Drive shaft removal in 1974 coupe

[Dan T.]

I am restoring a 1974 L82 coupe and I am in the process of pulling the engine. I am ready to disconnect the drive shaft, called the propellor shaft in the service manual. I have removed the strap attachments but cannot budge the drive shaft. There is very little room but my guess would be I need to pull it forward to detach it from the rear, then move it back to disengage it from the transmission. Then move it down and forward to remove. Does anyone have any guidance on this? Is there a trick to getting the drive shaft to move at all initially?
Thanks,

Dan

[Joe L.]

Re: Drive shaft removal in 1974 coupe

I am restoring a 1974 L82 coupe and I am in the process of pulling the engine. I am ready to disconnect the drive shaft, called the propellor shaft in the service manual. I have removed the strap attachments but cannot budge the drive shaft. There is very little room but my guess would be I need to pull it forward to detach it from the rear, then move it back to disengage it from the transmission. Then move it down and forward to remove. Does anyone have any guidance on this? Is there a trick to getting the drive shaft to move at all initially?
Thanks,

Dan

Dan-----


They can be difficult to remove. That's one of the reasons that 63-82 Corvettes use the "saddle type" transmission yoke while most other Chevrolets use the "full round" type yokes.

What you have surmised is what you need to do. Push it forward as far as you can, then try to disengage the rear u-joint from the pinion flange saddle. Once disengaged, lower it. Then, remove it from the transmission yoke saddle and remove the driveshaft.

Unfortunately, for some reason, the 71+ driveshafts (as well as 68-70 with THM-400) are more difficult to remove than 63-67 (and 68-70 with manual trans). Even those are hard enough.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Drive shaft removal in 1974 coupe

If you have all the straps off both ends of the drive shaft put a pry bar in between and pry the driveshaft U-Joint out of the yoke on both ends.
The end at the transmission should have straps and if it dosen't Bubba has been their.

[Gary V.]

Re: Drive shaft removal in 1974 coupe

I am restoring a 1974 L82 coupe and I am in the process of pulling the engine. I am ready to disconnect the drive shaft, called the propellor shaft in the service manual. I have removed the strap attachments but cannot budge the drive shaft. There is very little room but my guess would be I need to pull it forward to detach it from the rear, then move it back to disengage it from the transmission. Then move it down and forward to remove. Does anyone have any guidance on this? Is there a trick to getting the drive shaft to move at all initially?
Thanks,

Dan

The below is understood that the body is still on.
Disconnect the shaft from the transmission yoke first. Use a small pry to pop the joint out of the front yoke. Watch the bearing caps so the do not fall off. Wrap some masking tape around the caps to prevent this. Now slide the shaft to the slide and pull the trans yoke out. This give more room for the shaft to come out. Now disconnect the rear u joint and slide the shaft out of the towards the front. Watch the caps. Tape them asap.
If you were not going replace the ujoints you would have also marked the relationship of the trans yoke to the shaft for balance.

Gary V. www.Vtechcorvette.com

[Dan T.]

Re: Drive shaft removal in 1974 coupe

Thanks this was very helpful.

[Dan T.]

Re: Drive shaft removal in 1974 coupe

Thanks this was helpful. All the straps were there, but I have noticed other spots where I was not first.