Planning replacing drive shafts this weekend. Is it necessary to remove HE's to get shafts out on a 1976 ? Looking to save time by not doing un-necessary work.

It should not be necessary to remove the HE's to remove the axles...

edit: However, I looked in the factory workshop manual 3.1-1/1 and step 2 is remove heat exchangers Can't say for a '75 but I've removed the axles from '73 & '74 w/o removing the HE's. I don't think ->74 and 75-> are that much different

Cap'n?

Do you still have the 76 h.e.'s? I just rook my transmission out and the c.v.'s and did not take my exhaust off, but I have the backdated 74 h.e.s. you should not have to. But I had a hell of a time removing. My original h.e. so it could be a tough job if you choose that direction. If I were you I would take them out and back-date them. Get rid of those while you are at it.

[quote name='Philip W.' date='Apr 13 2012, 05:40 AM' post='1665590']
Do you still have the 76 h.e.'s? I just rook my transmission out and the c.v.'s and did not take my exhaust off, but I have the backdated 74 h.e.s. you should not have to. But I had a hell of a time removing. My original h.e. so it could be a tough job if you choose that direction. If I were you I would take them out and back-date them. Get rid of those while you are at it.
[/quote

I wish I could but I need the CAT. in California. Lucky me.

Taking off the trailing arms off and pushing the axcels out of them is much easier than trying to remove the them with the HE installed! It all depends on how long it has been since the last time they were apart sometimes it can be hard to seperat the CV's!

Removing the heat exchangers makes the job much easier, but it is not absolutely necessary. It is tight.

It's about a wash time wise. You can fight to get the axles out and then back in, or you can take the time to remove the heat exchangers....