Driveshaft issues

2006 AC 2wd Limited. I've had some drivetrain lash popping up so I picked up a new driveshaft last March, haven't got around to installing until now. I will get flamed for this part (deservedly so) but when I received it, I opened the box I noticed the dust shield on the tranny end was a bit bent from shipping. Like a dummy, I closed up the box without further investigation thinking it would be easy to bend back into shape. Now that I'm getting around to doing the work, I reopened the box and guess what? The shield is so badly bent that it came off the shaft and is not repairable (maybe the Hulk could do it, but I am not he).
So my question for the brain trust is can the existing one on the truck be removed and attached to the new shaft? It doesn't look like it was welded on, just pressed. I'm hoping I can pop it off the old one and hammer it on to the new driveshaft.
Any ideas are welcome!
And I know. I'm an idiot.

 

So while it does indeed press on, I'd be concerned about manipulating the current one and damaging it by hammering. Now if that's your only option, by all means, give it a shot. I'd feel better about a drivetrain shop doing the work of pressing off and on as that's what they do regularly.

 

If it was a reputable company that you bought the driveshaft from, it should have been balanced. If you were to remove a piece from it and install another (even if you could), you might end up screwing up the balance and end up doing the job all over again. I agree with @The Black Mamba. Take it to a shop that specializes in drive train, and let them do it.

 

Duh, I didn't even think about it thawing off the balance!

Off-topic, I once balanced a driveshaft on the car in my driveway. Took me 3 hours and about 100 in and outs from under the car to inside the car and back again to dial it in.

 

I had a similar thing happen to a Yukon pinion flange. I just straightened it out, and pressed it back on. I had some high temp silicone kicking around, so I used a dab of that to help secure the press fit. So far, no issues with it coming loose or vibration.

 

You should be able to straighten that dust flange and tap it back on. It shouldn’t have enough mass to affect the balance.

 

Swap it. That part won't be enough to significantly throw off the balance anyways.


If you don't wheel, never hit dirt roads, and never see salted roads... you can even run without it.

 

Balance was one of the issues I was concerned about. As for bending, it’s too far gone. It’s been too long to have the dealer replace the shaft and the dust shield can’t be bought as a separate part. Guess I’ll have to see what happens when I get it all apart. Or go buy another driveshaft