Removing Front Drive Shaft 72 K20???

[72longbed]

IS there some secret tool that mechanics use to get to those four bolts that hold the front shaft to the Transfer Case yoke??? Damn!!!! I removed the exhaust from that side where it runs through the crossmember ... got every 1/2 inch wrench I owned (a lot) a busted knuckles and cursed for hours. The front U-joint was a piece of cake ... done, off, no problem. But the rear one is still there.

If anybody who has 'the secret' to removing those well engineered almost BLIND bolts .... I'd really appreciate the helpful ideas.

Thanks,
72longbed

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by 72longbed

IS there some secret tool that mechanics use to get to those four bolts that hold the front shaft to the Transfer Case yoke??? Damn!!!! I removed the exhaust from that side where it runs through the crossmember ... got every 1/2 inch wrench I owned (a lot) a busted knuckles and cursed for hours. The front U-joint was a piece of cake ... done, off, no problem. But the rear one is still there.

If anybody who has 'the secret' to removing those well engineered almost BLIND bolts .... I'd really appreciate the helpful ideas.

Thanks,
72longbed

try removing the transmission cover, should give you better access to those four bolt.....you can thank me later

[72longbed]

Transmission cover?????? Do you mean the Pan? These bolts are no where near the pan. They go in from the back of the transfer case yoke.

I have an NP205.

Confused on your advice??

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by 72longbed

Transmission cover?????? Do you mean the Pan? These bolts are no where near the pan. They go in from the back of the transfer case yoke.

I have an NP205.

Confused on your advice??

open the drivers door, and look between the seats, under the dash. the high hump transmission cover is held on by 8-10 bolts. accessable from the top, should have nut plates underneath

two wrenches, front and back of the flanges, then roll the truck alittle to acess the other two bolts

[odog]

I agree, take the high hump out and you will be much happier. I had to do this and it made it much easier.

[Stocker]

Don't shoot me.... when I removed mine a few years back, I just used a couple endwrenches and took a whole lot of very little bites. Didn't have to remove anything for access, just laid under the truck on a creeper.

[71swb4x4]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Don't shoot me.... when I removed mine a few years back, I just used a couple endwrenches and took a whole lot of very little bites. Didn't have to remove anything for access, just laid under the truck on a creeper.

Same thing here.

A great reason to use the BEST u-joints you can find when you put it back in!

[snj8198]

ah, you must have a fixed yoke? i have a flanged front output on my 205 and the four bolts zip off with a gear wrench quick. hardly a dirty finger to remove much less a dirty word

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Don't shoot me.... when I removed mine a few years back, I just used a couple endwrenches and took a whole lot of very little bites. Didn't have to remove anything for access, just laid under the truck on a creeper.

Yeah but, youre retired, arent you? You can afford to take all the time you want

[72longbed]

OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I get it nowwwww. "Death from above!!
I'll drop in from the attic on it's ass!! Ok. I'll take a look tomorrow.

I have a B & M Truck MegaShifter in there above the transfer case. I already did some metal patch panels in the past in that area, so maybe I can remove some of my previous 'work' and rain in on it's stubborn self from above.

I put the driveline together originally without a cab on the frame. Access was, how you say, EEE-ZZZ, at that time.

I must have torque'd those little suckers?

Thanks for the great ideas. I'll have at it in the AM.
72 over and out.

[DirtyLarry]

Pulling the tunnel cover just to get the shaft out is too much work. I have one of those old style shafts in my ’78 K10 as well (it’s a ’72 NP205) and they can indeed be a hassle to bolt in and out. I just hold the ½” wrench up to the bolt head then turn the shaft. Turning the shaft instead of turning the wrench makes it go much faster. I’ve probably had the front shaft out of this truck 20 times in the past 16 years since the 205 was installed and have gotten pretty fast at it.

Hold the wrench at the bottom most bolt right above the skid plate then turn the shaft while holding the wrench. You can usually get ¾ turn with each rotation of the shaft before you have to reposition the wrench again. Once the first bolt is backed out of the shaft rotate the shaft to get the next bolt pointed to the bottom. Don’t be surprised if the bolts will not come completely out as most of time the bolts will hit the yoke slash shield and not come all the way out but you can still drop the shaft with the bolts hanging in the yoke. This goes a bit faster if the skid plate is out of the way.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Yeah but, youre retired, arent you? You can afford to take all the time you want

I'm retired now, but I was still working when I R&R'd the front driveshaft. Found enough time on weekends, though...

[72longbed]

Dirt man,
I see you have the SM465 trans ... I have a 700R4 in there and it makes things even tighter next to and around that transfer case output yoke.
So lay a 1/2" box wrench (maybe about 6" long) in there so it is on the head of a bolt and against the crossmember or other solid object, (don't have a shield), then turn shaft to break loose the bolt? Right?

Ok ... I'm working alone and on the ground, so I want to get it right the first time. Do you guys suggest that I re-aatach the front U-joint, jack up the front wheels to be able to turn the shaft ... or can I turn that unattached shaft easily enough to break them loose?

Thanks for your feedback on this. Oh, by the way ... how much travel in the front slip-yoke should there be when the truck is sitting on the ground?
I have heard to have it in the middle of its range of slip-joint length ... is that the spec. on this?

Thanks.
72

[DirtyLarry]

I don't see where auto vs. manual really matters. It is a tight squeeze either way as the distance between the yoke and tcase doesn't change. My old '72 K5 Blazer with a TH350 was no harder or easier to drop the shaft
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[72longbed]

Ok Dirt ... I won't argue with you.

Any opinion on my questions above?

Thanks.
72

[71swb4x4]

The driveshaft will turn easily. It should turn freely without jacking the front end up. Keep the transfer case in 2wd, and make sure the front hubs aren't locked.

[72longbed]

UPDATE: Front shaft OUT!

Took out the hump .... low and behold there it all was, starring right back up at me. Did it on the ground (in the cab mostly), by myself, no jacks, no muss ... no fuss.

One thing I will pass on to others who want to do it this way. I was lucky that my 'wall to wall' carpet already had a split right down the middle at the center of the hump. This did make it a lot easier to just part the carpet and get in there to remove the bolts for the hump. I had previously cut the carpet in that area to do some sheet metal repair on the hump, and install the B & M shifter. So ... if you have nice carpet in your truck ... be prepared to remove it first to do this, or put a cut from the firewall edge all the way back to under the seat above your hump (not the hump on your back, the one in the truck)

I will need to find more of the reflective heat blanket material I had installed over the hump ... I kinda cut it up pretty bad to remove it too. So the hump will stay unattached until I get my driveshaft cut and re-install it. I do agree, to have the shaft throughly inspected while out to take care of any problems at this time, and to use all high quality H.D. Spicer parts to repair.

Thanks to all for the great ideas ... I hope this Thread can help others in the future too.

72longbed

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

I just hold the ½” wrench up to the bolt head then turn the shaft.Hold the wrench at the bottom most bolt right above the skid plate then turn the shaft while holding the wrench. You can usually get ¾ turn with each rotation of the shaft before you have to reposition the wrench again. Once the first bolt is backed out of the shaft rotate the shaft to get the next bolt pointed to the bottom. Don’t be surprised if the bolts will not come completely out as most of time the bolts will hit the yoke slash shield and not come all the way out but you can still drop the shaft with the bolts hanging in the yoke.

This is how I have been doing it for years. I turn the shaft with a short pry bar down at the u joint. Once I break it loose, I can usually turn it with my fingers. I also clean and lube the bolts to make it easy the next time.

[jaros44sr]

Probably a hundred differant ways to solve the problem, they are all right, just differant degrees of right. Or should i say, one is righter then the other, take your pick....

[72longbed]

One more thing I will do different is leave the shaft attached at the front diff. until I have the rear bolts loosened/out. It really helps with ability to support the shaft and to be able to rotate it while working on the back bolts.

Live and learn .... I usually learn the hard way.



72

[Thebeast72]

i just had the same question a couple weeks ago, did it the old mans way and laid on my back cussing for an hour.

[67swb72klb]

Originally Posted by OLDCHEV4X4

This is how I have been doing it for years. I turn the shaft with a short pry bar down at the u joint. Once I break it loose, I can usually turn it with my fingers. I also clean and lube the bolts to make it easy the next time.

x 2 on cleaning the bolts and the t-case yolk makes all the diference next time around