Front DS seems stuck in position (1 Viewer)

[Froski]

Hi,
I recently purchased a '91 FJ80, and am trying to do the ujoints. I am starting with the front driveshaft, as that is where the worst one is. I have all the bolts out and I have rotation at the front differential ( bolt holes there not lined up anymore), but it doesn't seem to want to move down. I have compressed the slip yoke between the two pieces of the shaft with a ratchet strap, and I tried pulling it down with a strap down to the sway bar (I tightened only until the sway bar started to compress a bit), but it did not move.

Is this telling me something that I need to pay attention to, or am I just not using enough force?
Also, everything is at 20 degrees F.

Thanks

 

[Shipwreck]

Have you compressed the driveshaft lengthwise? There is a locating ring on the face of the driveshaft flange that mates up to a circular recess in the differential flange. The ring is small, only 1/8 inch or so tall but it needs to clear before the driveshaft flange will slide away from the differential flange.

 

[Froski]

Thanks. Yes, I used a ratchet strap on the ends of the driveshaft and it is pretty tight.

 

[Froski]

going to go make some wooden wedges to tap in to the cavities in the driveshaft flange, we'll see if that helps

 

[Skeet]

Are the front tires on the ground or in the air? Sometimes lifting off the ground or setting back on the ground will change the angle enough to loosen the slight bind that is holding them together.

 

[TNOverlander]

Thanks. Yes, I used a ratchet strap on the ends of the driveshaft and it is pretty tight.

Perhaps if it's not compressing enough, you could remove the grease zerk for the splined section so that you can easily compress it further (grease will come out rather needing to be compressed).

 

[surfpig]

Thanks. Yes, I used a ratchet strap on the ends of the driveshaft and it is pretty tight.

Perhaps if it's not compressing enough, you could remove the grease zerk for the splined section so that you can easily compress it further (grease will come out rather needing to be compressed).

Just what I was about to say...

 

[Froski]

Shipwreck's graphic and a woodworking bar clamp were all I needed! the clamp bar was sized perfectly for the little gap in the driveshaft flange, and gave me mechanical advantage to spare. It's out!

 

[Kernal]

Ditto: remove the grease zerk, 6mm IIRC, air can get trapped inside, or
if you pumped too much grease into it while it was down, you could
have hydrolocked it. You'll know when you remove the zerk.

 

[mudgudgeon]

You did well. First time I removed driveshafts from a cruiser I had the same problem.
When I finally shook mine loose, i was laying on my back under it and the damn thing came free unexpectedly and dropped onto my forehead. Bright lights and little birdies where seen


I'm sure they just get stuck due to 20+ years of gunk and rust.
After you've had it out once, next time you try and take it out if will come out easy, so don't lay under it

 

[mudgudgeon]

If it's wedged in there sure to grease in the slip yolk, you may have too much grease in there.

Slip yolk should move in and out freely with just a bit of resistance due to sticky grease

 

[Froski]

Thanks everyone.
Next question-
I marked everything before I took it apart. I read that ‘91 FJ 80 front shafts are in phase, as in the yokes line up.
Although I have not disassembled the driveshaft slip yoke yet, you can see it is not “in phase”, it seems to be one or two teeth off.
When I take it apart and clean it and Regrease it do I put it back as it is now or do I set it phase?

 

[Heckraiser]

If it wasn't vibrating before, I'd put it back the way I found it. May have been balanced that way by a driveshaft guy in the past?

 

[BILT4ME]

I disagree with @Heckraiser

I would put it back in phase since those were originally designed that way. Newer versions were 90' out of phase.
There is a notch on the yoke on each end to identify the correct side for alignment.

 

[Froski]

Oh it was vibrating - but that was because the ujoint was super shot.

Guess trial and error will show me the light on this

 

[Heckraiser]

If it was vibrating before, then definitely start over in proper phase

 

[Froski]

Got the front DS back in today in the middle of a brutal blizzard. I would have waited for better weather but I was so excited about driving it in the next 3 days of snow storm.
Gone is the slamming when you stop accelerating. I took it in about a foot of snow and had too much fun in low gear.
Thanks for your suggestions. Once I get it up to highway speed I’ll know whether the DS needs to be in the original off phase position again.