault Super 5.

Dave

[18Fiatsandcounting]

...I can see how it would come in handy...

The Italian lady in high heels or the hand throttle?

I'm sure there's a good joke in there somewhere, but since this is a family friendly site, I'll behave myself.

-Bryan