Ok forum regulars this is not your typical "how do I replace my clunking drive shaft?" question. Been there done that. I have replaced the drive shaft before so when I went to replace my driver side shaft I ran into a BIG problem.

Ok here is the problem: It will NOT come out of the transmission!

Before I could either pull them out by hand or use a few wacks with a slide hammer.

Did an hour of slide hammering and cursing do the trick?

nope.

What about pulling the drive shaft apart, popping out the sheet metal cover that covers the inner shaft in the transmission and then using a MONSTER GEAR PULLER?????

nadda.

I heard that GM uses an inner snap ring (of some sort) and thats why you have to use a slide hammer as apposed to chrysler that doesnt use anything on the transmission side of the shaft. heard this from a guy that had a problem getting a shaft out of a honda (or maybe it was a toyoda?) and they ended up have to take it apart and found out the ring got twisted or in a bind.

I really, really, REALLY don't want to take the trans out.

So what can I do now??




[rant]This car runs GREAT until it blew a wheel bearing at 75mph. weird cuz it was only like a 6 month old bearing. new shaft too. and I saw some smoke coming from the boot of the drive shaft (this is before I knew about the bearing) and the shaft was warm to the touch so I decided to go ahead and put on a new shaft while doing the bearing to be sure and save me work in the future... WRONG should have put on a new bearing and been on my marry way... this reminds me of replacing a working (tho really old, assumed original) fuel pump while I had the gas tank out to fix a leak. the new pump died after 1 tank of gas.... F*CK!!! [/rant]

 

i dont have a FSM for your car, so i cant answer, but ..

if i was you i would stop trying to force it out and risk damage to the transmission. cases like this, is where the FSM is worth its weight in gold.

now keep in mind what jobs are .. service's job is to sell labor, parts job is to sell parts.

what I really do when i have a difficult question and no FSM, i drive over the local dealer, PARTS DEPT .. not service .. PARTS .. and inquire on the posibility of replacing the drive shaft and ask " does the computer show how to pull the old one out?" .. if it doesnt it, the parts guy usually calls the tech manager of that dept and then i just ask .. they are always willing to answer as long as it is quick and doesnt require touching cars.
they like pictures, if you have a laptop to display pics, that will helps lots to the end of quick advice.


as to the bearing failure .. these are the standard failure modes.
1. poorly packed (grease)
2. improperly installed .. too tight or too lose.
3. contaminated packing grease
4. bad seal, water got in
5. defective .. rare


.

 

For what its worth here is a pic of my setup.

http://i47.tinypic.com/hs9ees.jpg

I ground slots for the gear puller to fit into. and on the inside of the drive shaft there is a sheet metal cover (like a freeze plug) that I popped out which gave access the the inner shaft of the trans.

I thought for sure that was going to work.

Got done talking to another friend who was helping his friend who had the problem in a honda (different than the other story) they pulled it out via chain and truck bumper.

no i don't plan on going that route. lol though it is very tempting.

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edit
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I have all data for this car. what would you be looking for?

exploded diagrams for the transaxle?

 

[quote=Texan4Life;36169]For what its worth here is a pic of my setup.

http://i47.tinypic.com/hs9ees.jpg

I ground slots for the gear puller to fit into. and on the inside of the drive shaft there is a sheet metal cover (like a freeze plug) that I popped out which gave access the the inner shaft of the trans.

I thought for sure that was going to work.

.........................

I have all data for this car. what would you be looking for?

exploded diagrams for the transaxle?[/quote]

yes, that one.

remind me .. at this point, why do you need to pull it out?

.

 

"transaxle case and components": http://i50.tinypic.com/148jk2g.gif

"internal components": http://i47.tinypic.com/2vkhp5l.gif and http://i49.tinypic.com/154d8br.gif

"final drive assembly": http://i48.tinypic.com/2zxys8z.gif


Why do I need to pull it? well right now its pretty much destroyed and I dont think there is going to be any putting it back together... If I knew this was going to turn into a nightmare, I would have not touched the drive shaft.

 

"Channel Plate (Case Side)": http://i49.tinypic.com/sljtbm.gif

 

i cant tell from the diag, but there should be a snap ring that exopands when you insert the axle into the trans and to remove it you can use a brass extension (drift punch) and put it on the large portion of the axle and drive the axle outward towards towards the wheel as this will collapse the snap ring into the axle groove and pop the component from the trans. then use a prybar between the trans and axle and hopefully it will pop out. if the ring is chewed up, this is though at best.

if that doesnt work, you may have no choice but to get into the spider (differential) gear assy and start at that end. i cant make out details but the axle has to have a holding ring.

i have twisted and broken an axle or two in my heavy foot driving days, i even shattered a set of spider gears, but a wheel bearing turned ugly ?
damn .. .. jeezzz .. .. i feel for you.

at the moment i got two FWD Cadies, and I know that the day the tranies go, the cars go. between finding parts and R&R hassle, i probably shoot the car.

hope that helps you .. let us know
.

 

not to sure what you mean... gave me an idea though. what about tapping the axle inward toward the trans. in hopes of resetting or unbinding the snap ring?

and before going XTREME on it with the gear pulling I tried everything that you would normally use to get out a drive shaft. First pulling by hand, then using a slide hammer, then pry bars. and got nothing.

I still havent found the snap ring in the diag. either that everyone is talking about (and seems to be the problem)

here is another one "4th clutch and components": http://i46.tinypic.com/afeu5z.gif

thanks with the help so far I really want my Crapillac back on the road... and I say Crapillac with love. lol.

 

sure .. i see it .. #567 .. right by the access hole/cover.



.

 

F*CK YEAH!!!!!!!!

got that BIATCH off. I spiked it on the ground like I just made a touch down too.

I hammered it inward then got back on it with the gear puller gave it a few shots with the impact wrench and it slide right off!

NOW this snap ring on the end of the trans. shaft. Can I cut it off and not use it?? I do not want to have to go through this again.

thanks