Tutorial: removing the viscous coupler (photos)

[SmokingRocks]

the VC is nice to have in snow and ice. I do miss it for that.

 

[incogrhino]

Chalk up another bad VC. Put in a CDL switch....pulled the front drive shaft....and back to normal. Was like that when I got it so no clue what killed it. 285000 miles.

 

[amayzer]

Great thread! Looking to pull out my VC. Any way the pics could be re uploaded?

-picture books over text books -

 

[Tedward]

If anyone has removed a VC that still works I'd like to have one. Please PM me and work something out for it.

 

[grahamo]

Since this is the longest running VC thread, I thought I'd add my experience here:

My LC has been doing the regular binding up in turns, chirping in parking lots, etc. Additionally the birfs have been clicking in turns with some regularity. They have plenty of fresh grease, and I added more just to be sure. This all started with me trying to get to the bottom of my never-ending clicking.

Today I removed the VC. It resolved the chirping and binding feeling in corners AND the birfs stopped clicking. At 290k, I assume they're worn and are going to need major maintenance in not too long, but if they were the weak link in my bound up turns, removing the seized VC could have added thousands of miles to their life.

Anyway - next time you run across someone who simply cannot get that clicking to go away ... there's one more possible solution.

 

[Howard705]

Have done a fair amount of searching. Are there any other threads with pictures- ?

 

[Howard705]

video

 

[Howard705]

remove plugs -9 bolts- extension housing- use pliers shown to remove clip to pull vc

 

[Howard705]

clean- -lineup oil pump in pic with finger- be sure shims on it stay or are put back- reassemble- replace Ujoints that are bad from driving it with this bad for too long.

 

[Renzo Caggiano]

Hi! Good afternoon to all..
I just got a part time conversion kit to my 97 80 series.. and I’m confused on removing or not the VC .. does anyone know that?

 

[shocktower]

Hi! Good afternoon to all..
I just got a part time conversion kit to my 97 80 series.. and I’m confused on removing or not the VC .. does anyone know that?

Most people do remove it, since you will have a spool instead of a center diff

 

[77mustard40]

Half way through the appendectomy; quick question what is the on the bottom left of the picture. Looks like a mount of some sort but it doesn't connect to anything. Mounts to TC cover with 2 bolts, do I need it? Patient is a 97, thanks guys

 

[jpoole]

@77mustard40

Going from memory, as I understand it that is a vibration/resonance damper of some sort. It may have been added later in the production/installation of these trans in our 80s too but I may have made that up

 

[Howard705]

Half way through the appendectomy; quick question what is the on the bottom left of the picture. Looks like a mount of some sort but it doesn't connect to anything. Mounts to TC cover with 2 bolts, do I need it? Patient is a 97, thanks guys

View attachment 2141308

I think he is right. I don't believe my '94 above had it.

 

[Bambusiero]

as I understand it that is a vibration/resonance damper of some sort. It may have been added later in the production/installation of these trans in our 80s too but I may have made that up

I agree with this. My 97 LX450 had one, which I removed long ago, only because it was in the way of something else I cared more about.
I never was able to detect a difference.
Just based on physical principles - it is a tuned resonant damper - I speculate that the factory engineers detected an acoustic vibration peak in their product characterization data, so they added that gadget to reduce said vibration peak below some specified maximum quality level. It is supposed to oscillate at that frequency, but out of phase by 180 degrees, while the rubber flexing absorbs the energy.
it's correct operation would depend on 2 things: 1) it's mass, and 2) the rubber's resilience. So - I wonder if the rubber is now too stiff from age and heat to still work the way it originally did.
FYI - there is yet another such gadget attached to the rear exhaust mount at the so-called "resonator". Same principle, and same doubts about it still working.

 

[tcon82]

Question: Given the VC takes up considerable space in the TC, once you remove it and reassemble does it require more gear fluid than before? If so, does anyone know how many quarts? Planning to do this tomorrow.

 

[ZackR]

Just keep filling until it starts to drop out of the fill hole.

 

[Dirt Ferguson]

I’m preparing to do this job. I was inspecting the area and doing some cleaning around the t-case today. When removing the rear driveshaft, the bottom two nuts are easily accessible, but the top 2 seem very inaccessible with any kind of stout wrench to break them free. What did people do to access those top two nuts or is there a way to rotate the driveshaft to more easily access the other two nuts?

Any specific order folks removed the t-case nuts?

Thanks

 

[ppc]

To rotate the rear driveshaft just put the transfer case in neutral, handbrake off and move the vehicle a small distance or raise one wheel and rotate it. Just make sure the wheels are chocked for safety.

 

[Dirt Ferguson]

I’m having a hard time getting the driveshaft free from the t case flange. All 4 nuts are off, I removed the grease zerk. I have a stout flat head screwdriver that I’m using to pry it off and I can make a little progress on one end, but I can’t get the whole piece off smoothly.

Any direction or advice here would be appreciated.