Rear IRS Donor Arrived - Prep Questions

[M22_COBRA]

Today was an exciting Friday! My donor rear IRS assembly from a 2018 Mustang GT showed up. It's pretty fresh to be honest, being a Alabama car and only having 31k before it had a front end collision.

I know I need to pull the diff, the calipers, rotors, e brake / cables, rear spindles... anything else I'm missing? I'm not doing power brakes or ABS so??
I'd like to get them pulled and get the rest of this asm out of my garage. It is a compete asm so it still has EVERYTHING, figured I'd throw it up on FB marketplace as the half-shafts, shocks, springs, shields (all of it really) are in really good shape with no rust. Most of the rust is on the surface of the rotor which are also about new.

Once apart I think the calipers could use a wire wheel scrub, por15? clear? paint?, and reassembly. The diff and spindles probably only need a wipe down and maybe a clear over the aluminum. Thoughts?
Spindles I may wait on as I wont be cutting those till the kit arrives.



189347189349189350189351189352

[michael everson]

I would pull what you need. Spindles, brakes, pumpkin. Save any hardware especially the brake hardware. I would drill the pumpkin, cut the spindles and disassemble the spindles and knock out the wheel studs. That way you can clean everything up and just bolt it in place once the kit gets there
Mike

[M22_COBRA]

Wheel studs good point!

[edwardb]

I started with a similar IRS pallet on my 20th Anniversary Roadster. You've gotten good advice on preparing the parts. As for the leftovers, I didn't have much luck with mine. Sold a few pieces on eBay but was hardly worth my time. FB Marketplace and Craigslist had zero responses. Hopefully your luck is better. Your best bet may be to take to a recycler and get $$ per pound. Won't be that much. But better than having to pay to dispose of.

[M22_COBRA]

Thanks Edward, yeah I'm reading your build right now. I'm about up to the dash install. Lots of good info there. I may try to polish my rear spindles like you did. It was your donor that prompted me to go look for one at the parts farm and I just happen to run in to this low mile asm
Was it wire wheel and a scotch Brite pad to get the spindles there?

[edwardb]

...Was it wire wheel and a scotch Brite pad to get the spindles there?

Sounds right. Whatever works. I've done that on a couple builds. Put clear on the Anniversary Roadster. On my Coupe, paint them with black POR15. Makes we feel better (in the OCD department...) but they're essentially invisible once the build is done.

[Sarcasticshrub]

Did the same thing and had similar results as others as far as very little being usable and the re-sale value of nada for the remainder. Ended up tossing almost everything else into the recycling heap.

Pumpkin, spindles, brakes, cables, and all of the brackets and bolts were saved. Never know what might come in handy (more than one project to think of).

POR on the pumpkin after wire brushes, elbow grease, and degreaser.

189385 189387 189388

[narly1]

I bought what I needed piece-meal.

The diff was supposedly a take off from a brand-new 2019 Mustang with less than 100 miles on it.

C-hubs/bearings, half shafts and brake rotors came from another guy who was upgrading his Mustang.

For mine I did a few additional things:

1. New oil & friction modifier as per Ford specs into the center section.

2. New bearing/hub assys into the modified C-brackets. I did this as I had no idea of their usage history. Cheap precaution IMO.

3. Coated everything in Nyalic (like Sharkhide).

Earl

[M22_COBRA]

Thanks for the feedback. Did any of you replace the seals in the diff? I might be just a little over precautions on that one. I know on most vehicles that I have had to change a half shaft on I did, but it was a lot higher mileage vehicle. I don't think its like replacing the o-ring on a filter / every time you replace the filter you should put in a new one. But I usually do B/C its a PITA on most vehicles.

Also while you were storing it did you keep the oil in it or was it all drained when you pulled the half shafts? Did you spin the diff every few weeks to keep it oiled or fog it? I see rags and plastic bags were the plug of choice, just wondering how much fluid was left once everything was parted out.

[BradCraig]

Thanks for the feedback. Did any of you replace the seals in the diff? I might be just a little over precautions on that one. I know on most vehicles that I have had to change a half shaft on I did, but it was a lot higher mileage vehicle. I don't think its like replacing the o-ring on a filter / every time you replace the filter you should put in a new one. But I usually do B/C its a PITA on most vehicles.

Also while you were storing it did you keep the oil in it or was it all drained when you pulled the half shafts? Did you spin the diff every few weeks to keep it oiled or fog it? I see rags and plastic bags were the plug of choice, just wondering how much fluid was left once everything was parted out.

Yes, I replaced the shaft seals. Easy and cheap to do now.

[Sarcasticshrub]

Did any of you replace the seals in the diff?

Mine was a low-mileage unit in exceptional shape so no need to replace the seals.


...did you keep the oil in it or was it all drained when you pulled the half shafts?

I kept it level and had no spillage during disassembly. A slight angle up for the shaft being removed (then a bag to cap it). Same for the other side. Bags also kept it from spilling during installation.

[M22_COBRA]

Mine was a low-mileage unit in exceptional shape so no need to replace the seals.



I kept it level and had no spillage during disassembly. A slight angle up for the shaft being removed (then a bag to cap it). Same for the other side. Bags also kept it from spilling during installation.


Yeah I'll probably do he same until I can print some end caps that block the half shaft ports. Might keep the POR15 out better if I decide to spray vs brush. Either way its getting plugged, painted, big bagged, and containered till the kit gets ordered.

[BRRT]

I secured mine to my engine stand to clean and paint it, then made a stand from scrap lumber to store it. I've had it for several months.
This picture was taken with tape over the axle shaft holes. I later used scissors to cut some circles out of thin packaging plastic to fill the holes.
I have new seals that will be installed prior to installing in the chassis.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=181920&d=1679443314