Started off with a torn CV boot

Well, it started off with a torn boot. Tried a split boot first (not because I'm cheap, just a little tight with the cash right now) and I can say without a doubt stay away from the blue ones. Time and money well wasted. I managed to pick up a CV axle and went looking online for the install. Found a youtube video, didn't have to take the lower ball-joint off, I was amazed. 35mm and a 4 foot bar, off came the nut, a tap with the hammer and she was free, awesome this is not so bad. Now under I go with my pry bar, next a bigger pry bar, now out comes the hammer and a blunt chisel, and finally a bigger hammer. It finally comes out but not where I wanted it. Seems the intermediate shaft has come out with the CV axle. Now what.......out comes the grinder and I cut the CV axle in half. Voila its out, after an hour of pounding I get the CV separated from the intermediate shaft. I cleaned up the shaft picked up a new snap ring. But when I went install it, it would not fit with the snap ring. Tried it without the snap ring and gave it a few whacks with a hammer and it was in. OK lets try out the CV axle........ and it would not fit in like the video, raised, lowered, turned the wheels, nothing, the lower ball joint has to come off. So now I have to wait to pick up a ball joint. After all this typing I have a couple of questions :

I need to get the intermediate shaft back out (any tips here) then when I put the snap ring on, do I just beat it back in with the snap ring?

Is the truck still drivable without the CV axle installed or will I damage something else?

Moral of the story don't believe everything you see on youtube, do some reading first. If I would have read a bit I would have waited until I had the ball joint before doing this. Any info is great and I thank you for reading this lengthy post.

The 4wd and 2wd hubs should be the same so driving with it out shouldn't hurt anything in theory. Obviously don't use 4wd haha. But I'd wait for others to chime in first

Thanks for the answer, that was my thoughts as well. I managed to scape up enough cash for my lower ball joint this afternoon. And so the battle begins. First off got the axle shaft back out with a bent blunt chisel and a big hammer. Placed the snap ring on it this time and whacked it back in, I also put on the c clip on the shaft (CV axle side). Removed the brakes, caliper, bracket and rotor, loosened the lower ball joint nut and gave her a little smack. Pop all is good, next came out my homemade ball-joint tool (a big ass C clamp and a bunch of different size pieces of pipes) applied some heat and out she came (about 25 min) not my best time but not my worst either. Pressed in the new ball joint with the same tool. Installed the grease nipple as well. Next came the CV axle, it went on rather well and with a little snap I knew she was seated right. Now to get the axle on the tire side, and the lower ball joint .........SOB!!! I sheared the grease nipple off the ball joint somehow. An easy out would of did the trick but I didn't have one and neither did the store. I picked up a few angled grease nipples. Got home and drilled out the old broken nipple with a smaller drill bit, I then folded in the rest of the nipple inwards and cleaned out the metal shavings from the opening and tried anther nipple, it fit like new. I put everything back together and left the grease nipple off for now. Another mistake, unless you have real small hands which I don't. So another 20 min of dicking around I finally got her on and tighten her up, greased the ball joint and that was done. Next I put the tire on and lowered the truck, last I torqued the axle nut and checked the fluid....all was fine. Victory, it was done. From starting off with a torn boot to all this madness, about $300 and 12 hours of frustration I have won this battle.

.................until next time.

Well at least you had success! Now you should write short stories. Very descriptive haha. It's like I was right there cussing with you!

One of my cv's wouldn't go back in no matter what I did with the suspension, I had already disconnected the lower shock mounts when doing lower ball joints so I didn't have to loosen torsion bar keys, just used a floor jack under the lower control arm, so I backed the hub bearing bolts almost all the way out, slid the bearing out and slipped the shaft in and over the axle output shaft, then tightened the hub bearings back up. It took smaller 3/8" drive tools but I was able to get in there from the back side.