Quote:
Originally Posted by 1963chevyc20
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Maybe I missed it, but do you have the drive shaft out yet? I think you might be thinking those clips help you get it out, but they don't. You don't need to remove them - almost never.
The drive shaft doesn't bolt into the transmission. it just pokes into the back of the tranny like a finger into a dog's butt. (dont think about THAT mental image too long!). There's no bolts there.
To get it loose from the pumpkin (where it connects at the rear axle) you just undo those four u-joint bolts at the back and get them out. I undo the nuts on them until they're overhanging the u-bolts (so they protect the threads) then bang them gently with a hammer. You can pry on the U portion with a flathead screwdriver too to help convince them they need to get the heck out.
Once they're out the back of the drive shaft might fall out in your hands (or on your head). Be careful there.
If it doesn't fall out, lay under it and give it a little shove toward the front of the truck. It'll sink farther into the transmission (that's ok), popping out of the groove that the Ubolts held it into. Then you can lay the back of it on the ground and just pull it out of the transmission with a POP!
Tada, roll it out from under the truck and go to town.
Hope that helps. Sorry if I missed you getting it out somewhere and you're removing clips to replace linkage.