I can't remove my driveshaft!

[dcbullet]

Aren't I supposed to be able to just pull the driveshaft off this splined end?



The other side is already disconnected from the diff and I'm pulling with all my might and it won't budge. Any tips?

[FORDification]

That's a sure sign of inadequate lubrication. When I removed one that was stuck on a parts truck, I had to use an axle puller, which is basically a slide-hammer. A few taps rearward popped it right off. Don't try beating it off with a regular hammer, or you're gonna mess something up.

[fordman]

yes it should pull off. maybe some grease in it would help but you can take a sledge and hit the yoke backwards and it should drive it off. just don't beat the h*ll out of it and break something.

[steveheer]

Gee, I wonder what those splines are going to look like once you do get the slip yolk off???

[dcbullet]

That's a sure sign of inadequate lubrication. When I removed one that was stuck on a parts truck, I had to use an axle puller, which is basically a slide-hammer. A few taps rearward popped it right off. Don't try beating it off with a regular hammer, or you're gonna mess something up.

Did you attached the puller to the end of the driveshaft or had your removed the driveshaft already and attached it to the 6 inch long flange?

Maybe I'll lube it up and give this a try.

[FORDification]

I was removing the rear driveshaft, and had disconnected it from the differential, but couldn't get it to pull free at the other end. I just jury-rigged the end of the puller onto the U-joint at the end of the driveshaft, and gave it a few good bangs with the hammer and it popped off. The splines were just gummed up from dried-up grease, just needed cleaned off and everything was as good as new.

Well, except for my knuckles. The first time I attached the slide-hammer wasn't the best, and it came loose, causing me to smash the #$%& out of my hand. After jumping around and cursing for a few minutes, I regained my composure and reattached a little better this time, and it came off.

[dcbullet]

Thanks for the info Keith. And the warning!

[bleedfordblue]

I did that once... only I wrapped a chain around the shaft and passed it under the rearend. I pulled it apart with another truck!

Maybe I'm not the one to be giving advice.......

[xxxtina63]

Since the slip yoke looks to be dry, you might have luck by heating it up with a torch so it will expand a bit.

[spartman]

What if you were to soak it with some PB Blaster?

[Sharkdance]

Aren't you supposed to loosen the seal before you pull them apart?
See that little cap on the end of the yoke? Turn it to the left and it should unscrew a little.
Clean the grease fitting and pump it full of grease, support the other end of the driveshaft, and a combination of pull on it and tap it apart on the backside of the yoke with a hammer.

I wouldn't heat it up because you might melt the rubber in the carrier brg that is supporting that end of the shaft. At the very least, you will melt the grease out of it.

I marked mine before I pulled them apart because someone told me that those splines will fit back together 180° and if you put the two shafts back together differently then they will be "Out of phase" causing a lot of vibration because the two shafts Aren't balanced with each other.
Said you would have to have a driveline machine shop re-balance them as a unit if they get "Out of phase".

[flyboy2610]

Aren't you supposed to loosen the seal before you pull them apart?
See that little cap on the end of the yoke? Turn it to the left and it should unscrew a little.

Yup. That's what you have to do to get them apart.
Mine wouldn't come apart until I loosened that cap, then they parted ways easily.

[fordman]

wow i forgot about that myself. i didn't even have to loosen mine when i took it apart. i didn't mark it either but it didn't vibrate after i put it back on either.

[dcbullet]

Hey guys. Well, I did remove the cap and seal, just not in that picture. I tried a bunch of ways but after an hour or so I gave up and took both driveshafts to my machine shop. Took three guys and their vice and a drift, 15 minutes, etc, etc but now it's apart. Best $35 I spent today. As he said, "It's not how hard you hit it, it's how you hit it hard."

Actually, the splines look perfectly fine. I think that just all that surface area mated up over the years fuses itself together. I'll be using A LOT of lube when I put it back together.

Thanks for you input.

[19674x4]

directions-park truck at top of hill, wrap chain around yoke and the other end to chevy, take the chevys e-brake off and let it go down hill, move away from flying driveshaft zone , go to bottom of hill and retrieve driveshaft, pour gas over chevy and light to remove evidence of your finger prints on a UHOM(un-identified hunk of metal). :twisted: