I'm in the process of replacing my flex discs while I'm there (replacing a rusted trailing arm is what started it all) and I've taken out the drive shaft. I somehow skipped the step of loosening the clamping nut while removing the drive shaft and was able to remove it nonetheless. Why does the service manual instruct to loosen this nut?? Does it clamp the splined connection together between the two propeller shaft halves and prevent them from moving or coming apart? if so, mine was loose before i started wrenching on the car
My splined connection fell apart while I was removing the whole shaft and luckily there are alignment marks on the two halves. I just hope that the service manual isn't lying when it says "On vehicles starting August 1982 the front and rear propeller shafts are pertinently identified." (41-050, 11) My car was manufactured November 1982
