Removing rear drive shaft from 70 280sl.

[CJHenderson]

if I pull the intermediate bearing cover can I pull out the rear drive shaft or do I still need to undo the axle ujoint? Another question is: What is the wrench size to uncouple the sleeve nut? Thanks in advance for any and all advice and help

[rgafitanu@gmail.com]

If you unbolted it from the transmission, the diff and the bearing housing then it should come out. The wrenches are 42 and 46 mm but tightening them is a nightmare because you have to do it with the car resting on its wheels and it is very tight.

[Benz Dr.]

Why does the car have to be on it's wheels? If it's to keep the drive shaft from turning wouldn't the parking brake do the same thing?

[CJHenderson]

The car is stripped down to just the drive shaft and rear still on the car. This looks like I'm going to have to lock the rear down then remove the U-joint bolts from the rear.

[CJHenderson]

Got the drive shaft out. Amazing what a 17mm crowsfoot and wrench a large straight slot screwdriver and a breaker bar can do when you are sure that you messed up to start with

[rgafitanu@gmail.com]

The car would have to sit on it's wheels not to block rotation but to ensure the correct length of the shaft when the rear suspension is loaded considering it is pivoting about the trunk mount. When I removed my 3.27 diff from the donor the rear axle was moving without the shaft. I got it from many posts here on the forum, the BBB doesn't say anything and I would not have done that, it was a PITA. I guess that if you don't split the shaft then you don't have to do it.

[Rick]

I hope you marked its relation to the front driveshaft.