propshaft removal

OK here goes this is prob not the right place for this but Ive looked for a fools guide to removing the prop shaft and cant seem to find a step by step guide for those of us not that fantastic with a spanner. Ive just taken mine off without jacking the car up and with just 2 sockets and 2 spanners.
I didnt have the hex sockets but found the star type worked just as well as long as you make sure their on the nut square.
Firstly I WD40d all the nuts and bolts then went and had a cuppa to let it do its stuff.
Then I took a 5/16 star type socket and a socket wrench and a 10 mil ring spanner and undid the bolts I could reach on the front part of the shaft there are 6 of these but didnt remove the bolts but took the nuts off the end.
Then I took a 3/8th star socket and a 17 mil open ended spanner as the ring side wouldnt fit in the gap and undid the 2 bolts i could reach and took the nuts off but still left the bolts in but made sure they were loose enough to just pop out.
Then I took a 10 mil socket and loosened the bolts holding the middle of the shaft to the car. there are 4 of these.
I then got a friend to push the car forward about a foot to make the other bolts accessable.
I then took all the bolts out both front and back and used a trolly jack to hold the centre up while I took the 4 bolts holding the vcu and centre off.
The front took a slight tap to loosen it and then I lowered the the jack and the whole shaft just came down.
Know I know Im gonna get stick for removing it but I do prefer the way the car drives without it and Im not taking it off road so Im happy with it the way it is now. I might put it back on if the snow comes down but for now it suits me well enough as a 2 wheeler.
Im sure there are better guides on here but i couldnt find one so just got underneath and had a look. Its def not a major job and can be done by anyone with a couple of sockets and spanners.

you can throw it this way if you dont want it, im after a new prop as i busted mine off road.

garrytd4 said:

you can throw it this way if you dont want it, im after a new prop as i busted mine off road.

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soz mate im gonna keep it for the time being as i might need to put it back on if i sell the truck. i think the vcu might be on its way out anyway as i was getting a lot of binding and it felt like i was having to literally drag the back end round. i know the seals gone on the front of the prop so might just try and sort it while its off. if i do end up selling the truck without it then will def consider selling it but it would def need testing first to see what condition the vcu is in.

dont for get to tell your insurance if you get in any bother they might turn round and say you did not tell us so your not insured

teddywood1 said:

dont for get to tell your insurance if you get in any bother they might turn round and say you did not tell us so your not insured

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yup thanks for reminding me. will ring them tomoz and see if its a change in price as its prob not considered as safely planted on the road with 2 wheel drive.

no probs mate, i must admit without the prop theres not a great deal of difference, but i would like a whole new unit as soon as. doesnt seem right thst its a 4x4 with 2wd

garrytd4 said:

no probs mate, i must admit without the prop theres not a great deal of difference, but i would like a whole new unit as soon as. doesnt seem right thst its a 4x4 with 2wd

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if yours didnt have dif between 4 wheel and 2 wheel then i think mine def has probs as its a major dif on mine. it just feels freer than when the prop was on. even with the clutch in i doubt it would freewheel as it just seems to bind. think i will go and road test another one and see if its just me. my nissan used to be an auto and had 2 wheel, 4wheel, or auto and even had high and low range. if it wasnt the fact that nobody could tell what model it was even with the chassis num that i got rid of it. ive still got a set of pads and a c.v boot here from a parts place that i gave the chassis to and still couldnt find what it was. so much for imports. lol.

yeh i agree.
well i read somewhere that the freelander in 90% front wheel and 10% rear wheel when in 4x4 motion, maybe thats utter bull but it wouldnt suprise me as mine isnt that different in 2wd as it is 4wd. but again, it could be me lol