Let me explain the situation (which of course is purely theoretical):

Desperately trying to remove a diff, shafts and brakes from a 4x4 Sierra before it get's crushed by the council as per the sticker on the windscreen.

The diff is held on by four bolts to the prop (removed), two short bolts (easy to remove, one lower long bolt (should be easy to remove, one long top bolt and a rubber 'U' shape that is bolted to the chassis.

The top long bolt and the 'U' shape are therefore the only problems. The 'U' shape is held in by a bracket with four bolts going into the chassis- one of these bolts is rounded so can't be removed easily.
Can I assume that if the top bolt is removed the diff can then be 'pulled' free of the rubber 'U' shape or is it bolted to the rubber at all? As far as I remember from a 2wd Sierra it isn't bolted.

That just leaves the top bolt as a potential problem. The nut has been removed but the bolt can't be pulled through easily by hand. Is there a better way of extracting it than hitting end with hammer to start moving it and then using a drift to push it all the way? The problem with this is that the path through which the bolt passes is not a tube and so as happened before when removing one of these the bolt got pushed 'upwards' and the drift got jammed underneath- necessitating removal of the entire subframe which isn't now possible because of various other rounded bolts etc.

Just to add to the interest of your answer to my purely theoretical situation it's dark so you have only a torch, you have no power, and you need to be really quiet so only minimal sawing/hammering is possible. It's also (probably) raining to add to the fun.
And the car can't be moved...

So, in conclusion does anyone know, can the diff be removed without removing the rubber 'U' clamp and is there an easy way to removed the top diff bolt.

Obviously you're answer can be purely theoretical to match my theoretical question.

Thanks, James

P.S. How hard is it to saw through a 19mm bolt with a junior hacksaw?

On my 2.0i there was a bolt through the rubber damper. If I'd ever take an other sierra apart I would drop the entire rearframe for easier acces. I didn't the last time and it was a pain getting the diff out, this was a drum set up and not disks as you'd prob see on the 4x4

I once got knicked by the police in my teens for looking around a 'police aware' car, but only cos I had no tax disk!

Its been a year since I dealt with my diff, but the rubber rear mount also has two bolts to the diff from the rubber - perhaps if you undo them and knock the mount away, you wont need to worry about the rounded bolt.

if i remember, one of the bolts is a really long one that goes through lugs on the diff and is exposed along most of ther length? Is it corroded and sticking? try some wd40 and persuading it back and forth.

Otherwise, cutting a 19mm bolt, in my estimation, will take slightly longer than an 18mm one


atb

steve

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spookily enough i happen to have the required parts in stock,just hand me a sack of cash and their yours

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spookily enough i happen to have the required parts in stock,just hand me a sack of cash and their yours

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James,i may soon be in posetion of a granada scorpio,it has rear discs but a normal diff,talk nicley to me and we will see what i can do.

I don't s**ding well believe it- went back last night and the bastard thing's gone to the great big crusher in the sky!

Didn't go back Wednesday in the end as I was knackered. Thursday was the night though and I was gonna get that top diff bolt out if it killed me!

Talk about gutted!

Even more determined to get one for free now so if anyone sees an abandoned 4x4 around- tell me!

Cheers for the offer Conrod- I'm always nice to you.

James