Pulling transmission - Page 8

**SpiderWebb** · #**106** (**permalink**) 07-02-2008, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadwhite

Joe Papa
My plans are to , at some time pick up a rebuildable trans and work on it at my leisure. Eventually I'll have a usable one to replace my current one, but for now it's summer time fun!

**gadwhite** · #**107** (**permalink**) 07-02-2008, 06:51 PM

Spiderwebb
I'll take some new pictures, after I clean her up. I've been driving her to work for couple of weeks now and she needs a bath. One tip since my clutch job. Make sure to check under the car after driving for the first time and then after a few days. My drive shaft, center support , came un bolted on one side and was making a thumping sound. Lucky I caught it.

Cheers Gabriel

jetta06hbg · #**108** (**permalink**) 08-19-2008, 06:37 PM

Gabriel,

I have been reading this thread over and over in anticipation of replacing the clutch on my car. Just to confirm, you supported the rear of your car on jack stands and the front on ramps. If so, how was the working clearance up front?

And how was the stability of the car while you were under the car wrenching.

And this is a great thread, chock full of good info and pics.

Thanks,
Joe

**gadwhite** · #**109** (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 10:11 AM

Joe
I actually used the ramps because I was worried about stability on just jackstands, and I would say it was solid. The clearance was one thing I worried about, and when using the trans jack I had just enough room while under the car to raise and lower the trans, but when I needed to get the trans out from under the car, I think I had to take the trans off the trans jack and pull it out near the driver's side front wheel. Since you may have to put the trans on it's side I recommend draining it before you start.

Good luck

jetta06hbg · #**110** (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpiderWebb

Go gadwhite, go!

Mine will be out tonight, come hell or high water! Everything's disconnected, sans the clutch housing bolts. The driveshaft was a bear-cat! I finally was able to pound out, gently, the universals. The bolts were on too well, just like yours.

I disconnected all of the 'c' clips on the universal's, and chose a side to start with at random.

I pounded on one side of the uni with a socket and hammer. The other side of the uni poked out. With liquid wrench spray, I was then able to remove it with a vice grip (replacement universals on standby).

Then, using the socket again went form the other side, the now smaller end, sans the cap. Pounding on that, and using liquid wrench liberally, it finally slipped out the other side. Once again using the vice grip to remove that one.

Using the same procedure, I was able to get the other two caps off as well and the universal was out!

I ruined a good socket doing it, but, the job is done and the driveshaft is out and laying on the garage floor ready for cleaning and refurbishing.

It was easy to remove the bolts now, because a socket fit the top and they broke loose with little effort! With the wrenches, and universal's in place, they would not budge and I feared for my wrenches. They were bending!!!!!

I forgot to mark the universal casting ends. Oops. I guess it'll need to be balanced now.

**gadwhite** · #**111** (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 11:16 AM

I think it was just a matter of about 30 minutes. I used a socket extension, and banged on the cap, pushing it in, until I could grab the protruding cap on the other side with vise grips. Pulled it off ( got a shower of needle bearings), but then banged it from the other side until I got the first cap out. Then I was able to turn the cross of the u-joint enough to free the drive shaft. hope this helps.

jetta06hbg · #**112** (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadwhite

I think it was just a matter of about 30 minutes. I used a socket extension, and banged on the cap, pushing it in, until I could grab the protruding cap on the other side with vise grips. Pulled it off ( got a shower of needle bearings), but then banged it from the other side until I got the first cap out. Then I was able to turn the cross of the u-joint enough to free the drive shaft. hope this helps.

jetta06hbg · #**113** (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 01:04 PM

I pushed out the other end, mostly. The wall of the cap is still inside the yoke though the top, needles and spring are out. Now, I have to try to wiggle the u-joint to free the rear shaft.

Any tips? Should it just twist and come out?

Thanks,
Joe

jetta06hbg · #**114** (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 03:46 PM

I took advantage of the play in the u-joint in previously taking out two of the four caps by removing the four bolts on the flange with a socket wrench. Of course, the driveshaft will not separate from the flange.

Any ideas?

I am thinking of using a hacksaw to cut through the corrosion. I have already tried a ball peen hammer.

Oh, so close.

jetta06hbg · #**115** (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 04:25 PM

Success in getting the drive shaft disconnected from the differential! I trotted out the 24 oz ball peen hammer and a few minutes later it popped off right onto the awaiting jack stand.

The rear shaft should simply be pulled out from the center support bearing, leaving the front shaft still connected?

Thanks!
Joe

**gadwhite** · #**116** (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 04:54 PM

Joe
If you are asking can you pull the shaft through the center support bearing , the answer is no. You will have to unbolt the center support from the underside of the car. IAP has a decent video on how to replace the bearing, if it needs it. This is assuming you have unbolted from the Guibi.( big rubber flex joint)

jetta06hbg · #**117** (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadwhite

Joe
If you are asking can you pull the shaft through the center support bearing , the answer is no. You will have to unbolt the center support from the underside of the car. IAP has a decent video on how to replace the bearing, if it needs it. This is assuming you have unbolted from the Guibi.( big rubber flex joint)

jetta06hbg · #**118** (**permalink**) 08-30-2008, 08:55 AM

Phew! The car had been kicking my "you-know-what" for the last couple of nights. I removed the nuts from the fork at the flex joint per the manual to remove the driveshaft but the tunnel housing the shaft tapers and blocks its removal.

So this morning, I switched to removing the other three nuts. Taking advantage of the flex joint being halfway pulled out, I was able to get a 19mm box end wrench on the bolt while tackling the nut with a 19mm socket. Once the nut started moving, I finished the removal with an air ratchet.

In the picture below, I used some leftover insulation to serve as a soft landing for the driveshaft and a means to gently remove the driveshaft from underneath the car.

The next step is to recondition and rebuild the driveline with new u-joints, center bearing, center support and flex joint.

Joe

jetta06hbg · #**119** (**permalink**) 08-31-2008, 11:51 AM

...it's time for one stop thread shopping.

I drained the transmission of gear oil and used a 12mm allen socket to vent the fill hole and a 22mm (six point) socket to open the drain plug on my 1990 Graduate to let the gear oil flow quickly into the awaiting container.

And it is a good idea to place the bucket not directly underneath the drain plug but in line with the arcing blast of oil when the drain plug is totally removed.

I am straining the gear oil into another container to see if there are any loose pieces of metal. Hopefully, there isn't any.

And the HF transmission jack is now US$ 64.99.

Joe

**101/105guy** · #**120** (**permalink**) 08-31-2008, 09:37 PM

Are you guys thinking about replacing the pinion seal on the diff while it's easy ?
That's one goopy diff !!