How do you guys do it?

[cywelchjr]

How to you get the drive shaft back in after prepping it for the 750 FD swap? I can't get my big hands in there to get the universal joint into position to get the shaft back into it.

I can get in there, and can't find a way to get the shaft back in do complete the installation, which means I'm at a standstill.

[natemoen]

If you have the dust boot off you should be able to hold the u joint straight and just shove the shaft in past the clip.

[tinman905]

I have shined a light down inside the swing arm to see how the universal joint is positioned and line up the drive shaft to the opening of the universal . It will slide in with a bit of force and once you get it started a light tap and it sets it in place . I never had to remove the boot to do it. .

[cywelchjr]

That's the problem, the stupid dust boot won't compress enough to get it out of the way and get my fingers in there to hold the thing. I can't find enough clearance to do it. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but it's clearly not working. I'll say that pulling the shaft was super easy, far less effort than I was expecting. I did find that the are where the shaft is in has a LOT of grease in it, and nothing beyond what I put in manually in the joint of the FD, more proof that no matter how much you pump in, NOTHING gets to the right place.

[natemoen]

Put a little hook on a metal coat hanger and try using that to position the joint.

[DGXSER]

Worse comes to worse Cy, you can always pull the swing arm to make it easier.

for me, I always pull the boot back and reach in, get a couple fingers on the U joint and position it to line up with the drive shaft. Sounds like that is not going easy for you, but that is how I have succeeded at the task.

[cywelchjr]

I have shined a light down inside the swing arm to see how the universal joint is positioned and line up the drive shaft to the opening of the universal . It will slide in with a bit of force and once you get it started a light tap and it sets it in place . I never had to remove the boot to do it. .

Thanks, that got it. Talk about a big change in gearing, the speed in any given gear for any given RPM is WAY different. Between my tire change and the FD change, I'm guessing it's about 1000 RPM difference for the better. We'll see how I like it, I'm already seeing doing a lot of around town stuff in 3rd gear now (I was already down to 4th with the tire change) just to keep it up to 3000 RPM.

[natemoen]

I guess you answered my question in your other thread hear already!