engine and drivetrain Driveshaft Blues

[jplips]

Dear 02 Friends,

 

I am hitting a roadblock with removal of the driveshaft.

 

Read the blue shop manual and Haynes manual for instructions. All indicate the same. Remove exhaust, remove bolts of guibo, disconnect flange at pinion drive flange at differential, remove two bolts center shaft bearing and ....lower and remove complete shaft. Well not this particular one. 

 

What I think happens is the internal components for centering the driveshaft (spring, washers, centering ring, ball socket, circlip and sealing cap) are stuck on the pin going through the transmission flange, see photo:

 

 

Got the sealing cap removed and still cannot remove the driveshaft. 

 

I can push the driveshaft towards the transmission and it gives in a bit, assuming the spring is compressing. When I pull hard towards rear it just releases the spring and feels like it hits an obstruction. I tried leverage with a piece of 2 x 4 between the driveshaft flange and the transmission support and does not comes loose. Tried to rotate driveshaft under different angles and put pressure without any luck.

 

The driveshaft is completely disconnected, see photo:

 

This is an early 1969 2002 with Getrag 232

 

Any ideas from fellow 02 friends are very much appreciated.

 

Thank you

 

JP

 

 

Edited October 29, 2016 by jplips
typo

[jimk]

JP, I think your assumption is correct.  The centering ring is stuck on the transmission centering pin.  If accessible, a soak of penetrant might loosen the ring.  Then a good prybar, like those that look like a bent screwdriver might be able to pop it loose.

If not then maybe the dust cap has to be cut away entirely to gain access to the circlip.  A circlip pliers with the 90deg tips might be able to get in there to remove the clip.  That's the limit of my brainpower.

Jim

[Mike87]

Never had this problem, but here is a possible solution....

 

Put the center bearing back up in place, loosely. Then take two of the guibo bolts and put nuts on them. You may have to get nuts that are flat on both sides. Then put the bolts in the transmission flange and rotate the driveshaft so the heads of the bolts are on the driveshaft flange. Now turn the nuts (start to remove them) so the bolts act as a press to move the driveshaft away from the transmission. You will have a nut against the transmission flange and the head of the screw against the driveshaft. There should be enough to push it off. If not, use longer bolts.

 

Good luck,

Mike

[jplips]

Thank you Jim and Mike for the recommendations, very much appreciated - will give it a try and let you all know the outcome.

[jimk]

Mike's idea of using jackscrews is a good one, but easy on the gusto because the load will also be on the circlip groove that can split out the end of the DS flange.