Driveshaft question

[Gary L]

I noticed that one of the bolts on the front driveshaft yoke was missing and none had been safety wired so I thought it would be a good time to service the joints and generally correct some things. My TM states that after removing the front bolts it's simply a matter of moving the shaft clear from the drum and sliding it out of the drive pinion shaft of transmission. Well that's easier said than done. My shaft is stuck and stuck good. I have tapped around on it with a hammer but dont want to hurt anything. Even used a block of wood and hit it until the wood split still it wont move one bit. I can still put the bolts back in so it has not moved at all. Should I just be hitting it harder? Am I missing something? Its like the driveshaft is too long for the distance between the transmission and the brake drum and it's been wedged in there. Is there a dimension from the face of the drum to the face of the transmission I can check?
Thanks, Gary L

[Chuck W.]

The front yoke that fits into the brake drum and front differential drive flange is a tight fit and can be a PITA to get loose sometimes. You may have to use a pry bar at the front U-joint. Keep working with it and itr will eventually come loose.

[Gary L]

Thanks for the advice Chuck. I tried and tried. My pry bar is only about 24 inches and maybe I just needed a longer one but I finally just gave up. Don't get me wrong the advice was spot on but I just could'nt get it done. Decided it might be easier if I just took the U-Joint out. After I got the first half of it loose and took the pressure off the drive flange about fell out. I should have mentioned before that along with 1 of the bolts missing it looked like the drum was running a little crooked on the backing plate. I noticed as soon as I relieved some pressure off the drum all kinds of racket was going on inside the drum. I think the brake shoe roller on top had slipped behind the actuating arm and was putting everything in a bind. Maybe that is why it was so hard to get off. I also found the reason why there were only 3 bolts. 1 thread is completely stripped out in the companion flange. Add that to the buy list. I guess now I have two questions: First I have about a sixteenth of an inch of pad on the ends of the brake shoes and about an eighth of an inch in the middle of the shoes, is it time to replace while it's tore down or is that about right? Second Would you replace the seal that the companion flange rides in while it's down as well? Rear seal too?

Sorry for all the questions, Gary L

[Rod]

Gary,

It IS time to replace the shoes and seals while you have it down....

[Gary L]

Thanks Rod, I'll get the parts coming this way. Strange though, the pile of parts I have taken off this mule are beginning to look eerily similar to the mule I once bought. Just a few more parts and I may have a second mule.

Gary L

[Gary L]

I got the backing plate off and cleaned up. Looks like it took a pretty big hit during this whole ordeal and now only one side of the brake appears to be functioning properly while the otherside is in a bind. Tried to straighten the plate but I think it is just to sharp of a crease right where it mounts to bring it back. Add that to the list.Funny how a chain reaction can set things in motion. I just hope it stops before the rear tires. Does everybody go thru this?

[Gary L]

Guys, I know I ask alot of questions but something is BAD WRONG with this driveline. I have replaced all the seals, U-joints, backing plate, brakes, bolts, springs and companion bearing. Anything that looked questionable got replaced. I put it all back together carefully. Cleaned everything torqued the companion nut to 80 lbs and still the driveshaft appears to be too long for the chassis!! The transmission output housing is rubbing on the dust shield that is pressed on the driveshaft to the point it is rounding off the nose of the housing and the dust shield is showing wear inside the shield. I checked the shield and it is pressed all the way on as far as it will go. Best I can tell with the rear U-Joint taken out it looks like the shaft is about an 1/8th of an inch too long with the front left bolted up to the brake. I did notice that the gaskets were left out of the frame tube to rear axle and frame tube to front axle. Are these gaskets enough to make the difference between fitting as it should and rubbing. How thick are these gaskets? Is there a magic dimension from rear axle to front axle I should be trying to hold? Thanks for any input.

[Chuck W.]

Gary, I'm tied up with the convention right now, but I'll try to get a measurement for you. Better yet, if you make it to Huntsville, you're more than welcome to crawl under my mules and measure whatever you want. I'll even have a tape you can use. If you have your driveshaft out, bring it with you and we'll take a close look at it. There are spacer plates that go between the frame tubes and axle housings, I'll have to do a little research to find when/where they are used, but sounds like you might need them on your mule.

[Gary L]

Chuck,
Thank you very much. I look forward to it on Thursday and will bring everything with me. Especially a camera which will probably answer alot of my questions and last alot longer than my memory. Everyone have a safe trip and look forward to meeting all of you.