Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Driveshaft removal, how?

[HookMeUp]

How do you drop the driveshaft. Mine has a carrier bearing, does the rear shaft slide out of the carrier, or do you have to drop the whole mess. The reason I am asking I need to fix a leak in the yoke that is in the Xfer case.

 

[rkressg]

Set the emergency brake, and put the transmission in neutral. Make certain there is no strain/stress on the driveshaft.

Unbolt the 4 bolts that hold the carrier bearing to the bottom of the cab (you will need a 15mm wrench to hold the heads of the bolts from above).
just loosen these bolts.

Unbolt the u-joint at the end of the drive shaft from the differential, and run some electrical tape around the end bearing to keep the caps from falling off. You will likely need a small prybar to pop the driveshaft off the differential.
Once it is free, now remove the 4 bolts, being careful not to have the carrier bearing swing around and smack you in the face (there are sharp corners on it).

Once it is unbolted (with the help of a friend), pull/slilde it straight back out of the transfer case/transmission.

If you leave everything in neutral, you will be able to twist the driveshaft during reinstall to line it back up with the position of the differential during re-install.

 

[RHestand]

Also I would add, I always mark the u-joint so I can put it back in the orientation as it came off.

How important is this? For such a small amount of effort, why gamble with u-joint vibrations?

Ray

 

[HookMeUp]

Thanks guys. I thought that is how it should be done but wanted to check just to make sure.