# 88 sentra drive shaft removal. please help



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

hi i have a 88 sentra im replacing the drive shafts on the book says use a pry bar to remove them from the trans but i cant get into it enough to get one on it good. i was hopeing yall had some ideas about how i can remove the shaft thats in the trans and also do i need to take any special precautions about trans alinment when i do?it is a automatic trans on it btw. i have the joints apart already just cant get that inner shaft out.

thanks tons for anyone that answers


----------



## Myetball (Dec 15, 2002)

A large flat head screwdriver or small prybar works well. Has to be small enough to get in that little gap. Just keep working away at it. For alignment, as long as you remove/install one axle at a time you have nothing to worry about.


----------



## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

Most automatics have issues with one of the driveshafts coming out; You can get one out, but the other resists conventional methods of removing. The solution is to get a flathead screwdriver, insert it into the hole left by the first driveshaft, get the head against the end of the remaining driveshaft and give it a few good whacks. It should pop out.


----------



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

ok but if i take out the passenger side and then use the screwdriver to knock out the driver side will that mess with the alinement or can i just knock it a little lose replace the pass side then replace the driver side or???


----------



## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

It won't mess with any alignment at all; It doesn't matter how it slides back in, just as long as it slides all the way home when you pop it back together. Or, if it's front-end alignment you're talking about, pop the lower balljoint from the control arm to the knuckle. That'll preserve alignment.


----------



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

no was worried about trans alignment. thanks yall im gonna work on it tuesday when its warm enough ill let ya know how it goes.


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

if youhit the shaft through the hole just make sure you're hiting the axle shaft and not dinging the spider shaft


----------



## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

Yeah...what he said!


----------



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

ok got the shafts out and the new ones in but some how the lowerball joint threads are bent and i cant get the dremel into a good angle to fix em GRRRRRRRRRR. also i somehow think ive lost the nuts for the stearing arms double GRRRRRRRR. then on top of it all while i was breaking a nut lose the hammer bounced so hard it came back and hit me in the lip and broke a tooth in half (ever feel like your just haveing a bad day), between this car and my 78 280z ive desided that the nissan god wants blood for anything to be done and fixed right on a nissan.well hes got it now so hopefuly tomorrow everything will be fixable and findable lol.

ill let ya know how it goes tomorrow


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

playful0 said:


> ok got the shafts out and the new ones in but some how the lowerball joint threads are bent and i cant get the dremel into a good angle to fix em GRRRRRRRRRR. also i somehow think ive lost the nuts for the stearing arms double GRRRRRRRR. then on top of it all while i was breaking a nut lose the hammer bounced so hard it came back and hit me in the lip and broke a tooth in half (ever feel like your just haveing a bad day), between this car and my 78 280z ive desided that the nissan god wants blood for anything to be done and fixed right on a nissan.well hes got it now so hopefuly tomorrow everything will be fixable and findable lol.
> 
> ill let ya know how it goes tomorrow


i hope you replaced the lower ball joints...and yeah, working on a nissan will make a different man of you. but its worth it.


----------



## Popkorn (Nov 16, 2003)

Gsolo said:


> i hope you replaced the lower ball joints...and yeah, working on a nissan will make a different man of you. but its worth it.


 A toothless man. lol
A dremmel wont hardly dent the ball joint. You need a grinder or preferably new ones. Still waiting to hear how well that ball joint press at Harbor Freight works on the Sentra.


----------



## Myetball (Dec 15, 2002)

I've done some pretty good damabe to myself while working on cars but have yet to bust a tooth with a hammer......knock on wood. OUCH!!! and LOL!!!

Not being mean, if I was there I woulda laughed too  but at least I woulda handed you a dirty shop rag to stop the bleeding :banana:


----------



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

the ball joint its self is fine just the threads got damaged so i cant get the nut back on it but may replace erm anyways as they do look a bit worn though that will be more up to baby sis its her car and her parts bill.
but ive had that z for about 7 years now and trust me when i tell ya i know about z's lol acctuly hopeing to afford a rebuilt kit foir the z soon and put its original moter back in it but thats a diffrent story(the z is). at the moment ill just be happy to get this sentra out of my yard bet the neighbors will be happy to lol. oh btw let me ask yall my older sister drives a think its a 93 sentra and her dash lights keep going out anyone else have this problem before? i checked the fuses and they are all fine so im assuming its in the wiring someplace but thought yall might know of something else. 
but yea ill update ya tomnorrow let ya know if baby sis's sentra takes my toe off me or something next.

yea and i used to think that the honda god was hard to please


----------



## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

Oh, you pagans! LOL...(Just kidding! Aren't we ALL pagans?)

I don't feel so bad now; I sprained my wrist cleaning my room. Please don't ask...


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

you should replace the ball joints...but if they seem ok and your sis doesn't want to deal with it then don't. but be a good bro and at least ask her. its' usually a good idea to replace them while you're down there cause go through the pain now instead of putting it off for later. if theres anytime to pray to the nissan god its ball joints....not pain wise but just getting them out. i spent a few hours with a pneumatic chisel to get one out.


----------



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

well i put it all back together, but had to make a castle nut out of a normal one (3 cheers for dremels), found that the right side had not seated its self so took the right side back apart and reseated it corectly put it back together added a quart of trans fluid and it seems to be doing great. she said she does not want me to replace the ball joints or tie rod ends yet though so i showed her that the rubber is riped on both tierods and 1 ball joint. she said she will have it done before she gets her front end aligned. i told her this is not good for your car to run like this they need the joints in good shape so the greese will stay in them and work with out falling apart, she said she will have me do it soon. but its working good now drive shaft wise, so i figure i did my part and saved her like 400 bucks in the process.the rest is up to her.

thanks again yall for all the help and tips if ya ever need help on a 240 260 or 280z let me know


----------



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

oh btw did anyone have any ideas on my other sis's sentra's dash lights working randomly but normmaly they dont work? not a fuse that i can tell used meter and pulled each fuse all of the fuses are good.


----------



## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

playful0 said:


> oh btw did anyone have any ideas on my other sis's sentra's dash lights working randomly but normmaly they dont work? not a fuse that i can tell used meter and pulled each fuse all of the fuses are good.


sounds like the rheostat control could be bad, just my guess.


----------



## playful0 (Dec 26, 2004)

okies ill see if i can check it thanks


----------

