Hi all. I am trying to remove the front diff on my '04 Chevy Tracker. Literally EVERYTHING is unbolted, but I cannot for the life of me get the drive shaft flange separated from the diff. It simply will not budge. Am I missing something?

Drive shaft as in from the transfer case?  Once it's unbolted it should come free.

Drive shaft as in from the transfer case?  Once it's unbolted it should come free.

Yes. The front driveshaft attaches to the front differential via a flange connection with four bolts. All those bolts are removed. I was able to get the shaft flange to move about 1/4" away from the diff flange before it froze up. Now I cannot get it to budge at all. Do the pinion shaft splines protrude through the diff flange and into the shaft flange?

Do the pinion shaft splines protrude through the diff flange and into the shaft flange?

No - the nut that secures the flange protrudes slightly so you need about a half an inch clearance to move the flange sideways - the drive shaft needs to slide back on the splines where it goes in to the transfer case.

Not sure I understand you. Are you referring to the nut securing the pinion flange to the pinion shaft? If so, why would I need to move the shaft flange "sideways"?

As to the other end of the shaft, I drained the TC fluid and moved the diff far enough forward to remove the shaft from the TC completely. Was hoping it would make it easier to separate the diff flange, but it didn't.

Not sure I understand you. Are you referring to the nut securing the pinion flange to the pinion shaft? If so, why would I need to move the shaft flange "sideways"?

As to the other end of the shaft, I drained the TC fluid and moved the diff far enough forward to remove the shaft from the TC completely. Was hoping it would make it easier to separate the diff flange, but it didn't.

Let's just say you've approached it a little differently to how most people do it - the drive shaft would be one of things removed early in the sequence - unbolting the diff itself would probably be the last thing I would do.  If the shaft is free of the transfer case, once you unbolt the flange at the diff, the shaft should be free.

All good. Damn thing was just rust frozen. A few stout taps with a hammer and it came free. Now she's all back together. Thanks for all the replies!