Removing prop shaft W123

[tashman]

I'm trying to drop the prop shaft on my W123 diesel to change the centre bearing but am having a little trouble (never done one before).

I've undone and removed the 6 bolts on the front flex disc and the same on the rear one, then removed the handbrake cabling that gets in the way, then the 2 bolts holding the centre bearing to the body.

How do I drop the prop shaft from here?
It looks like nothing's holding it on now but its going nowhere
Many Thanks

 

[moonloops]

Been a long time since I removed a propshaft (TR7 V8) but the flanges may be stuck so whack it with a soft mallet a few times.

 

[tashman]

Been trying that Even levering along its length with a crowbar.
But it seems that there is some other shaft inside it?

There's gotta be an easy way to release the propshaft, but at the moment the only way I can see is to drop the diff, and that can't be right!

 

[tashman]

Got there in the end!!!

Undid the sleeve nut but this required the use of a 41mm and 46mm spanner. Not sizes the average DIYer carries! So invested in an extra large spanner set from the local tool shop that goes up to 50mm (over 2 foot long!) With this nut undone there was a little more give, but the dough nuts just didn't want to let go. I realised that the metal inserts inside them had fused with the flanges, so a good whack with a screwdriver and hammer got all 12 of them free eventually.
Then it was just a case of getting a crow-bar in behind the dough nuts and push hard until the prop shaft came off the spigot with a pop. Then the same at the gearbox end. Then just ease the prop shaft along, down and out.
Cheers guys thanks for the advice.