Ok. Last update for awhile.
The good news... I got to a point where I
know what has to be done to finish removing the diff.
The bad news... the people who came ahead of us (TBSSOwners, etc.) -- were right.
To get it out, you
must either...
- Remove the oil pan (this would be my choice, for cleaning / checking the bottom end). The gasket is reusable, and I've done this on the Sierra. Good opportunity to renew the oil pump o-ring, too, along with cleaning out the pan, etc., etc.)
- Move the engine (not my choice, because of all the work that had to be done from the bottom, anyway). If I were going this direction, I'd use a hoist, and work as if you were going to R&R the engine. Lots more work, in my mind -- but you'd gain a lot of room to work, as a result.
Alternately... you could loosen the bolts and
try removal from the top -- but you
will have to remove the LH exhaust manifold, in addition to everything else you've removed. There's a good chance the exhaust pipe after the manifold will have to come out as well (and I didn't trace that back to see where the next connection is, but I think it's after the crossover to get to the P/S.
The 'small' end of the diff is pointing forward -- so when you look at it from the front, it appears there's a chance. It's when you get to the back end, removing the driveshaft, that your hopes get dashed.
There's a crossmember that will need to be removed, and I saw what's involved with that -- you won't need to touch the LCA.
I'm stopping here for tonight, and I won't be able to work on this tomorrow. When I pick this back up, I will look to see if LCA removal will help, but the LCA alone will NOT eliminate oil pan or engine moving (whichever you prefer). So pick your poison, and get ready to swallow a dose
Over the weekend, I'll start building out the 'at-large' thread on doing this. You've got enough here to go forward. If you have questions, I'll do my best to answer.
Sorry it didn't work out like we hoped.
PS: I did get the rest of the disconnect out 'clean' -- it was actually loose. Just had to wiggle it a little bit, gripping 180" apart. (e.g.; no galvanic corrosion. Yay me.)
PPS: The intermediate shaft is designed to come out / go in
via the P/S There's a threaded end on that side that will support a M6 bolt; if you have a slide hammer, use it.
I don't have a slide hammer, so I threaded the bolt on, along with a couple of washers, and hooked up a pair of vice grips (as per
@m.mcmillen , from a post years ago (kudos to him!) ). But what worked best for me was driving it out from the other end, with pry bar and long screwdrivers.
Finally, do not try and drive the intermediate shaft from the P/S -- when you look inside at the D/S of the diff, after pulling the axle on that side, you see a piece of the diff (round bar) that crosses the width of the opening. So it has to come out / go in via the P/S.
But if you're careful, you can use something
long, thin, and flat, along with your BFH, to drive the shaft out of the diff / pan (driver's side to passenger side). I started with the long pry bar, and ended with two long flat screwdrivers (needs to get smaller & thinner, otherwise, you'll jam the driving tool in the diff).
If you drive it out... don't worry about scratching the end of the shaft (I didn't).
Do clean off whatever you use to drive out the shaft. You don't want to introduce dirt / grit into the gearing, if you're not going to rebuild it.
)
