driveshat removal

[1963chevyc20]

as some of you know i blew my trans in my 63. well i am fixing to get a new tranny. how to i dis connect the old one from the drive shaft? i have remove everything but the drive shaft. cant figure out how to do that. man. before i purchased my 63 i didn't know how to change a spark plug but when i purchased it my dad said he would not help me. he wanted me to learn and to try it before he helped me with anything. he is often gone as he is a trucker. he inst home to help me with this. HELP!!! i purchased a 72 f250 to drive because this was my only derivable truck. i don't want to drive a ford!! help me get my Chevy back on the road!!!

[1963chevyc20]

ys i can work on my truck. i have done a fuel pump, all spark plugs, a radiator hose, alternator, distributor, battery cables, all tires, i have learned allot for being 17!

[slaminum69]

Hope this helps you, There is two U-bolts at the end of the drive shaft that connect to the yolk on the pumkin (Rear Diff) If you are going to use the same U-joint then I would have tape available so you can tape off the caps on the U-Joints, My recommendation is replace both U joints. One you have loosened and remove the U-bolts you can pry a little bit on the yolk and Ujoints foward to the tranny, this will allow you to drop the drive shaft and then slide it out of the tranny side, have a pan ready oil will come out of the seal. Good luck

[1963c-10]

x2 for post 3.....slaminum69 is right. spend a few bucks and replace the u-joints. i also recommend replacing the straps and bolts for the rear u-joint...just a few bucks more and its not like you drop the driveshaft every day, so good maintenance and piece of mind.

[AcampoDave]

Wouldn't the O.P have a 2 piece drive shaft? His username makes me think he does.

[1963chevyc20]

Originally Posted by slaminum69

Hope this helps you, There is two U-bolts at the end of the drive shaft that connect to the yolk on the pumkin (Rear Diff) If you are going to use the same U-joint then I would have tape available so you can tape off the caps on the U-Joints, My recommendation is replace both U joints. One you have loosened and remove the U-bolts you can pry a little bit on the yolk and Ujoints foward to the tranny, this will allow you to drop the drive shaft and then slide it out of the tranny side, have a pan ready oil will come out of the seal. Good luck

it did some what. i will just have to give er a try and see what i come up with. in the mean time i will have to drive the f250 4x4.

[jayoldschool]

Four bolts to remove the caps off the U joints at the rear end, two bolts and nuts to take the center bearing off the frame, then pull the shaft out of the trans. An afternoon of easy work to replace the U joints and bearing.

[1963chevyc20]

all i see are these clips! http://s40.photobucket.com/user/jayo...2bd12.jpg.html do i have to remove them? if i do how? i need to get this done today. i will be gone all weekend.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

Wouldn't the O.P have a 2 piece drive shaft? His username makes me think he does.

Good eye....should be a two piece driveshaft

[AcampoDave]

So you got it out then? If you need it done today, my advise is finish your tranny and reinstall the drive shaft as is. Later, when you are not in a rush, pull it out again and deal with servicing its componemts. Changing, those joints and that bearing is not gonna be something your're gonna just "fly through" the first time you do it. Meanwhile seek out a book or a youtube video for some detailed instruction.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by 1963chevyc20

all i see are these clips! http://s40.photobucket.com/user/jayo...2bd12.jpg.html do i have to remove them? if i do how? i need to get this done today. i will be gone all weekend.

Maybe I missed it, but do you have the drive shaft out yet? I think you might be thinking those clips help you get it out, but they don't. You don't need to remove them - almost never.
The drive shaft doesn't bolt into the transmission. it just pokes into the back of the tranny like a finger into a dog's butt. (dont think about THAT mental image too long!). There's no bolts there.

To get it loose from the pumpkin (where it connects at the rear axle) you just undo those four u-joint bolts at the back and get them out. I undo the nuts on them until they're overhanging the u-bolts (so they protect the threads) then bang them gently with a hammer. You can pry on the U portion with a flathead screwdriver too to help convince them they need to get the heck out.

Once they're out the back of the drive shaft might fall out in your hands (or on your head). Be careful there.

If it doesn't fall out, lay under it and give it a little shove toward the front of the truck. It'll sink farther into the transmission (that's ok), popping out of the groove that the Ubolts held it into. Then you can lay the back of it on the ground and just pull it out of the transmission with a POP!

Tada, roll it out from under the truck and go to town.

Hope that helps. Sorry if I missed you getting it out somewhere and you're removing clips to replace linkage.

[1963chevyc20]

Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi

Maybe I missed it, but do you have the drive shaft out yet? I think you might be thinking those clips help you get it out, but they don't. You don't need to remove them - almost never.
The drive shaft doesn't bolt into the transmission. it just pokes into the back of the tranny like a finger into a dog's butt. (dont think about THAT mental image too long!). There's no bolts there.

To get it loose from the pumpkin (where it connects at the rear axle) you just undo those four u-joint bolts at the back and get them out. I undo the nuts on them until they're overhanging the u-bolts (so they protect the threads) then bang them gently with a hammer. You can pry on the U portion with a flathead screwdriver too to help convince them they need to get the heck out.

Once they're out the back of the drive shaft might fall out in your hands (or on your head). Be careful there.

If it doesn't fall out, lay under it and give it a little shove toward the front of the truck. It'll sink farther into the transmission (that's ok), popping out of the groove that the Ubolts held it into. Then you can lay the back of it on the ground and just pull it out of the transmission with a POP!

Tada, roll it out from under the truck and go to town.

Hope that helps. Sorry if I missed you getting it out somewhere and you're removing clips to replace linkage.

no you are good!! thanks! been up since 5 trying to figure it out. but all i have is my jack, a flash light and my tools. and the floor. grrr wish i could lift that truck up! i am at work now but i will get at home around 7pm. will finish it then.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by 1963chevyc20

no you are good!! thanks! been up since 5 trying to figure it out. but all i have is my jack, a flash light and my tools. and the floor. grrr wish i could lift that truck up! i am at work now but i will get at home around 7pm. will finish it then.

Whew! Well maybe you can roll under it lengthwise and get it handled without needing to get under it too far. It helps to have monkey arms I'm deathly afraid of jacks (I always use a jackstand and at least one jack) after a guy here locally was found 6 hours or so after his car decided to give him a ground-hug. Scary stuff.

I like to chronicle my build with lots of pics and instructions in case I ever have to do this again. Here's a link to where I dropped my transmission and rebuilt it. It and the transfer case portion show several drive shaft pics that might help if you get stuck.

http://6066gmcclub.com/forum/showthr...0025#post50025


Good luck and let us know how it goes

[1963chevyc20]

thanks man! as it sets i may not get to the truck until next week i have a crap load of work today. looks like i will be taking the ford to Dallas. GRRRRR

[1963chevyc20]

ok. i have removed the drive-shaft! when i pulled the trans this was in the bell housing? what is it? did i break something? where does it go? it was next to a fork looking thing. does it go on that?

[1963c-10]

That's your throw out bearing. It fits on the transmission input shaft. When you pulled the trans it dropped out. It sits inside the clutch fork. No issue at all. Just make sure to reinstall when you put the trans back in.

[1963chevyc20]

thanks! i feel like an idiot!

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by 1963chevyc20

thanks! i feel like an idiot!

Welcome to my world

While you're in there you might go ahead and replace that thing along with the clutch and pressure plate (they all come in a kit together) to save having to replace it later anyway. It's going to go bad sooner or later, unless it's already new.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by 1963chevyc20

thanks! i feel like an idiot!

Its all a learning process, so don't feel "like an idiot". We all have to crawl before we walk. The important thing is that you ask. As mentioned in other threads.....a shop manual will help you tons.