77 strut rod disassembly

I am in need of instructions on how to disassemble and re-assemble the rear strut rods on my 77.  Can any of you give me some insight as to what I am in for and what special tools if any that I will need.  Is this a hard project?  Thanks to all for your help, I need it here!!!!!

I highly recommend that you go to AutoZone or Advanced Auto and purchase a Haynes manual #24040 Chevrolet Corvette 1968 thru 1982. It is a very good and detailed step by step manual.

Try ebay for the replacement shock mounts. I bought a near perfect used set for $25. I had to sawzall mine off - also frozen to the inner steel sleeve inside the bushing.

Ahhhhh...it's good to live in da South...the no-rust belt!
I've been extremely lucky that I have never had any problems like this.
That being said, be sure to soak everything down with penetrant for several days before you start the removal. Getting the strut rods off will be the hardest part of the job. I'm assuming you are replacing the bushing in them, or just replacing the whole rod. Make sure you scribe a mark around the washers for the camber settings, so you can re-install the rods close to their original settings. Also, when you remove the rods from the diff. bracket, keep an eye out for the small spacer/washers on the inside of the bracket, that go between the bracket and the strut rod bushings. The washers are a special type, with small cups/shoulders on them, that go into the rod bushings at the bracket. If you loose them, or don't reinstall them, you'll never get the rear alignment set.

I have removed the strut rods and shock mount bolts, thankfully they were not very rusted.  I bought a new correct strut rod mounting bracket that bolts to the bottom of the differential.  A previous owner made one themselves that was barely functional and only 2 of the 4 mounting bolts were used.  This brings me to the problem I now have.  These are not even bolts, they are metal studs that were threaded and threads were tapped into the bottom of the differential where the studs screw in.  What is the easiest way to remove these studs?  I'm not sure if the studs are welded into the differential or not.  I tried to turn the studs out but it wasn't happening.  I cannot believe people do these sort of things and unfortunately I have to fix it!  Also, one other mounting hole on the bottom of the differential appears to have been re-threaded to a larger diameter for some stupid reason, only 1 of the holes is still original and the new correct mounting bolts I bought are useless at this time.  I am asking any and all of you guys to help me through this disaster as I greatly appreciate it!

Sounds like you need a new diff cover ($100-$120)  If it's been drilled and tapped to except larger bolts I'd get rid of it, but that's me.   Of course this means dropping the diff.  For me getting the shock mounts off was the worst part, I trashed mine with a 15 pound sledge!!  I was just happy to get them out.  After that, dropping the diff was easy.   Sounds like yours might not be rusted too bad.

It may sound like a big pain, but you can possibly salvage the diff cover.
You'll need to get the "studs" out first. Soak them with penetrant for as long as you can, days if needed. Get a pipe wrench, and try to work them out. If you wind up breaking them off in the cover, you can still drill them out, and use a thread insert to repair the holes back to the original size.
If, by chance, you break the cover, or really screw it up, you haven't lost anything but the time, really. It sounds un-usable(and unsafe) as it is now. IF it were me, I think I would just locate another cover, and be done with it. That way, it would be safe, at least.
My .02   

If I were to replace the cover, what kind of a job does this entail?  Do I simply unbolt the cover or does it mean dropping the whole differential etc.  Can you please explain to me how I would replace the cover.... thank you for all of your help, I appreciate it greatly!