Hey boys and girls,

I bent a drive shaft pretty bad 2 weekends ago and I am trying to remove it to install the new one. Trouble is, she's bent so bad it's bound up tight. All the bolts are out and the truck is sitting level. The drive shaft will not travel forward on the yoke at all. I've jacked up the differential and nothing happened. I am wondering if a hi-lift on the bumper would help pull the shaft backwards on the yoke or free up the binding. If I have to, I'll cut the darn thing off. All I have is a hacksaw and would rather avoid that if I could. Oh yea, forgot to mention, I've tried a 3 pound hammer and a prybar. Nothing doing!

Anyone out there have an idea for me? A 20 minute job turned into an ordeal. Don't they all? :-)

Thanks!

 

try prying on it at the rear diff, theres a pretty good spot to get a pry bar in right at the flange. also try a bfh if you have not already.

 

jack up the bumper and let the suspension drop. then hit it by the dif with a sledgehammer.. if that doesn't work.

try up by the transfercase.

one piece drive shaft or does it have the carrier bearing?

 

its a regular cab so its a one peace d shaft.

 

good call.

i'd be under there kicking that thing while hanging from the frame rails, haha ...

but i have alot of room under my truck to do that

 

 

lol i was gonna say try kicking it (done that a time or two). but i figures he would like to try a less redneck approach lol.




haha rob has the idea lol.

 

Or you could ask this guy to drill it out for you

 

since it is bent and needs to be retubed anyway might as well have fun getting it off.
plus cutting off won't screw up a pinion bearing or an output shaft on a tc that prying or a sledge might do..
you would be suprised how fast a sawzall will go through a stock thin wall DS

 

This guy helped me change my tires, he just picked up my truck while I did ALL the work ..

 

Jacking up the diff would make it worse, that compresses the driveshaft. You need to lower the rear axle, maybe even remove one end of the springs.

 

My guess is that it's just stuck/rusted on the flange. I can't imagine what it would take to bend the solid splined section so bad that it woudn't move at all... and if you did, how you even moved the truck at all with it bent that bad.

Spray some penetrating oil (PB Blaster) on the flange.

If you look closely at the side of the yoke, you'll see a little undercut to put a prybar in - needs to be kinda narrow.

A couple taps and it will break free. Believe me, you're not going to generate enough force to damage the pinion or the bearing in either the diff or the tcase.

When putting it back together, put a LIGHT coating of grease or anti-seize on the flange so it won't stick so bad next time.

 

Nope, it's 2 piece. A yoke and the main shaft.

 

Dude...you reminded me that my neighbor has a sawsall!! Right on!

 

That guy has man boobs and he scares me.

 

always easier with a grinder or sawzall.. but also usually more expensive to repair the big hole you now have lol

 

x10. i couldnt agree more.

thats what they call a one piece d shaft .

 

well, he can't just knock it free because sounds like it's bound up on the yoke (splines) .. the flanges have that centered lip which is why it won't just drop off..

dropping the suspension sounds like the easiest way to get it out.

 

I don't think it's as bound up as he thinks it is - just seems that way because it's frozen to the flanges.

I have been becoming the dean of driveshaft damage lately, including one that was relatively seized at the slipyoke, and it would still move with enough pressure.

 

Yep, you got it. That's the problem. I'm going to end up cutting it off.