Hey Guys,

I am trying to remove the front driveshaft, to replace all the joints. I figured it would be an easy job, seems not to be so.
The tranny cross member is in the way, I cant get a wrench or socket in there to take the bolts out of the transfercase input flange, so i figured I would just unbolt the cross member and slide it out of the way. UN HUH ... All the bolts out, the rubber mount disconnected .. the crossmember rocks in either direction the rubber moves forward and backwards, but the thing doesnt want to move out. I was reading something I think from ATS that says you need to use a Portapower to spread the frame a tad to remove the cross member.
Am I doing this all wrong? Did I totally overlook something when trying to disconnect the shaft?

 

I take the front off first then let driveshaft hang down abit. Then remove rear bolts. I admit I do it up in the air with air tools but should'nt be that much harder using hand tools. Dont forget to put some blue locktite on bolts when reinstalling. Happy 4th of July.

 

It seems something is different about my shaft, I cannot fit a socket on the bolts ... also are all your bolts 15mm?? Thats more annoying then anything ... Had to barrow the toolbox from the back of my honda.

 

Find the right socket for the bols that attatch the shaft to the transfrer case. Position one of the bolts directly straight up and then lock the transfer case. When that one is out unlock the tranfer case and rotate the shaft to have an other bolt on the same position and then lock again, repeat for the other two. Do not remove that cross member unless absolutly nessecary. It is a pain to get back on. Hope this helps!

 

Excuse the spelling, I did not mean bols; I meant bolt. Thanks.

 

you don't have to remove the crossmember to get the driveshaft out but FYI the easiest way to get the crossmember in and out is to use a porta-power between the frame rails sprend the frame a little falls out and slides in makes thejob alot easier. I recently remove the tranny from my truck and that is a life saving tip cause before i used to beat it in and out with a hammer and that takes forever.

 

A wobble extension will make removing the bolts form the transfer case flange alot easier. Also hope your using an airgun. I can't imagine how hard it would be with only a rachet.

 

I am not using a airgun, I have one, but no air compressor lol

 

i discovered two days ago that the crossmember can be slid up between the frame rails ahead of the mounting points and then slid back to the mounting points and bolted in.i too beat it out with a big hammer when i removed my tranny.when it came to the install i looked closley and realised that if you undo the fuel line clamps you can slide the cross member up ahead of the mounting points and then slide it back towards the mounting points.went in very easy.
as for the front drive shaft,i used a 5/8 flex head gear wrench had no problems even with the crossmember in.
brett 2002 4x4 diesel 2500 quad cab

 

As wesley64 says, fitt the cross member in the frame on the engine side of the tranny and some pounding with the BFH and all is well,took an hour trying to spread the frame before we lucked into this install.hope that helps and goes as easy as it did for myself,goodluck and cheers.