All right everyone I have a 1980 Corvette with an Auto Trans.  How the heck do you get the drive shaft out.  I also have a lift in my garage.  With the car up on the lift I can hardly see the rear universal much less get my hand and a wrench up in there to take off the u-bolts holding the universal.  All the manuals have a bracket on the front of the differential that mounts to the rear cross member.  They say remove the bracket then the u-bolts and push the drive shaft forward then over the differential and pull it out of the transmission.

 

Well there is no bracket on the front of my differential.  Where the bracket should be is the front of the differential, basically the bracket is cast into the front of the differential.  Also there is no way there is enough room to push the drive shaft over the differential.  I know there must be a trick to it I just don't know the trick. 

 

Help!

 

Glenn Wagner

AKA milkman

Easton, MD

Remove the front bolts on the shaft, then slide the yoke into the trans as far as it will go. That will give you some "wiggle" room to move the shaft to get to the rear bolts. You'll need either REALLY small hands, or a long extension on a ratchet to get the rear bolts out.
 The '80 cars with the auto trans have the aluminuminum diffs, so no removable bracket on those....
Adams' Apple2011-08-19 10:04:10

As Joel said, a long extension is the way to go, though i've got a 78 and 76, the frame should be the same. Using a long extensioin, like 2 foot extension,you would have to go in over the crossmember along the drive shaft to line up on the bolts on the U-joint strap bolt, it really helps the removal of the differential U-joint, saves some knuckle skin and aggrevation too, cause i got big hands too...

Thanks for the reply, it looks like it going to fun getting the drive shaft out. I'm pulling the engine and trans so I'll be able to slide the whole thing foward after I pull the engine. I am a bit worried getting the rear hooked back up, but where there is a will there is a way.

Thanks Jim, I get a long extenshion and try that.