The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline dropping the driveshaft 51 GMC

I'm just getting around to (it's been 20 years) my 51 GMC 1/2T short bed PU. Clutch poblems so I need to drop the driveshaft. I'm at the point where I'm suppose to slide the slip yoke and journal assembly back onto the shaft and lower the torque tube to the floor. Problem is the cross member (rear transmissioo mounts to) will not let me drop it to the floor so I can remove the transmission. I can remove the slip yoke by jacking up the driveshaft but the splined shaft is still in the way. Do I need to remove the cross member or what am I missing?

Did you remove the yoke mount from the cross member? That should give you the clearance.


Pete

I move/slide/tap the rear u-joint yoke backwards far enough to allow the torque-tube to be moved up again the floor/bed. I then place a piece of 2x4 across the insides of both frame rails to hold the torque-tube up and out of the way.

It is then a piece of cake to remove and replace any transmission with no obstructions.

Tim/Pete, This has a single u-joint (model 101-22). The cross member that causes the interference is the one with the transmission mount (I've removed that so the only thing left is the cross member itself). I can remove the slip yoke but there is not enough room to remove the housing ball (I need just another 1/4" to get that off but the splined shaft would still prevent me from dropping the shaft to the floor. Maybe if I could wiggle the housing ball off I could get the torque tube up high enough to remove the transmission as suggested but with the housing ball on the torque tube, I don't think the transmission could move far enough to the rear to get it off. I'll look at it again tomorrow. Thanks for the quick replies.