Drive shaft removal
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Drive shaft removal
I plan to remove the drive shaft and replace the U joints. However on my 1980 the shop manual instructs to take the U joints at the differential out first. I can see no way the shaft can slide forward enought to clear the cross member. Did anyone do this, what procedure did you you.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 464
Likes: 0
From: Charleston South Carolina
Yes, start at the rear. Unless you have a magic wrench you will have to rotate the shaft to get all the bolts loose. This means getting the rear wheels off of the ground and putting the car in neutral. Make sure you chock the front wheels so the car don't roll. After you get all the bolts removed from the rear u-joint then do the front. Again, just slip the trans into park if you need to lock the shaft to loosen the bolts. The front yoke will slide in towards the trans to allow the shaft to clear and be dropped and then just pull it forward. Use a rubber mallet to knock the yoke in towards the trans, but clean the yoke where it goes through the tailshaft seal so it doesn't tear the seal and start a leak later on.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 585
Likes: 0
From: Royal Oak MI
Yes, start at the rear. Unless you have a magic wrench you will have to rotate the shaft to get all the bolts loose. This means getting the rear wheels off of the ground and putting the car in neutral. Make sure you chock the front wheels so the car don't roll. After you get all the bolts removed from the rear u-joint then do the front. Again, just slip the trans into park if you need to lock the shaft to loosen the bolts. The front yoke will slide in towards the trans to allow the shaft to clear and be dropped and then just pull it forward. Use a rubber mallet to knock the yoke in towards the trans, but clean the yoke where it goes through the tailshaft seal so it doesn't tear the seal and start a leak later on.
