Hello everyone -
I have never done anything with the drive train of any vehicle but would like to get my feet wet on something simple.
I have two items I would like to take on. The first is to take off the drive shaft so I can replace the u-joints, clean it up and paint it.
The second, more major,is to replace the gasket between the rear differential carrier and rear axle housing. (It is leaking and the PO has almost covered the entire bottom with a permatex like material)
After spending a lot of time looking at the shop manual(s) I see that there are two bolts holding the drive shaft/u-joint to the companion flange. I assume I need to remove those two bolts to separate the back side from the rear end, but I can not find a diagram showing how to remove the front portion. Is it a spline set-up where the drive shaft (including the u-joint) will slide off of the output shaft? I have seen pictures where the output shaft housing was removed. Does this need to be done?
By the way, this is the stock 3 speed hydramatic transmission. I do not believe it has overdrive.
Anyone have some advice for a newbie?
Thanks!
Ross
