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stuck shaft

T

tree_entz

1/2 ton status
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N. Vermont
Ok, the front drive shaft is one of those CV types with a slip part on the axle end. From a 208/465 combo.
I knew one or more of the u-joints was going (and the cv part is a pain to fix) and 'it jus so happens' we have got a parts truck in the field: a burban w/ the same front shaft, all highway driven. so I crawl under under and pull it out (easy, but you start missing a lifted vehicle real f'n quick, especially a stock burban).
got it out, pulled the one of my truck and put the parts/new one on only to find out the thing will not lengthen as it is supposed to do /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif
which sucks cause I'm planning on doing a club trail ride this weekend, and now i'll have to run that old shaft w/ the two beatass u-joints (after I find the needle bearing caps that I carelessly chucked aside thinking this simple thing would go well.)
ok, the question: has anyone had this problem before and know how to get the shaft to lengthen? I'm assuming it's rusted internally, and I'll spare you all from revealing the means I employed already as you'll most likely cringe, but she really doesn't seem to want to go. /forums/images/graemlins/1zhelp.gif!!!!
might have to FIRI i guess
 
i have opened stuck shafts by putting it on the t case wedgeing my self under the truck my feet aganst a cross member nad heaveing. ( i am 6'3" and 285lbs and am a brute so i don't quit)

I take it that wont work in your case so tie one end to a good size tree the other to a truck and tug tug tug do it lightly so it dosent come though the windsheild (or your face) and maybe a heavy drop cloth over it helps.
a little heat can go a long way try a plumbing torch for a few min.
 
-well I guess great minds do think alike /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
I tried straping it to a tree already and no luck! /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
tried exactly what you tried under the truck too!
(it's so funny how chevy guys across the country could relate to the exact same thing!)
havn't tried heat yet, guess I should though. is there any seals I could burn up in there (oh wait there is, i'll still try though)
 
heeat will work well and may help draw lube in side the joint.
or use a hi lift with a loop on each end of the shaft one hooked on the base and one on the hook use the tention with the heat could work let me know. ill get more ideas for ya.
 
ive always used some WD40 and a BFH to compress the shaft, that breaks it free. then you usually can pull it apart with little force.
 
/forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif sounds like a plan. do you f-up the u-joints at all in the process? dont know why i didn't try hitting it first (i'm a little worried it wont have enough compression room but).... BFH /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
my younger bro is a prof. mechanic (BMW and Acura now; company trained n all) and it's so funny cause it's still the first tool he'll reach for /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
-you can take the boy out of the country but you cant take the country out of the boy-
 
If the suburbasn stll ran,you should have drove it over some speed bumps before you took the shaft out--that will stretch it back out.I have had a few weld themselves like that,they can be difficult to get apart--I used the tree and chain to my winch to get one apart. I scored a brand new front shaft in the box when I bought my plow truck 15 years ago--only problem is its about 4 inches too long--so its still under the front seat,while the loose CV and splines on the original are still clunking away under there--sounds like a bulldozer with worn tracks! /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
If the suburbasn stll ran,you should have drove it

[/ QUOTE ] /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
[ QUOTE ]
I used the tree and chain to my winch to get one apart.

[/ QUOTE ] great minds think alike....I'll try again
[ QUOTE ]
--sounds like a bulldozer with worn

[/ QUOTE ] THAT'S IT!
 
[ QUOTE ]
havn't tried heat yet, guess I should though. is there any seals I could burn up in there (oh wait there is, i'll still try though)

[/ QUOTE ]

There is normally a blue colored teflon type of coating on the splines, dont think heat would do them any good. Maybe moderate heat wouldnt damage it though /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Would definately be best to yank it apart without heat somehow. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Let us know how you make out...


/forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif
 
dont want to get too far off track, but since you guys wanted an update i thought i'd share my woes:

-friday after work left early and tried to f with the shaft again. heat, BFH, pulling, PB blaster no luck. the end result was a front shaft w/ excellent u-joint getting put in our most recent pile destined for scrap /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
so I re-situate my radiator (my whole nose clip is trashed and never holds a radiator right and YEAH I TRIED THAT).
finally got ahold of my buddy the diesel truck mechanic and he says I can take the shaft off his blazer (his old beater); it's got good u-joints. sweet. so I get in the truck and take off about a mile down the road and WHAP....
I knew immediatly.... and pulled over
-the radiator fought the fan and the fan one. apparently I had left a bungee cord under there some where and....
mind you this is radiator 5 /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif so I spend the next 1.5 hours nursing it home from turn out to turn out before it heats, trips to the nearby river in feudal attempts to quench it's thurst (radiator is spewing water) and not wanting to over heat my fresh motor.....so i get home just as my roommate is getting in on his harley. luckely he's got ANOTHER (2nd or 3rd he's given me) radiator on the parts burban and I get all that in, but need a ride for some hose and to get the shaft off the blazer. SO, later the evening i start to put things back together and f-up my heater core trying to put the new hose one /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif should have used heat. I pretty much give up for the night and my two other friends and I resolve to get up around 4:30 or 5 to get this pig ready for the club ride. I got out to the garage before they did and got the coolant stuff all hooked up and turned the motor over to realize the water pump seazed /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif
so I had to borrow one of those and swap all that too.
in the end my buddy ended up hooking up an electric fan and we way honkey-hooked up the radiator and left just barely on time for the trail ride. I'll try to send some pics cause it was so worth it.
really need to get that new clip on.....hope you can relate
 
Put the shaft in a press compressing it. Put a lot of force on it but not so much you start to distort the yokes. Then tap the slip spline with a ball peen hammer. If that doesn't work, put some heat on the involute part of the slip spline and repeat.
 
I really dont think the compression idea will work: I compressed my old shaft all the way and it appears the stuck one is at the same length making me think that there is no compression room left. /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif
 
ATF!

ATF has some great detergents in it that free up stuck [darn] real well. I usualy pull the u-joint and let the shaft sit in a bucket of it for a couple of days. If it still has the end cap on eather end of the splines I pop them out. After a day or two pull it out, bang it around to try and get it to slip some and then soke it again.

Sometimes it takes a day...sometimes a week. They have always come appart in the end.
 
I have got one apart by soaking Liquid Wrench down into the splines and then pounding it apart with a hammer. After every few blows, I would compress it again, to keep the oil working it's way down. After I got it apart, the splines didn't look too bad and I am still using it. There is just a lot of surface area between the two parts to freeze it up. Make sure it is all greased well when you put it back together and run a good seal.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Remind me not to ever let you work on my truck.

[/ QUOTE ]

/forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

I can't believe what I'm reading here.
 
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