Hello,

I'm still in process of trying to get my transmission out of truck. Can someone help me with driveshaft removal 101. Do I remove the e-clips on the u joints? I don't remember e-clips/c-clips on other u joints I've played with before but today I discovered that the ones on the truck has these.

Thanks
Dennis

 

There should be u-bolts on the differential side that you unbolt, the nuts will be towards the differential, you may need a wrench to get to them. The e-clips hold the u-joint in, it doesn't need to be removed.

Here's mine:



It's a little hard to see in the picture, but see the u-bolts that wrap around the u-joint (far left)? There are 2 nuts to each one, you remove those to get the driveshaft off, the u-joint remains on the yoke and the rest of the driveshaft, it doesn't need to be removed unless being replaced. Once that is off you pull the driveshaft towards the rear and out the transmission. Depending on angles you might get a little gear oil that comes out, usually not a lot but still, stuff stinks.

 

Depending on what transmission you have in the truck, it may actually have u-bolts that need to be remove on both ends.

 

Dennis, if you are still just checking things out and need the tranny to turn freely, you could just put the rear axle up on jackstands.

 

OK I more confused than ever. I am trying to remove the u joint at the transmission end of the drive shaft. I can not figure out how this comes apart. The u joint at the rear end of the drive shaft has U bolts on it and even I can see how that would come apart. but back to the trans end, there are/were c clips on all 4 ends of the u joint, I removed these and nothing happens.
To add to my confusion my rear wheels turn freely (truck is up on stands) it does not seem to matter if the clutch is in or not, but with the clutch in the drive shaft does not turn?

I am trying to remove all of this and then remove the transmission from the truck.

I've ordered new u joints from LMC and should have them tomorrow to use when I put things back together.

Any ideas as usual are appreciated.

Thanks

 

You will have to remove the u-bolts at the rear end first, then drop the rear of the drive shaft down, then pull rearwards on said driveshaft and the front end of same driveshaft will pull off the tailshaft of transmission. an oily mess will follow. Put a large bowl under the rear of tranny to catch fluid. OK?

 

If the drive shaft is out and you want to take the front u-joint apart -
remove the c-clips
place the u-joint in a secure position (vice)
find a socket that fits just inside the place that you removed the clips
Hammer the socket until the cup on the opposite side comes out
Flip u-joint over (in vice) and repeat but this time use a brass drift instead of a socket
repeat the above for the other cross.
NOTE: lots of needle bearings are going to fall out of the caps
Note II: if you have a big enough vice you can use it as a press using one socket sized as above and another bigger one on the other sice that the cup will slide into.

Or do as I do and use a stump, 2x4's and the socker/hammer method

 

Do you have to mark the tailshaft so that you can put it back in the same position? I thought you had to do that with the differential but I don't know about the transmission.

 

Nah, it has never made any difference I caould tell. They tell you to do that, but there's no reason to believe it's in there right in the first place.

Dennis, like Jim says, just disconnect at the rear, leave the front one alone.

 

thanks for the answers.

 

Did you get what you were looking for?
There were a bunch shotgunned in the general direction of the driveshaft.
We can shoot more is needed.

 

Now I know to remove the rear of the driveshaft first!

Don't I get a blindfold before any more shooting?

 

Don't I get a blindfold before any more shooting?

 

I have always used a ball peen hammer that the flat head just fit inside and a bigger hammer to drive the cup in. It gives you a handle to hold and saves fingers and knuckle joints and half a day bending over looking for the socket that went flying across the shop

 

I wanted to see what he came up with after a few sockets went sailing