Swapping a 10-bolt, Installing an adjustable Panhard Bar WWW.SEFBODY.COM

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Replacing a 10-bolt - Installing an Adjustable Panhard Bar

First I gathered all of my parts: BMR adj. panhard bar, ARP wheel studs, gear oil and posi additive, MAC girdle cover, and the 3.73 rear.
Next I started grabbing the tools I felt I would need: Various 13mm, 15mm, 18mm, 19mm, 21mm sockets and wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a couple of hammers, a few different sized flat head screw drivers, 3/8 drive & 1/2 drive ratchets and breaker bars, a few small extensions, floor jack and four jackstands. I used four because - 2 support the car, and the other two I used to disassemble/assemble the rears. (My version of a half-assed work bench)
I started by loosening the lug nuts and jacking the car up. I then made sure the car was securely supported by two 3 ton jackstands. Next step was to remove the rear tires.
Now comes the fun stuff... I undid the brake calipers and wired them up with mechanics wire out of my way. I pulled the brake rotors off and set them aside. This gives you more room to get at the control arm bolts. Next was the emergency brake cables. I removed the panhard bar and moved on to the LCA's next. Then sway bar end links, shocks, TQ arm, driveshaft. It's almost ready to come out at this point, but you need to be sure you bent the tabs enough to release the brake lines from the axle tubes, and make sure you've undone all those little plastic clips that hold the wiring for the ABS. (If so equipped) Now you can lower the floor jack and slowly roll the jack out from under the car with the rear.
The next step is to transfer anything you're missing on the new rear from the one you have just removed from the car.
At this point I began to prep the new rear. I pulled the axles from my stock 10 bolt so that I could remove my backing plates and transfer them.
Then next order of business was to install the ARP wheel studs. I grabbed a 5# sledge hammer, and an old lug nut. One by one, I threaded the lug nut on about a 1/2 inch - then gave it a good smack or two with the hammer. It makes quick work of removing the old studs.
I used a bench vise to install the new studs since I do not own a press. I used a piece of tubing about 4-5 inches long to slide over the threads once I seated the wheel studs. It was tedious, but it got the job done. The end result is this:
Now with the wheels stud replacement out of the way, you are now ready to install the axles. This is done by removing the crosspin in the diff and sliding an axle in. Once seated, you install the c-clip and slide the axle back to seat it and clear the path for the cross pin. Once complete, you can start buttoning it back up. At this time I installed a MAC aluminum girdle cover. Our stock 10 bolt s are the equivalent of a 98 lb weakling, but these covers have been proven to help them live a little longer by preloading the bearing caps. Plus they look cool.
At this point it's almost ready to go under the car. I chose to set it up on jack stands, and use a few blocks of wood and a piece of pipe under the pinion to get it level. I filled it with gear oil and posi additive behind the car where it was easier to access the plugs.
With the fluid topped off, it's just a matter of reassembly. I started by getting the TQ arm and DS hooked up to the rear. This would hold it in place while I worked, plus those two items are harder to get at the more stuff you reinstall. I now placed the coil springs back in place and clocked them. I reattached the LCAs and rear shocks. I then moved to all the of the little things like the brake lines and ABS wiring. Lastly the sway bar end links need to be hooked up. I ran over everything to make sure it was tight.
Now it was time to reinstall the brake rotors and calipers. After that was done, I moved on to the BMR panhard rod. I set it on top of my old non-adjustable PHB and adjusted it so the holes lined up. It's a good starting point for most cars.
I slid the PHB in and tightened it, BMR reccomends 80ft/lbs. I just tightened the snot out of it. I've always done them that way, and have yet for one to fall off. I greased the fittings on the PHB and tightened the jamb nuts.
All that was left to do was put the rear tires back on.
DONE! You're now ready to pick up the shop and go for a test drive.
I did this entire swap by myself, with only hand tools and no lift. It took me approx. 8 hours total. I stretched it out over two days because I kept stopping to take pictures and eat. I also had a few interruptions - i.e. people stopping by, the phone, etc.
I feel that with a lift and better tools, the install time could be cut in half. A few things not mentioned, or easily seen in the pictures... I sandblasted and painted the rear with satin black spray paint. I also used a mig welder to put three 1" long beads on each axle tube where it meets the housing.

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