c2 driveshaft removal

[Jeremy Hedges]

Just finished a frame off for a guy and he has already burned out the clutch. Going to replace it for him. I am having trouble (already) removing the driveshaft. Can't get the bolts out of the rear end bracket (snubber) to remove it (driveshaft) from the rear. What is the best way to do this? The bolts that go thru the rear end and hold the bracket won't clear the body of the car. Am I going to have to remove the rear spring to get the rear end lower to get these bolts out? I have restored 8 of these C2's now, and I am always removing the body and building the chassis and driveline. So my experince putting this in(with the car together) is limited. Any help or suggestions?

Thanks
Jeremy Hedges
#31711

[Patrick H.]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

I usually just use a ratchet and sneak it up through the space under the rear u-joint, loosening the fasteners and then removing it from the front. I've never had to remove the bracket, snubbers, or anything. You will have to be able to rotate the driveshaft (move the car forward or backward) to get at each nut. Just did this Saturday.

Patrick

[Jeremy Hedges]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

How do you get enough out of the trans to lower it?

Jeremy

[William C.]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

The correct driveshaft has detachable u joints at the front and the rear. Unbolt bothe ends, push the yoke in as far as it will go, and you can lift the driveshaft up in the rear and back until you get enough clearance to drop the driveshaft down and out the front.

[Jeremy Hedges]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

My driveshaft has a u-joint pressed into the driveshaft and the trans yoke, can't remove the U-joint. It is a 65.

Jeremy
#31711

[Patrick H.]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

It should have one end (side) of the u-joint pressed into the driveshaft, and one end (side) of each u-joint bolted via u-bolts to the rear differential or the transmission yoke. When each end is unbolted, the u-joint stays attached to the driveshaft and seaparates from the trans or diff yokes.

Look closely.

If yours is pressed into the trans yoke or the differential, you may be SOL. I've never seen them in that configuration, but that doesn't mean it may not exist on your car.

Patrick

[Jeremy Hedges]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

OK, I have two 65's and one '67 BB, one of the 65's have the caps on the front u-joint and the rear u-joint. But the one I am working on has both the front driveshaft and trans slip yoke pressed in. I just looked. Also the '67 BB has them both pressed in as well. How do I remove the driveshaft with the one that is pressed in in both front components?

Jeremy Hedges
#31711

[William C.]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

As I recall you can't, at least without dropping the rear end. Maybe someone who has done it can add to this, but I always found the connection at the front to be the key.

[Jeremy Hedges]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

Joy!

Jeremy

[frank mccracken]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

I am in the same position right now. Somewhere in my '65's life a normal pass car front yoke was installed. To remove the driveshaft in that situation you would have to drop the diff to remove the shaft. What I have done is aquire the correct yoke and I will cut the front yoke out via the ujoint bores and install the assembly correctly. Not too big a deal. I am just waiting for winter because sure a s#!+ if I do it while I want to drive it the splines will be wrong or something.

[Scott Marzahl]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

Can't you slide the front yoke forward to gain clearance in the rear? In know I just did that on my 67.

[Scott Marzahl]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

I just re-read your posts, instead of dropping the rear end, can you use a large C-clamp and a couple of sockets to press out the U joints?

[frank mccracken]

That how you usually do it with a ....

conventional car. There's not enough room on a C2-C3 to do that. That why there's clamps on the front yokes of those cars. I'd sure like to know how you got you're driveshaft out of your '67 with out undoing the front, 'cause I'd be out there pullin' my drive shaft right now.

[Chuck R.]

Re: c2 driveshaft removal

I agree with Scott.

I can't imagine having to jump through these types of hoops just to drop the drive shaft.

On my 68, I removed the rear yoke bolts, slid the whole shaft assembly forward pushing the slip yoke farther into the the tranny tail stock housing and then dropped the rear of the drive shaft down and away from the pinion yoke.

I then just pulled the drive shaft backwards and slid the whole slip yoke assembly out followed by a nice dribble of #80 grease.

Both the slip and drive shaft yokes are press fit on mine.

Chuck