Easy to change driveshafts?

[BSOD2600]

To change the driveshaft for my 5MT, is it really as easy as taking off the few bolts along the shaft, and installing in reverse order? Or is there something more complicated/not so obvious?

[93forestpearl]

Its not bad if you follow the proper steps. Unless you have air tools, loosen the axel nut before anything else. Personally, I like to slide the ball joint out of the knuckle instead of loosening the strut. Other than that, make shure you remove/install the axel spring pin from the chamfered side. GL

[BSOD2600]

Hmm, about half of what you just said, I have no idea about. What are the proper steps for removing/installing the driveshaft?

I'm replacing mine because the center bearing is going out, thus causing the driveshaft to wobble some.

[AWD_addict]

There's a metal cover that has a few bolts, 4 nuts and bolts on the rear diff flange, 2 bolts holding the center bearing up, and slide it out.

Access is tight to the rear 4 nuts/bolts, I used a wrench rather than a socket.

[BSOD2600]

There's a metal cover that has a few bolts, 4 nuts and bolts on the rear diff flange, 2 bolts holding the center bearing up, and slide it out.

My quick look last night, thats what I thought it was going to take.

What the heck is 93forestpearl going on about then?

[AWD_addict]

Halfshaft/drive axle.

What you are after is referred to as the propshaft/ driveline.

[BSOD2600]

bah, it's semantics.

Anyways, thanks for the info. Plan on doing the swap this evening.

[bmxkelowna]

no what you are referring too is called the drive shaft

"half shafts" are called cv axles

[AWD_addict]

I've had to clarify when buying both, so it is pretty bah.

You're welcome.

[BSOD2600]

Well swapping was pretty painless. Took ~1.5 hrs since I only had 2 jack stands so had to rig something else up for the front wheels.

I notice the shaft that goes into the tranny has missing teeth on opposite ends -- yet the tranny shaft didn't have any. Is there a reason why the drive shaft has it notched? It seemed to go in just fine regardless.

Anyways, after getting all put back together, I took it for a quick drive around the block. Didn't hear my ~20 mph knocking anymore! yay!. After inspecting the old shaft, it seems the center bearing was fine (well at least the two shafts have about the same amount of play). The yoke at the end of the shaft though had a tiny amount of play, so I guess thats what I was hearing.

[555BCTurbo]

Yay!! No more noise!!

[AWD_addict]

Hooray, easy troubleshoot!
Was this the older design with a cylinder-looking joint in the middle, or the later style with a u-joint in the middle?

[BSOD2600]

I'm guessing u-joint.

[AWD_addict]

Yep, that's it. Supposedly the other design is inferior, but both styles seem more likely to fail at the end than at the center. So maybe it's just lighter or cheaper than the other kind.

I had a transmission-end u-joint seize on a cylinder-looking joint driveline.