But I had to do it because of the Dodge...

I needed a table space about 5 x 4 foot to build the rear of the cab for the '31, only thing I had that would work, was holding up the 9inch I put together a few weeks ago...so, instead of stuffing the drop-in in the corner, I decided to set it up and paint the Currie housing so I'd have a place to put it.

So, while the housing was drying, I cleaned off all the paint that Richmond sent (POS stuff, couldn't see the pattern in it at all) and dug out my Prussian Blue...three shim changes and an hour later she's as close as I'll ever be able to get it.

Got everything on the 9-inch loc-tited and torqued down and will drop it in the housing, put on the backing plates and brakes and slide the axles in.

So see, I'm not all about Mopar these days

 

Well, the 9-inch dropped into the housing like it was supposed too...hurrah for that.

I had the housing and 3rdmeber sitting on jackstands...kinda "well balanced"....I thought......

So, it was geting late and I needed to make dinner for the kids, so I thought I'd just cover the axle tube ends with redrags to keep dust out...

Put one rag on one end, turned around to grab another...and "BANG", the rear rolled over and fell off the stand and my 800.00 housing hit the concrete floor with a thud.

Decided not to even look at it, just covered up the tubes and went in and made a pot of pasta..a quick look showed that I'll have some repaintng to do at the minimum.

Why didn't I just grab another stand/block/etc? I knew I'd need it...

 

Oh Mike. I can relate, many times over an over, it shamefully seems. Hindsight is truely 20x20. I just wish I could remember that every time I am preparing to make another one of those dang gummed shortcut mistakes.
Just pick up the pieces and move forward.

 

Ya, I'm hoping there's no pieces that need to be picked up

Only silver lining is the pint I was usnig (Zero Rust) was just for a primer coat, sure hope the housnig didn't dent when it fell...What the heck, if it did I'll just have to fix it and move on.

But there's still a possibility I can blame it on Dan...just got to figure that part out over the next few weeks before he gets here

 

I actually did some stuff in my yard - Dan the Helicopter man came over and we pulled the '89 out where he could work on it. He was going to pull the seat out of it. He worked all afternoon, removed the dash and left door, plus the left front fender and the grill - but never got to the seat!

But me, I pulled the dolly out, and got the truck turned around. As soon as he gets all the parts he wants I will be able to load the Ford onto the dolly and off to the crusher it goes! Be nice to have it out of my yard.

He also took the doors and fenders from the '87 - gives me even more room.

BTW, I am trying to get him to post more, and to come up to the BBQ - but he is afraid he will be blamed for everything just because his name is also Dan.

 

It would be nice to have somebody to help shoulder that load...I sure get blamed for a lot of things these days!

I too made some Ford progress. I got the SHO up on jackstands Sunday afternoon and dropped the transaxle out...that clutch is really wasted! Doing damage inventory and lining up parts now. There are a few mods I want to make while I've got it apart. Might even be able to drive it over to BBQ (though I'm sure to get blamed for plenty of things between now and then...!)

 

Sorry Dan...have something else to blame on you....

My housing survived the fall, just scratched up the paint, no problem as the brush job I did, never leveled out like the POR-15 I've used before, so I'll have to sand the lines out anyway and rattle can it nice and shiny.

But, get this, I spent (well traded for) about 1400.00 for this rear setup, axles, brakes and housing...and Currie didn't even put in any T-Bolts to button up the axles and backing plates...heck, they included a housing gasket, studs and nuts for the drop-in, but not the T-bolts...had to rob some off another huosing and grind to fit.

Soo...being illiterate as I am, I slid one axle in, wiggled a bit and thought it went into the splines, buttoned up that side, went to do the other side and the axle was about 3 inches too long!

Damn, called Currie, they gave me the run-around, told me I'd have to go back to where I bought it from, etc

Hmmm...went back out to the shop and got to thinking...pulled the axle out of the pass side and put it in the driverside, put the longer one in the pass side...and everything fits like a glove.

I'm glad the Currie guy didn't say "are you sure you have the axles ni the correct side?"

I'd have blown a gasket on him, you know..."I've been doing this stuff for years"

 

Suuurrre...of course that was my fault!

Sounds like a rookie mistake to me. Sort of like measuring the axles for the wrong housing...

 

Heck, now it's just a 50/50 chance that its your fault!

 

Well, Clint, you got me to post a little more--and I am definitely coming to the BBQ! I still need to pick up that big ol' Torx bit before I can remove the seat and tailgate hardware. Hopefully the next round of parts removal won't take as long, and Saturday won't be quite as warm!

 

I kinda thought the axle thing would ring a bell with a few folks

But at least I caught it before sending the right stuff back and odering the wrong stuff...or, taking a 4 hour drive to pull a rearend out in the hot sun, and hauling it another 4 hours home to only find out I didn't need too