Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle best way to remove intermediate shaft?

I'm trying to remove and reinstall the intermediate shaft on the passenger side and I'm having a hell of a time. I have the drive shaft out but the intermediate shaft is really a pain. There isn't anything to grab onto. Has anyone remove this before and if so how? The service manual is pretty vague on this portion. Thanks in advance for any help/tips.

Intermediate shaft has a carrier bearing assembly that bolts to a braket attached to the engine. You must remove the two nuts and it should slide right out without much effort. These two nuts are the only thing holding the shaft into the trans.

3 13mm nuts and it slides right out.

Just for reference if anyone runs into this problem you have to replace the entire intermediate shaft. It's only sold as an assembly, for $133.03 that is. List is $197, but thankfully I use the SVT Performance group discount through Steve at Tousley Ford.

I meant 2 13mm nuts BTW. Fat finners.

Hey i had this same problem with the intermediate shaft. *&^%$^ thing fused itself to the bearing race in the trans. To make it piss me off that much more, this trans and shaft were only in the car for about 5 miles before the trans broke again and top speed was probably 48 mph.

The first time I took it out the car had 142,000 on it, I bounced off that 160 mph mark on the speedometer more than a few times, and it just fell out after i took the 2 bolts out. That was after the differential broke.

SO I go to buy a shaft from ford and they tell me quite happily that the part has been discontinued and they cannot locate one. So i call up 3 more ford dealerships with the same result.

JUNKYARDS! Yes the lovely junkyards around here don't seem to believe that contours came with manual transmissions. I feel like beating the hell out of a bunch of innocent bystanders.

So where can I get one? MORE IMPORTANTLY if i manage to get one... why did this happen and how can I prevent it. I'm not like all you guys with all your, what seems like 'millions of dollars coming out of my ass' and the 1700 I dumped into this transmission is a one shot deal. Well, right now its a no shot deal because I can't locate an intermediate shaft.

Any help would be appreciated.

OK so the morons at one of the dealerships i called, called me back 30 min ago and said they had an intermidiate shaft assembly in stock that they overlooked. Whatever, now i have the shiny new shaft in my hands for a mere 145 bucks.

My completely rebuilt trans with torsen and shift forks and blaa blaa blaa everything done that took me about a year to save up for is in the car, everytihng ready but the axle on this side with the shaft. I cannot afford to have this happen again, so does anyone know why the old shaft locked itself to the bearing race in the trans? What to do to prevent it from happening? right now the entire shaft is soaking in new tranny fluid. I figured screw it just threw the whole thing in an oil pan submerged. I got trans assembly lube on everything... is that going to be enough to prevent this from happening again? Workin on this car has been the most horrbly crappy time of my life, so i dont want to and cant afford to do anything twice... everything goes wrong, nothing just comes apart, anything bad that could possibly happen does and costs way too much money.

wheel bearing? 'oh 320 bucks for a hub wow thanks'
puting timing chains on this thing was something i dont ever want to remember... but it doesnt make that gay noise anymore when you start it. I'm just wondering when the bottom end is gonna go on this 180,000 mile svt or if i should just wait 2 more years saving money and rebuild the bottom end before it goes... whats the diff i havent drivin it in over a year anyway...

I mean its a badass car when you can just drive the damn thing... but if i had the money I would be so much happier to just pay some other poor bastard to do all the work for me and then just come on these forums and say i did like some of you guys.

lol j/k