Front Drive Shaft Removal?

[BigSh00ts]

Edit: pry-bar did it!

Hey all, so the viscous coupler in my 97 LX is seized and I am working 16 hour days for the next month or so. I decoded to take it to a mechanic, but I want to disconnect the front drive shaft so I can drive it there.

1) is that correct that as long as I remove the front drive shaft I'm ok to drive it to the shop?

2) more importantly, I have removed the 8 bolts that hold the drive shaft and the grease fitting g but u cannot get the drive shaft to separate from the front axle. I thought about wrapping it with a ratchet strap but want to make sure I won't damage anything doing that. Thanks in stance guys.

 

[enox]

1) someone else will have to advise about driving with a seized vc, I know if you had a center diff lock installed you could drive with just the rear

2) I would not ratchet it off but rather take a flathead prybar and put it between the d/s and the t/c and try to collapse the slip yolk if that doesn't work then you can jack the front of the body up with the wheels on the ground and that should release it as long as the bolts are off...

 

[sunrk]

If you've removed the fine-thread bolts at both ends and one end won't seperate you need something like a long screwdriver to lever out the tailshaft flange from the front diff centre flange as they'll just be stuck together with mud/dirt/rust.

I have driven my 80 with the rear shaft out once when the rear diff centre needed to be replaced but mine is factory part-time 4wd though if you have the transfer in 4wd high range it should drive fine off the rear without the front powering in theory. I've never owned or driven a full-time 4wd 80 though.

Hope this helps.

 

[Kernal]

You should be able to drive with one driveshaft out if the VC is seized.
How did you diagnose the VC as the problem?

 

[desmocruiser]

Also, I would see if the driveshaft will compress once removed. It is not uncommon to be stuck a little but it Should only take a slight bit of coercion to remove, Unless it has been pumped full of grease or the slip yoke has seized.

If that is the case, I might double check the diagnosis to make certain. I have never dealt with the VC, so not sure how invasive that will be To replace.

 

[Grandlooser]

If it doesn't drive I guess you will know that it isn't seized.

 

[BigSh00ts]

1) someone else will have to advise about driving with a seized vc, I know if you had a center diff lock installed you could drive with just the rear

2) I would not ratchet it off but rather take a flathead prybar and put it between the d/s and the t/c and try to collapse the slip yolk if that doesn't work then you can jack the front of the body up with the wheels on the ground and that should release it as long as the bolts are off...

Not ratchet, basically i meant use the ratchet strap as a sort of "spring compressor." I will try a pry bar first.

If you've removed the fine-thread bolts at both ends and one end won't seperate you need something like a long screwdriver to lever out the tailshaft flange from the front diff centre flange as they'll just be stuck together with mud/dirt/rust.

I have driven my 80 with the rear shaft out once when the rear diff centre needed to be replaced but mine is factory part-time 4wd though if you have the transfer in 4wd high range it should drive fine off the rear without the front powering in theory. I've never owned or driven a full-time 4wd 80 though.

Hope this helps.

Nice, thanks for the advice.

You should be able to drive with one driveshaft out if the VC is seized.
How did you diagnose the VC as the problem?

I posted a thread here, and people gave me the symptoms and what to check. Basically, from a stop, if i turn the wheel even 10 degrees or so, the truck won't move. if i turn all the way to lock and blip the gas the tires screech and bump as if i'm locked in 4hi. I checked the brake caliper bolts and the only other thing that was recommended was check the birf joints but i don' think that's what it is.

Also, I would see if the driveshaft will compress once removed. It is not uncommon to be stuck a little but it Should only take a slight bit of coercion to remove, Unless it has been pumped full of grease or the slip yoke has seized.

If that is the case, I might double check the diagnosis to make certain. I have never dealt with the VC, so not sure how invasive that will be To replace.

i don't think that the front drive shaft would cause the symptoms i'm feeling, and to be clear i'm only removing the front drive shaft because driving with a seized VC is bad (it acts like a locked center diff) whereas if i remove the front drive shaft i am pretty sure it will relieve the symptoms so i can at least get it to the shop.

If it doesn't drive I guess you will know that it isn't seized.

this is actually a good point. i didn't think of this. if the VC comes "unseized" during my drive, i'll be stuck haha.

 

[BILT4ME]

Not ratchet, basically i meant use the ratchet strap as a sort of "spring compressor." I will try a pry bar first.



Nice, thanks for the advice.



I posted a thread here, and people gave me the symptoms and what to check. Basically, from a stop, if i turn the wheel even 10 degrees or so, the truck won't move. if i turn all the way to lock and blip the gas the tires screech and bump as if i'm locked in 4hi. I checked the brake caliper bolts and the only other thing that was recommended was check the birf joints but i don' think that's what it is.



i don't think that the front drive shaft would cause the symptoms i'm feeling, and to be clear i'm only removing the front drive shaft because driving with a seized VC is bad (it acts like a locked center diff) whereas if i remove the front drive shaft i am pretty sure it will relieve the symptoms so i can at least get it to the shop.



this is actually a good point. i didn't think of this. if the VC comes "unseized" during my drive, i'll be stuck haha.

No, you won't be "stuck".

You start the truck, place it low range and confirm the CDL is lit and engaged.

Then shut it off and remove the CDL fuse.

Place it back into high range and start the truck. It will remain locked until you replace the fuse.

 

[BigSh00ts]

No, you won't be "stuck".

You start the truck, place it low range and confirm the CDL is lit and engaged.

Then shut it off and remove the CDL fuse.

Place it back into high range and start the truck. It will remain locked until you replace the fuse.

This is the reason you post on this forum. Dude... if you're ever in south Florida, a 6 pack of your favorite suds is on me.

 

[-Spike-]

@BigSh00ts - Don't try to drive the truck without locking the CDL. The VC may not be fully seized, and may heat up badly if it slips at all. You could do more damage to other parts, like the shaft it rides on. As mentioned above, turn on the ignition, put the t-case in Low, turn off the ignition and pull the locker fuse. It will stay locked until you replace the fuse- which you should do when you put the front driveshaft back in.

Another option- pull the rear driveshaft instead. It has to be pulled to remove the VC anyway, while the front driveshaft does not need to come out. And it's fun to drive a front-wheel drive 80. Same advice applies though- lock the CDL.

 

[mudgudgeon]

And it's fun to drive a front-wheel drive 80.

It's down right weird driving them in front wheel drive only! Especially when it's a grunty turbo diesel. Torque steer and front wheel burnouts!!

 

[mudgudgeon]

Not ratchet, basically i meant use the ratchet strap as a sort of "spring compressor." I will try a pry bar first

Pry bar is the go. Just don't be laying under it when you pry it out. I had little tweety birds pay me a visit when I dropped a shaft on my head!

 

[BigSh00ts]

@BigSh00ts - Don't try to drive the truck without locking the CDL. The VC may not be fully seized, and may heat up badly if it slips at all. You could do more damage to other parts, like the shaft it rides on. As mentioned above, turn on the ignition, put the t-case in Low, turn off the ignition and pull the locker fuse. It will stay locked until you replace the fuse- which you should do when you put the front driveshaft back in.

Another option- pull the rear driveshaft instead. It has to be pulled to remove the VC anyway, while the front driveshaft does not need to come out. And it's fun to drive a front-wheel drive 80. Same advice applies though- lock the CDL.

Honestly I'm not sure why I chose the front over the rear to remove. Just went down there and it seemed like the easiet thing to do. I have extremely limited time for the foreseeable future and I've already got all the bolts undone on the front so thats what I'll have to do but yes I suppose the rear wpuld have been easier haha.

 

[BigSh00ts]

Pry bar did it! Now to find the CDL fuse

 

[thatcabledude]

I say rock it like that until you have time to fix yourself!

 

[MoJ]

Mark the driveshaft phase orientation before dropping it.

 

[BigSh00ts]

Mark the driveshaft phase orientation before dropping it.

I did it with a sharpie. I probably should have gone with a file but hopefully you can still see it

 

[BigSh00ts]

I say rock it like that until you have time to fix yourself!

Honestly I want to, but I'm a trial lawyer and I have an in person trial (probably the first one in florida since covid) in a small county 2 hours away at the end of this month / beginning of next month. It's a 2 week trial with like 50 witnesses and i will be working 16 hour + days u til the middle of October. As much as I want to it just makes more sense for me right now to have a shop remove the VC.

EDIT: Well, they didn't want to touch it, said bring it to a transmission shop, so it looks like i'm going to do it myself!

 

[BILT4ME]

Mark the driveshaft phase orientation before dropping it.

The orientation of the front flange of the differential to the rear flange (front of the transfer case) makes absolutely no difference.

The only "phase" that you need to be concerned about is if the front yoke of the DS to the rear yoke of the same DS. It's 90' out of phase for the front and in phase on the rear. This is only if you disassemble the DS itself.

The slip yoke of BOTH DS is to the front by of the vehicle.

 

[BigSh00ts]

The orientation of the front flange of the differential to the rear flange (front of the transfer case) makes absolutely no difference.

The only "phase" that you need to be concerned about is if the front yoke of the DS to the rear yoke of the same DS. It's 90' out of phase for the front and in phase on the rear. This is only if you disassemble the DS itself.

The slip yoke of BOTH DS is to the front by of the vehicle.

Honestly, this is what i thought as well, but i figured it wouldn't hurt to mark them. I'm glad to hear confirmation that i won't have to run back to this thread crying if i can't see my sharpie marks haha. Also my CDL switch is showing up on Tuesday, so even if i can't get this done by then i at least won't have to fiddle with the diff locker fuse for the truck to be drivable (i can just leave the front DS out for a bit and lock the center diff with the button)