Front drive shaft removal?

[fastcat800]

The spline in the center is stripped in my front drive shaft. I can grab half in each hand and turn them. It won't compress enough to get the u joints out of the cradle or the rear flange off the transfer case. I pryed with a crowbar on the front but it only compresses about an 1/8". I would like to get it out without cutting it in half so I can make sure I get the correct replacement at a junk yard. Any ideas? No 4WD in the winter sucks!

[twaddle]

Hi Dave,
If you can concentrate on getting one of the U/J cups to move away from the yoke you can then pull the u/j spider out of the cup that is still in the yoke.

It may help if you try rotating the two shafts to different positions a couple of times in case you find a spot where the spline slides in a bit easier.

Also try a longer crowbar.

Good luck

Jim
Biggar, Scotland

[Burning Oil]

A slide hammer with a big enough hook on it. Then do like Michael Jackson and just beat it.

[fastcat800]

I was afraid that was going to be the answer. To bad I didn'y have more time yesterday when it was 40 degrees out. This morning it's 10 degress and droping fast.

[fastcat800]

Got the old one out the easy way in 60 seconds. SAWSALL!!! It was shot anyway. Must of had sheared off pieces of the spline inside keeping it from compressing. The replacement went right in.

[big61fourby]

So how the heck do you strip the splines out of a driveshaft? I would think you'd break something else first, like u-joint, cv joint, front diff, etc.

Lack of grease??