I started this journey by replacing all the front end suspension and steering components. When I went to torque the end nut on the driver side outer axle the stud broke. Got a new driver side axle and had difficulty installing the c-clips. They are the smaller copper looking types. Anyway I wasn’t gaining enough clearance to slide the diff through pin in. Question #1 do you have to bend them to a more circular pattern to gain enough clearance? Also I decided to just drop the diff completely so it would be easier to install the shafts. I don’t have a yoke style drive shaft. I have 6 10 mil bolts that connect the shaft to the pinion shaft/gear. Question #2 how does the shaft come off once the bolts are out? Do I just beat it? There’s definitely some corrosion down there that I hit with pb blast.

 

Just give a few light whacks with a rubber mallet.