Drive shaft removal question
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: NC
Drive shaft removal question
I had my 73 up on a lift this weekend and noticed that my driveshaft u-joints needed replaced.
How hard is it to get the driveshaft out? It looks like it will be hard to get the yoke out of the transmission without dropping the rearend out of the way.
I have a Turbo 350 and the car is a rag top if that matters.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.
How hard is it to get the driveshaft out? It looks like it will be hard to get the yoke out of the transmission without dropping the rearend out of the way.
I have a Turbo 350 and the car is a rag top if that matters.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,086
Likes: 786
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
The driveshaft can be removed with the rear end in place. Remove the retaining bolts at the rear u joint, push the shaft forward (pry it with a screwdriver), drop the back down (you might have to remove the u joint caps, then pull the yoke out of the trans. My car has the 350 trans and that's how I do it.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Why are you removing the yoke?????
safely jack up the rear of the car on stands so the rear tires are off the gound and put the tranny in "N"
Pop the straps off the front u-joints Pry the yoke forward into the tranny tail housing just enough to lower the front of the drive shaft down.
remove the rear straps and pull it out.
Just like the half shafts it's best to use a H-Press to pop the u-joints in and out. just support the ends so nothing gets bent if they are really rusted in or something.
safely jack up the rear of the car on stands so the rear tires are off the gound and put the tranny in "N"
Pop the straps off the front u-joints Pry the yoke forward into the tranny tail housing just enough to lower the front of the drive shaft down.
remove the rear straps and pull it out.
Just like the half shafts it's best to use a H-Press to pop the u-joints in and out. just support the ends so nothing gets bent if they are really rusted in or something.
Advanced
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Brighton Ontario
Originally Posted by gkull
Why are you removing the yoke?????
safely jack up the rear of the car on stands so the rear tires are off the gound and put the tranny in "N"
Pop the straps off the front u-joints Pry the yoke forward into the tranny tail housing just enough to lower the front of the drive shaft down.
remove the rear straps and pull it out.
Just like the half shafts it's best to use a H-Press to pop the u-joints in and out. just support the ends so nothing gets bent if they are really rusted in or something.
safely jack up the rear of the car on stands so the rear tires are off the gound and put the tranny in "N"
Pop the straps off the front u-joints Pry the yoke forward into the tranny tail housing just enough to lower the front of the drive shaft down.
remove the rear straps and pull it out.
Just like the half shafts it's best to use a H-Press to pop the u-joints in and out. just support the ends so nothing gets bent if they are really rusted in or something.
leaving the yoke in has less chance of any fluid dripping out...
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: NC
I need to remove the tranny yoke too.
I have a vibration issue that tempted me to look at the drivetrain. I have play in both u-joints and the tail shaft of the transmission.
The driveshaft doesnt have retaining bolts/straps on the transmission end (only the pinion u-joint has straps) so the only way I could remove that end is to try and press out the u-joint while its still in the car...
The pinion end of the driveshaft is pretty much captured by the rear end .. drivetrain.. support structure.. stuff... (this is my first IRS so I'm not sure what to call things).
I'm just not seeing where I can find room to unhook the pinion u-joint and slide the driveshaft back far enough to slide out the yoke from the transmission.
This is not the original transmission or driveshaft. I'm afraid that it was put in as a unit. I can't begin to tell you how many things were hacked up on this car when I got it. At this point i'm almost suprized the u-joints were not welded in...
I have a vibration issue that tempted me to look at the drivetrain. I have play in both u-joints and the tail shaft of the transmission.
The driveshaft doesnt have retaining bolts/straps on the transmission end (only the pinion u-joint has straps) so the only way I could remove that end is to try and press out the u-joint while its still in the car...
The pinion end of the driveshaft is pretty much captured by the rear end .. drivetrain.. support structure.. stuff... (this is my first IRS so I'm not sure what to call things).
I'm just not seeing where I can find room to unhook the pinion u-joint and slide the driveshaft back far enough to slide out the yoke from the transmission.
This is not the original transmission or driveshaft. I'm afraid that it was put in as a unit. I can't begin to tell you how many things were hacked up on this car when I got it. At this point i'm almost suprized the u-joints were not welded in...
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I helped on a car with a simular setup that you described. what we ended up doing is getting a load leveling bar/chain for a engine hoist.
We unbolted the exhaust and two tranny tail shaft bolts. maybe the motor to firewall ground strap. Then we took out each of the lower motor mount fore and aft bolts. Floor jack under the tranny with the wheels able to roll forward. We were then able to move the motor about 1.5 - 2 inches forward enough so the tranny tail shaft yoke and driveline came out.
we didn't unhook anything else. air cleaner was off. The wires, fuel, and rubber hoses all had enough length
We unbolted the exhaust and two tranny tail shaft bolts. maybe the motor to firewall ground strap. Then we took out each of the lower motor mount fore and aft bolts. Floor jack under the tranny with the wheels able to roll forward. We were then able to move the motor about 1.5 - 2 inches forward enough so the tranny tail shaft yoke and driveline came out.
we didn't unhook anything else. air cleaner was off. The wires, fuel, and rubber hoses all had enough length
Last edited by gkull; Jun 12, 2006 at 08:00 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: NC
I cant say it was what I was wishing for, but it is what I was kind of expecting.
Sounds like a good reason to do a gear change and just fix it when the rear suspension is out...
Thanks for the help!
Sounds like a good reason to do a gear change and just fix it when the rear suspension is out...
Thanks for the help!
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 627
Likes: 1
From: Naperville IL
I'd pull the differential out before the motor if one of them had to come out to get at the driveshaft, I guess it depends on what else you need to work on at the same time. my 73 has the straps on both sides so pulling it is real easy.
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