Driveshaft Reassembly

[JRJ04]

So I flushed the tranny today and decided to go ahead and drop the driveshaft and grease the splines (been getting the clunk lately).

Both last time and this time (especially this time) I had absolute HELL getting the driveshaft back together at the rear axle. What's the trick to getting it back in? I spent and hour working on that alone, trying to line it up, get the rollers to go back in.

Any suggestions?

 

[JLDickmon]

what did you do, drop the caps?

 

[JRJ04]

what did you do, drop the caps?

caps as in the U shaped brackets with 2 nuts on each of them that go over the little rollers?

if thats what you're referring to...yes. is there another way to do it?

 

[NevrKnow]

Subscribing to this one. Mr Dickmon's class is in session and I'm all ears!

 

[BIG JOE]

Not Sub'n for Mr. Dickmon.. But if I'm understanding yer problem ?? In the interests of git'nr dun ??

Block the front wheels. Jack up the rear dif... rotate the rear wheels Just Enough to line up the rear dif yoke with with the D-line~U-joints to seat'm, install the clamps.. done deal ?

Joe

 

[DaveBen]

OR put the tranny in neutral. Same results.

Dave

 

[iracemine]

yeah i put the tranny in neutral with the e-brake set on on

 

[BIG JOE]

OR put the tranny in neutral. Same results.

Dave

yeah i put the tranny in neutral with the e-brake set on on

Wasn't sure about the Auto Tranny.. Engine running/Step on the brake.. before it'll shift thing.. But yah, try that too.

 

[DaveBen]

I was thinking of engine OFF and in neutral. No point in having the engine running, is there?

Dave

 

[JLDickmon]

it took me all night to figure out what was going on..
at first, I thought Jourdan dropped the caps and had needle bearings all over the place..
then I realized,
he's got the clamp ends of the differential yoke horizontal (parallel to the floor) and has enough grease in the slip-yoke it's more or less hydro-locked and he can't slide it back far enough to engage the caps on the drive yoke..

Jourdan, put the trans in neutral, jack up the rear end and put it on jackstands..
turn the yoke so the caps are going up & down...
stick one U-bolt in the bottom of the yoke (don't put nuts on it yet)
use both hands to pull the driveshaft to the rear end, drop one cap under the U-bolt into the yoke..
put the nuts on (don't tighten them fully)
use a screwdiver to flip the top one into position,
then
turn the driveshaft and put the formerly-top-one-now-the-bottom-one on.

tighten the nuts.