driveshaft splines stuck
 

I'm replacing center support and flex disks on my '92 190e. I have all the bolts loose and the big nut over the splines is loose. I cannot get the drive-shaft to contract enough to get it off of either of the shafts coming from the transmission and final drive. I pulled back the rubber boot overteh splines and see that the splines are rusted. Apparently the boot was leaking.

The drive-shaft should contract enough to remove this way should it not? I have soaked the splines with wd40. Any other ideas? Anyone else ever had this problem?