#1194, "splitting case to replace diff IN CAR?????"
Has any one ever had to replace the differential in their manual transmission car and did it by splitting the case while it was still in the car? If so how? I've noticed that if I can pull this off I can have 3 mounts still holding the engine and bellhousing in the car and won't have to rely on other means of holding the engine up. Also this will eleminate the need to remove the rear mount bolts and the front mount bolts. I think it may be possible to just leave the passenger side axle in place and completely remove the drivers. I'll be replacing the CV joints on the drivers axle anyway due to excessive wear from lack of lube due to torn boots. With the RH Axle still in place I believe this will help hold the differential inside the car so I can drop the main assembly out of the car as a smaller piece requiring less parts removal to get it out including the lower crossmember. Then to assemble I could place the diff onto the axle and push it into it's bearing cup on the bellhousing and maybe require a small piece of wire or twine to hold it level through the speed sensor hole then place the main transmission body back on. Any one do this? Is it even worth trying? And is there anything else that may fall out by doing so? LET ME KNOW ASAP I have until this weekend to get it fixed. My SPEEDO gear is off and I have another diff to just drop into it.