Drive shaft removal

[LMBoise]

I am trying to remove the drive shaft from the rear differential and cannot figure out how it comes off. I did a search on the forum and did not find anything the clarified what I need to do. Any suggestions? I need to do some work on the differential and have to get the shaft off. 

 

Thanks. 

 

 

[LMBoise]

I should have clarified, this is for a ‘48 Pilothouse. 

[Merle Coggins]

This is from the Service Manual.

Basically, as shown in your picture, hammer down at the end of the drive shaft so that the u-joint cup on the bottom gets pushed out of the yolk. Then carefully slide the u-joint cross back into the upper cup and reverse the hammer force to drive the upper bearing cup out of the yolk. Now you should be able to remove the u-joint from the yolk.

 

[kencombs]

With emphasis on 'tapping' in step three.  careful with the strength and location of the 'taps'.  tube damage is possible.

 

If you have access to an air hammer with the appropriate tool it's much easier. 

[Merle Coggins]

I usually try to focus my hammer blows to the cast yolk or weld area. I agree that you need to keep away from the main tube with a hammer. I also like to use a soft face dead blow when possible, but sometimes it doesn't have the persuasion power needed.

[Tooljunkie]

Yup whack on welded part of driveshaft an it should force the cup out of pinion yoke. Sometimes a big vise grip to pull cup out the rest of the way. 

[ggdad1951]

BIG magnet! 

[Merle Coggins]

If you want to be the envy of all your buddies, and are a tool junky, you could get yourself one of these tools...

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

ok...which one of you guys drew my name to be my Secret Santa.....this would be great for my stocking...….!!!  Thanksgiving and birthday same day this year...hint hint....

Edited November 26, 2019 by Plymouthy Adams

[Tooljunkie]

I have in my ball joint press kit,have to be careful not to distort yoke. 

[LMBoise]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I was off line for a few days so sorry for the late response. I am going to give it a go this weekend. I will let you know the results. 

 

 

[JBNeal]

A slight variation on this that I did was with everything still on my '48, I put the Marvel Mystery Oil on the cups and gave each yoke ear a few raps with a deadblow hammer, a few days later I rotated the driveshaft 90° and re-oiled, repeated til I went all the way around as this truck had sat for decades.  I then used an old socket as a drift on the cups to break them loose first with a 5# hammer, the socket was just slightly smaller than the cup OD.  I worked the cups until they would move in about 1/8", then re-oiled, waited an hour, rotated 180° to work it back into the yoke 1/8" to re-oil, then after another hour, I started with the dead-blow hammer on the driveshaft yoke as described above...with cups and yoke bores cleaned up, and extra grease packed into the cups to keep the needle bearings from flopping out, I was able to press the cups back into place with a big C-clamp  

[Cordell]

Bigger the hammer the faster she comes apart!⚒

[JBNeal]

those tiger tools are pricey but the proof is in the pudding...I have several projects looming that this might be a good investment, definitely a time saver and reduces chances of tearing up hard to replace parts ?