I just picked up a reman passenger side driveshaft from autozone today and have 2 questions about installing it. I was told by a Nissan tech that the driveshafts for the LSD models with ABS differ from the regular 6mt cars. I have the transmission with the LSD. I was also told that the reman shafts are generic and might need to be modified depending on what options you have. Does anyone know if I need to do anything to the reman shaft before I can install it?

Also, after 110K miles of driving, I'm sure the shaft that is on the car won't want to easily slide pase the splines on the spider gear in the differential. For those of you that have changed driveshafts before, what did you do to get the shaft out of the transmission?

Thanks.

 

I've been told a few times that on an 03 there is only 1 design of driveshaft whether you have HLSD or not

 

On the daughter's 2000, the passenger side was a bear. After removing the 3 bolts for the bearing retainer, the axle couldn't be pulled out as the bearing was frozen inside the bracket. Rather than removing the bracket, I used a chisel to try and turn the outer part of the bracket, but no go. I then heated the bracket and then the axle was able to be pulled out easily. Once out, I cleared the inside of the bracket of rust, and then cleaned up the outside of the bearing as I was just replacing the torn boots and keeping the OE assembly.
The driver's side needed to be pried out of the trans, but the pass side comes out easily.

See you're only about 5 miles away.

 

I'll have to call the stealership tomorrow and ask again. When I called the first time, the guy wasn't able to give me a straight answer.

 

Another fellow Mercer County Resident! Where about?

Hmmm, maybe I should pick up some Mapp gas. Or would that be to hot? Propane maybe?

 

I asked Dave B, and also by looking through 2 websites with part numbers lists there is only one version of drive shafts for the 03

 

Axle, not driveshaft FWIW.

And no, the passenger side doesn't matter for HLSD or not.

 

Alright well thanks guys.

 

Actually Hunterdon County, between Stockton and Ringoes, and Mapp ia what I uaed. I covered the oil pan sensor with a wet rag, and moved the O2 sensor line out of the way. Just hit it with short burts if there is a problem getting the bearing out of the bracket.

 

I just put the big retainer nut back on the shaft and used it as a handle to repeatedly yank on it. The axle had a little slack in the old joints so it was like it made itself into a slide hammer.

 

That may work fine if you're replacing the axle, but I wouldn't get into the habit of it. You'll end up doing that to an axle you're removing but not replacing, and end up ruining it.

Also the axle could split apart at the joints doing this, then you'd still have to pop it out of the trans the proper way; just take the extra 30 seconds (although it's actually quicker) to use a pry bar to get the axle out.

 

I'm having a hell of a time getting the passenger axle out. The axle will not come out of the bracket despite using over 1 minute of heat. Should I just use more? What methods do you guys use?

 

Are you using any sort of force, or just heating it up and tugging on it?

I've never had to use heat to get a passenger side axle out, just basic hand tools.

If you put the bolts back in (but not all the way), you can tap on the heads of them to slowly drive the axle out of the carrier bracket.

If nothing else, you could cut a slit in between the axle and the bracket, and use a prybar or a chisel to force it away.

Search around the forums, there are many threads on good ways to get the axle out.

 

Heat+pb blaster and taping it with a punch to rotate the CV cup in the carrier. I've got a small gap at this point but its quite tedious. I tried using the screws in 2 ways but there is no room to fit a socket on the outside and no room to tap on the screws because the cat is in the way.

 

Why a socket?

Just use a long extension and a hammer to hit them.

The converter is a lot further back, it shouldn't be in your way at all...

 

The idea was the turn the screws back into the CV cup housing and turn the screws against the carrier to force the cup out, from the outside. Even with extensions there is no space on the driver side to strike screws or any other striking instrument and something with a heatshield is in the way (I assumed it was the cat). The bolts holding the shield on are badly rusted so I didn't want to try and take it off.

I ended up getting it out by slowly striking the CV with a blunt object at an angle which caused it to rotate and slide out with each blow. It took about 2 hours to get it out but its out. I'm going to buy an air hammer tomorrow....

 

Just for future reference:
Heat then a chisel between the bolt flanges. First use heat on the engine side of the bracket, then a very sharp chisel between the bracket halves. When it starts to separate, place the chisel between the bolt flanges and drive upwards. Go easy and the bracket will continue to separate. After I had it apart, I cleaned the rust off the outer shell of the bearing and all the rust from the inner part of the bracket with emery cloth. Used ant seize when it was put back together.

 

That's similar to what I did, worked well enough.


For those of you who have done this, how did you install the CV shaft seal without the nissan tool?

Thanks