78 2-Door Build Thread

[sports racer]

You want him to drive the MK1? C'mon, it's hard enough for him to just photograph it.

[dubmc]

so this is where i'm at this afternoon...noticed the passenger side drive shaft had some play and on closer inspection realised the flange was coming away from the diff...when i removed the inner cv joint the centre flange allen key was completely loose, which was the reason for the play and oil leak from round the flange.

now it's a matter of getting the flange back in against the spring load in the diff and tighting the allen key. any advice as to how best over come the spring loaded pressure? also, would it be worth while using some lock tight on the centre allen key? advice appreciated! thanks!...

[Rob Burns]

Thread locker is a good idea. I'd use the medium (usually blue) in case you need to remove it again. Red's a bit much.
Not sure on how easy it is with the mk1 but on an mk6 the easiest way is to use a prybar against the block to push the axle in then get the bolt started by hand. Once the bolt has gone in a few threads then I usually use a 3/8 impact gun to do it up the rest of the way. If you don't like tightening it with an impact gun (or don't have access to one) you can put a couple of the axle bolts into the axle and hold it from spinning with a pry bay while doing up the bolt with a torque wrench.

This is the way Steve showed me how to do it.

[Peter Jones]

Must be a 4 speed? The 5 speed ones are retained with a circlip.

I've seen a press used to seat the flanges but that only works if the box is out of the car.

Here's another approach. (Image is from 020 Flange )

[Preen59]

If you use Loctite, any of the 200-300 range will be fine. Don't go higher than that or you'll never get them undone.

[dubmc]

thanks for the help so far guys, but the situation seems to have become a little worse. having a better look at the bolt this morning is appears to be snapped? which also means the other 1/2 of the allen key is still inside the diff. so i guess what i'm asking is.

1. how do i get the other 1/2 of the allen key out?
2. does the box need to come out to work on it properly? &
3. if the snapped allen has damaged the thread within the diff, what does this mean?

i guess this is starting to push my knowledge a little more than i wanted!...any advice once again appreciated.

also it is a 020 5-speed with a friction kit in it (i.e. a poor mans LSD)

[Hilal]

I'm also sure there are call out services for things like this but are pretty expensive, $250-500

[dubmc]

thanks for the help so far guys, but the situation seems to have become a little worse. having a better look at the bolt this morning is appears to be snapped? which also means the other 1/2 of the allen key is still inside the diff. so i guess what i'm asking is.

1. how do i get the other 1/2 of the allen key out?
2. does the box need to come out to work on it properly? &
3. if the snapped allen has damaged the thread within the diff, what does this mean?

i guess this is starting to push my knowledge a little more than i wanted!...any advice once again appreciated.

also it is a 020 5-speed with a friction kit in it (i.e. a poor mans LSD)

can anyone tell me how long the allen key is meant to be? maybe it's not broke just damaged....

[dubmc]

so the old girl has let me down for the first time and it looks like its going to be a costly repair bill...box will need to be take out, split and then diff repaired...the internal threads are gone and half a bolt is snapped inside and obviously its too much of a high load area to helicoil...sh*t.

[ffoff]

it wouldnt be easier and or cheaper to just buy a new box?