This weekend I'm pulling the thirds from the 91 auto, and installing thirds from a manual (poorboy gear change).

Any tips?

Rear seems easy enuf, pull the axels, unbolt the third, install new third, reinstall axels.

Upfront though ... should I plan on dropping the entire diff housing? Can I just get the axels disengaged from the third without pulling them entirely (and then just unbolt the third with most of the front suspension intact)?

I expect I can figure it out, but if someone has shortcuts I can do, I'd appreciate it.

     Your prob better off droping the front cause you have to get the pass cv all the way out and to make room for that you'll need to drop/tilt the axle housing.

    You could leave it in and pull the cv but that would involve removing the ball joint or strut it's not really that hard to drop the axle it's just 2 more bolts than you would have already removed


   100 posts  finaly LOL

That does sound good then ... so,

drop the full front housing+third, install new third, reinstall housing+third ...

wasn't looking forward to getting the axels free of the hubs (and all that entails). Sounds like I might not even need to pull the front tires   (might be time to finally buy some ramps tho)

    You won't have to pull anything off (wheels) just the axle

    ramps would be nice

    What tranny 3 speed 4 speed do you have what size tyre are you running
   
    Mines a 3 speed auto with the 5speed gears 5.12's and I'm currently running 31's
   I could use a bit more tyre to get back to stock

   What tranny 3 speed 4 speed do you have what size tyre are you running
   
    Mines a 3 speed auto with the 5speed gears 5.12's and I'm currently running 31's
   I could use a bit more tyre to get back to stock

3 speed auto running 31's, 5.12's going in.

The calculations I've looked at show ...
the 27"->31" is about 15% increase
the 4.62->5.12 is about a 11% increase

Close enuf for me ...

Front CV axils:  The left is easy, unbolt the three bolts and your done.

For the right side, pop the inner CV loose, but you wont have enoff room for it to come out.  but it will be loose.  Next unbolt the housing and as you take it out the CV will slide the rest of the way out.  If you don't loosen it up first you could pull the CV apart or at least it will be a pain in the a** to pull out because you have nothing solid to work against.

MOST IMPORTANT.  When going back in you must put the right side in while installing the housing.  If you forget the housing is coming back out or the lower ball joint is comming off.  (Been there done that.  Late night thing.)