trying to take the damn propshaft off so i can grease that center ball. 30 minute job according to a thread i found here. i'm on hour 3 and i cannot get the damn shaft off.

i finally got all four nuts off the transfer case side but i cannot get the bolts out! is there some trick? the bolt end is behind this small metal lip (t case side, metal part propshaft attaches to). so they don't slide out. i am trying to get the four nuts off the diff side now and just take the whole thing out but they are ridiculously hard to loosen (i am a wuss i guess) and i'm just gonna strip them. so any tricks to sliding off the shaft from those bolts on t case side or am i in a world of ****? a LR shop install propshaft for me so maybe they used wrong bolts or something.

just venting now, but this damn propshaft is going to be the end of me. i'm sure it'll get easier when i figure out the process but at this point i'm ready to sell the damn truck!

 

You don't need to take the bolts out. If the shaft can't compress enough to just "drop", jack the vehicle up on the chassis, letting the axles droop.

 

Also mark it so you put it back in same orientation, don't want any minor dings to be come imbalances when 90 or 180 degress rotated from original.

 

Also, for the future, I've always found it far easier to remove the nuts and bolts at the front differential first. I use a boxed 9/16th and an open 9/16th wrench but not before applying a good amount of heat. A Mapp gas or propane torch will melt the plastic inside the nylock nuts (you don't want to reuse the nuts anywhat) making it easy to remove the nuts and bolts at the front diff.

Then you can maneuver the shaft to gain access with a socket. You can even use an impact at this point and the nuts will be off in seconds.

 

you guys are awesome, thanks so much.

i felt like a fool - rightfully so - when i finally got all nuts off and realized it compressed!

now i found the lincoln nozzle i bought from amazon doesn't fit my centering ball! back to napa i guess.

i did mark it first using instructions i found on this site, used liquid paper.

having finally got it off i do see it isn't that bad but thanks for letting me whine about it anyway

as an aside Paul, got that air intake hose thing from you super quick and it installed like a dream. first time i can say that on this beast. i really appreciate the great service.

 

Just to be sure I understand - you have a greaseable centering ball, you just couldn't get to the grease fitting?

 

i could get to it and see it but the needle i got from amazon (a lucas part, saw info here somewhere) didn't fit. went to napa, got the part, got that darn ball greased. propshaft is back on and next time will be a ton easier but man it kicked my butt today.

and now i have SES light on and 4 codes but at least i know it isn't from my propshaft work! this thing wants me to sell it...off to search codes.