While returning to Florida after Irma our coach developed a problem with the air brake system. Just before we reached St Augustine, FL I had noticed that both air 1 and 2 were holding steady at about 75 psi and would not increase. I stopped at the St. Augustine Flying J to fuel up. After filling the tank I started the coach and the air pressure in tank two was at a little above 60 psi, tank one was at 70 psi. Luckily I was able to get to an RV parking spot before the system in system two dropped to zero. After some trouble shooting I found a leak in the hose from the air pump to the drier. Apparently it had been resting on the frame for some time and finally wore through.

We had the coach towed to Camping World just North of there and left it for repairs. My question after all this is: How do you disconnect/remove the drive shaft prior to towing?

When I had the u-joints replaced a couple of years ago I had observed it on the bench while the differential yoke was still completely attached to the drive shaft. There was a short splined shaft/yoke which had been withdrawn from the differential. The service tech told me it is removed that way and is quite a simple process.

When the tow truck driver was disconnecting the drive shaft he removed the u-joint at the differential end. I tried to tell him to remove the much easier to remove joint at the transmission yoke. He wouldn't do that and beat the differential u-joint to death until he was able to disassemble it.

I have talked to tech support at Spartan, Eaton and Spicer and none of them can support the method of removal I believe should be used. The exploded view of this differential also does not support the easy removal of the differential yoke.

Here is the method I think should have been used: Remove the two saddle clamps on the transmission yoke and drop the u-joint on that end. Then withdraw the differential yoke from the differential.

Did Barth either have an alternate differential installed or change it out themselves?

Does anyone else know the proper drive shaft removal for a 1993 Regency 38 ft?

Was my observation a couple of years ago correct?

Does anyone have any documentation detailing the removal of the shaft? If so, would you be willing to share it with me? I would really like to see something in black and white.

Another way prepare a disabled RV for towing is to remove the floating drive axles at the hub. Mark them left and right for installing after the tow.

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Your tow company may have removed the + or cross in the driveshaft. It should not be pounded out but pressed our. It is likely the yokes are out of round now. Pounding near the transmission and differential may also damaged the seals or internals. A c-clamp may also be used to remove the + cross from the shaft linkage if space permits the c-clamp. Depending on how far away the + cross was, if the shaft was left to dangle you would have another problem with it spinning while in tow.

I don't believe that there is an alternate way on my coach. Here is what my rear axle looks like.

The driver did completely disengage the drive shaft from the differential and tied it up out of the way. He also wasn't pounding on the yoke directly. I may want to have the seals replaced though.
I don't believe I have an alternate way of disconnecting the drive. Here is a picture of my rear axle.

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Not sure about your unit but: if the drive shaft is not disconnected from the differential the shaft will turn as it is towed, even if it is tied up this is not something you want going on during the tow.

There is no slip joint on most differentials it is only connected through the U-joint...

Here is a picture of the arrangement of my driveshaft. This is not an exact picture but it does show how mine is assembled. In the picture the yoke on the right side of the picture would be like the one at my differential. The transmission yoke is an open yoke. According to Eaton, Spicer and Spartan my shaft should be connecting to open yokes at both ends. Usually when a shaft has only one open end yoke it is at the differential end and not the transmission end.

I know for a fact that mine is like this with the open end at the transmission because I have personally seen it removed. Every source and expert I have consulted all say that my arrangement makes no sense but that is how it is constructed.

Could Barth have modified the differential yoke? Eaton and Spicer strongly state that my shaft should be connecting to two open yokes.

Has anyone else come across an arrange like mine?

Here is the representative picture.

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Lance, the drive in the picture is like a regular one, the slip joint mates into the transmission. Are you sure you were not some of Kevins beer???? lol

I know for a fact that mine is like the picture but the open yoke is on the transmission end and the solid one is on the differential. On my coach the end has to be withdrawn from the differential. I am going to pick up my coach tomorrow and they promised to photograph the drive. I will also talk directly to the person who removed it.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin:
By the Way Lance, is this your RIG?

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Yes, that picture is about eight years old just after I bought it. I now have a concrete pad and pedestal where it parks. I keep it hooked up with the AC on.

Pulling the axles is common practice.