Driveshaft removal trouble

IceCold4x4 · Post by **IceCold4x4** » 10 Mar 2013, 13:54

Ok so I'm trying to pull the driveshaft to diagnose the problem with my car. I've made it as far as removing the 6 bolts on the rear and 6 bolts on the front, and loosened the center support. the caps are loose also. I can see the cv joints which move in an out with the shaft as i pull on the shaft. What am I missing? i tried prying on the holes in the cv joint with no luck. Am i missing a c clip or other retaining device thats obvious to everyone else as i see no mention of anything in any other threads or elsewhere on the internet. The shaft has about 2 - 3 inches of play then no more. I see what looks like 4 whitish pins on the outside of the cv joint but inside the rusty housing. Do these have anything to do with removal?

sorry for stealing the following pic but if i am correct this is what i should see right before the shaft comes free

and this is what it looks like on mine as far as i can get it to come out.

Every place i've searched and looked (From swedespeed to here) makes this sound so easy. I feel like i'm missing something blatently obvious. Thanks for the help.

Post by **jimmy57** » 10 Mar 2013, 14:16

Your joints are rusted to the flanges. There are no other retaining clips or bolts, just rust holding your outer CV joint housings to the flanges.

Japedo · Post by **Japedo** » 10 Mar 2013, 17:15

I second that, it's rusted together.
Beat it with a hammer and see I you can break it free.

Post by **JDS60R** » 10 Mar 2013, 17:54

Remove the front joint from the angle gear and put it to the driver side of the angle gear.
Then go behind the rear joint and you will find some holes ( not the threaded ones you just took the 6 bolts from) .

Some of the remaining holes are threaded, others are not. You can insert bolts into the threaded ones to slowly force it out while your rust removing penetrant oil soaks in, but I just use a small bent piece of round stock and an air hammer in a non threaded hole. I guess a hammer and some slightly bent round stock can work also.

Otherwise you will be there for hours.

IceCold4x4 · Post by **IceCold4x4** » 10 Mar 2013, 21:10

thanks for the advice. but it seems like the front gear will be 1000 times worse to gain access to than the rear. does it matter which is done first?

Post by **JDS60R** » 11 Mar 2013, 09:30

The front is easier in my opinion. Your picture shows it already removed from the angle gear. Once the center bearing is unbolted, push the shaft to the driver side of the angle gear and move the rear joint forward as mentioned before. Then remove the shaft from the vehicle and perform repairs away from the car.

IceCold4x4 · Post by **IceCold4x4** » 12 Mar 2013, 09:19

well I had my fill and wound up having it drug to the repair shop. for future reference it was a broken angle gear. supposedly the shop thinks it's the main gear not the collar. but i will know more when i get the old one in for dissection.