nowthat the rear end is connected and axels in, etc, the rear rubber mount holes do not line up with the two on the differential cover. they are about
1/8 inch higher than the mount holes when the mount is bolted to the upper body. .. .

should i just use a portapower wedge and push the differential down and insert the bolts and have a nasty strain on it or should i just slot the holes a little as required ?

i;d go for the slotting myself but i thought i better ask than do something i cannot change if its wrong.

thanks again,

davidh

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david h
83 300D Alabama Beauty (Son's)
83 300D West Coast Rust Free that been abused

Something does not sound correct, with the differential disconnected from its rear mount it should hang quite low and need to be lifted upward to line up the threaded holes on the differential's rear cover with the two vertically oriented holes in the rear mount. Do you have the differential held up with a jack/block or something? Can't you just lift the chassis the tiny bit to get the holes to line up? I wouldn't recommend altering the holes of the mount.

this mount wasthe first thing i removed when changing the rear end, and its the last thing to be re-installed. everything is bolted together, the 4 main top bolts are in and tight, driveshaft, axels, etc. but the rear end is from a different car but that should not make any difference. i don't understand. the body is not rusty or anything, and its been sitting up on jackstands for a couple weeks, supported and the forward end of the rear subframe. maybe someone else has some ideas too ? i would really like th get this bugger complete and start driving it again. i'll be working on the wheel cylinders while im waiting for some added responses.

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david h
83 300D Alabama Beauty (Son's)
83 300D West Coast Rust Free that been abused

[QUOTE=davidh;2297215]It is not reasonable to expect that a new mount would have the same dimensions as an old, deformed one. Move the differential down as necessary to align the bolt holes.

Not that I suspect that the order of installation is critical, the FSM does recommend installing the mount to the differential first, then installing the mount to the floor.
The "nasty strain" is more imaginary than real. The differential is supported by the mount, by design.

Assuming the new rearend is the correct type for your car:

I always connect the diff mount first to the diff cover, then I jack up the diff until the 4 holes at the top of the diff mount are against the frame rail they attach to.
Could you have the diff mount backwards? It is possible.

I do absolutely know that there should be no hole rounding to try and make it fit. That is telling you that something is wrong, and whatever is wrong needs to be fixed, not worked around......

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I presume that the proper statement was ".......supported at the forward end of the rear subframe."

If this is true, you have found your issue.

Support the vehicle via the body at the jacking points and the subframe will fall by three inches or more at the rear. You'll need to jack up the diff to align the holes with the subframe mount.

ten thousand thanks brian ! ! ! ! ! ! !
and thats why i had so much trouble getting the 4 top nuts off.........................................................................

always pays to ask the proper question. .

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david h
83 300D Alabama Beauty (Son's)
83 300D West Coast Rust Free that been abused

and to you other fellows that responded, another ten thousand thanks.

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david h
83 300D Alabama Beauty (Son's)
83 300D West Coast Rust Free that been abused

Anytime.

Help is what we do here.