Tips for removing the driveshaft from the diff?

Bmachine

Bmachine

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I was trying to remove the bolts (17mm?) linking the driveshaft to the diff. Unfortunately the are face towards the rear and there is not enough room to put an impact wrench or a breaker bar with a socket on them. So you have to use a boxed end wrench. With my car is on jacks and therefore just a couple of feet off the ground it is very difficult to get enough room to exert lots of force to loosen these bad boys. Especially since I have to do the old "One open end wrench cocked into another" to get some extra leverage.

Is there any trick to help do that while on your back with little room to move?

Thank you.
 
set the emergency brake to lock the wheels
or i stick a bar through the wheel to lock em
then undo the bottom one at a time
resetting 1/4 turn each time
 
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Thanks Alan and Mike. I ended up getting a set of these "Crowfoot Flare nut set" at Harbor freight so I can use a breaker bar on them.

Any reason I should not use those? I would have rather had a full closed end one but this covers 4 sides and 5 corners so it is at least better then an open end wrench.
 

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Bo,

I have always removed these like you, laying on my back with only jack stands for clearance. Box wrench has always done it, try pulling and not pushing, I think you may get a bit more leverage. Head of bolt has a flat spot so only one wrench needed for the nut.
 
Flare wrenches, especially cheaper ones, are not that strong and can stretch and slip when you put some muscle on them
 
Just a tip, years ago a neighbour took his driveshaft off his pickup truck while it was on ramps…… not a good idea, as it broke his arm on the way down once he got that last bolt off. Darwin award I guess.
 
Finally got it done. Combination of that breaker bar and flare nut as well as boxed end wrenches with some help from the mighty Persuader.

I was cautious about it falling off so I had it supported by a floor jack.

Thanks for the good tips!
 
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