Front driveshaft question

[Clint3240]

Hello, I have a 2007 NBS 2500 duramax and I want to remove my front driveshaft to have it balanced and joints replaced, I am trying to eliminate a vibration. Can I drive with the shaft out or will my truck be down while it's being repaired? Thanks

[davester]

I can't say for sure, as I don't know your specific transfer case setup, but for my '04 Sierra, it has an NP261HD transfer case, and for that, you can safely drive around with the driveshaft out. The shaft bolts to the front diff, and the yoke slides inside the front output shaft of the transfer case (unlike the yoke on the rear driveshaft, which goes around the outside of the rear output shaft, and when removed, fluid would come out).

 

You might want to find out the specific model transfer case you have in your truck and then look at parts diagrams for it to confirm how exactly it goes, but it's likely the same as mine.

[Formulabruce]

If its electronic T case, you can drive without the front shaft. A floor shifted T case, I have my doubts about ( Work truck)

[Clint3240]

It is a floor shifter, so if no fluid comes out I am ok?

[davester]

It is likely the same. GM likes sharing as many parts as possible...

 

For my '04, both the electronic and manual shift transfer cases use exactly the same front output driveshaft and yoke, and even much of the internals of the transfer case are shared.

[Clint3240]

Well I just put a camera under my truck and drove, the front shaft doesn't even spin. I thought it always did. So that's obviously not my vibration

[davester]

Yeah, if everything is working properly, the front shaft doesn't rotate unless you are in 4wd. The transfer case is disconnected from the chain driving the front output shaft, and the front differential actuator disengages the passenger wheel from the diff, so the driver's side wheel just spins a stub axle through the open diff).

 

Are you sure the vibration is from the front, and not the u-joints in the rear driveshaft?

[Clint3240]

I had the rear shaft balanced and new joints replaced already, I'll check out the wheel bearings and cv joints next, it shakes the truck from 65-70 mph