Drive Shaft removal from transmission side

[Midjurion]

Hello all,
Currently working on the 1991 Explorer 5 speed 4x4

I am in the process of taking down the transmission and I am stuck. I have finally achieved taking the bolts out from the rear of the drive shaft and is able to free it from the rear. But I can not pull the drive shaft from the transmission. I had tried to pull harder and it started to pull out from the boot area for shaft expansion, not from the transmission. I have tried to beat it with a hammer with some effort, not alot. And also have tried to use a crowbar approach, also to no avail.

It seems that I will be forced to disconnect the transfer case with the drive shaft still intact, don't know if that is feasible, since I haven't gotten there yet.

Thanks for any feedback or suggestions made

 

[Midjurion]

Hello all,

Not sure if this is the normal thing for Explorers, but it seems that from what I have found was is that I have a 2 piece drive shaft, that it is also bolted at the tail end of the transmission and wasn't meant to slide out. So I am going to actually undo the bolts there, and that would resolve the removing of the drive shaft itself.
I can't believe that I couldn't find anything on this site and through search engines about it having a 2 piece, I read it on a chevy site about it being bolted on both sides. So unless there is something that I missed, this seems to be the way to go. Could my drive shaft be an aftermarket shaft? who knows

will continue to utilize this website for my explorer and possibly attempt to help others if I am knowledgeable in it.

Thanks

 

[Curmudgeon]

Crud.
Buildup of same on the end of the shaft sleeve.
I have had some that we thought would never come out, but they did....eventually.

Is this a slip-yoke shaft or is the slide in the shaft itself?
Doing this from memory....sometimes they are flanged at the transfer case, but NOT if you can slide it in and out a bit.
You'd see the flange, with 4 bolts, would be very obvious.

How much slide in and out do you have before it stops?
You HAVE to have enough to allow for the arc of the diff.
Pull and turn (neutral), turn and push, tap the edge outward with a dead blow hammer.....don't just beat iot with a framing hammer or some such, or you might damage the yoke.

The oils have probably built up a sludge ring,....or "crud"....on the end of the yoke sleeve that extends past the output shaft bushing.

Lot of time pulling while turning will do it.
If you can get the seal out without damaging anything, and cut it off, and then use spray carb cleaner and a wand, push the shaft in until it just turns, spray along the top of the yoke sleeve, turn and pull, keep doing that, the carb cleaner will soften the sludge ring enough to get it out.

One of the tricks I have had to use.

 

[Maniak]

The drive shaft is bolted on the transfer case and to the rear end.
Once you have all the bolts out from both sides, use a pry bar (small one) and get it between the pieces and pry. It will pop off.

There is a slip joint on the rear shaft, but don't pull it apart. I don't remember if it is keyed. If Not and you don't get it indexed the same way you will introduce a vibration.

~Mark

 

[Midjurion]

thanks guys... i did get it like you said Maniak... just had never came across a double bolted drive shaft.

Have a great day and happy holidays to all