Getting the imput shaft off of the steering box?

[weisel]

I can't figure out how to get the damn thing off so I can replace the seal on the box. I took the bolts off the damper, unbolted the holding bolt (for lack of better term) for the splined part attached to the box, and for the spline part attached on the upper end (that goes to the steerng wheel). What is the trick to this thing? Isn't the shaft suppose to slide into itself to get shorter, so I can pull one side off the splines? It woun't slide though. The only other thing I can think of is to pull the box off the frame and slide the box down and forward off the shaft. Someone please help because I don't want to go through that much work. There must be an easier way.

 

[zakk]

hummm...do you have acess to a digi-cam so we can see the problem?

 

[jeffro]

Could be like my toyota. It had a plastic pin holding the shaft together. I melted the plastic pin out in order to stretch the shaft out for a body lift.

 

[K10ANDYKHAMNIC]

you have to remove the box from the frame to get the input shaft off , rather remove 3 bolt closer to the shaft and pivot the box on the last bolt and then you can pry off the splined part

 

[weisel]

I finaly did remove the 3 bolts from the box to get it
slid back and the shaft came right out. Put the
new seal in and no leaks! Yippie! And I pressed
out the dang plastic things holding the shaft
together. So now it slides up and down inside
itself so if I ever need to take it off again, I woun't
need to take the box off the frame. I then put a
cotter pin through the holes in the shaft to hold it
together (replace the plastic ones) so I can take it
out whenever I want.
Thanks for the help guys.