[OxFactor]

Pulling my engine (see other thread) - down to the step of removing the rear driveshaft & it should pop right out.

I'm following what's described in the attached picture; however, only thing that's came loose so far is the wrong end! The end that goes into the diff popped out easily (unintentionally spilling gear oil all over my garage floor too, mind you) - but "not" the intended end nearest the engine. I can't get this joint to budge at all - advice?

 

[fishfiles]

would have to think it is frozen on the spline with rust , good penetrating oil like Areo-Kroil or Deep Creep may help , if you can't hit , pry or grab in the position it is in now , then maybe pull the rear end and swing arm and get to it like that , I know it is a lot of extra work but you don't want to break anything

 

[Jeepwm69]

I always pull the joint off the rear of the motor, rather than try to pull the shaft out of the joint.

Take a flat blade screwdriver and pry it off the output shaft coming out of the motor.

 

[OxFactor]

I got it ... thanks. A bit of PB Blaster, a 12" adjustable wrench, & a hammer did the trick.

Additional question: I see that the end that fits into the diff is spring loaded & comes out easily - I lost all the gear oil out of the diff as a result, normal? Also, while I had the engine out, I was hoping to give the frame a good wash-down - any advice on how to keep the water out of the diff with no pressure on the driveshaft keeping that end in?

 

[fishfiles]

plastic bag and duct tape

 

[Jeepwm69]

Yep. I just rebuilt a 420 motor with a newer (like under a year old) rear end in it and had the same thing; gear lube leaked out when I had the diff pulled back to get the driveshaft out. That's normal.

Do what fishfiles said to keep water out while your power washing.

Make sure to top off your rear diff when you're done with the job.

 

[shadetree]

plastic bag, large/long zip tie, that's how I do them when the motor is out, and it needs a power wash.

 

[BILL ALLEN]

plastic bag and duct tape

I'm replacing the timing chain in my 2001 Honda rancher 350 4 4 and can't figure out how to remove the front and rear drive shaft, please help?

 

[shadetree]

I'm replacing the timing chain in my 2001 Honda rancher 350 4 4 and can't figure out how to remove the front and rear drive shaft, please help?

why are you pulling front drive shaft ?, the front drive shaft does not need to come out. only the rear engine cover needs to be removed. for your model, drop the rear swing arm, you will need a 17mm allen wrench to remove the swing arm bolts, once these are out, drop the whole swing arm from the out put shaft.then you can remove the rear engine cover. you can either drain the oil ?, or jack the back end up really high, then pull the rear cover. just in case you do not know ?, your cam chain is behind the rear engine cover !. you can find good help over here ----> www.atvhonda.com, thats where we hang now.