Tire front drive shafts are a beotch to remove, but can be removed from the
vehicle while in the desert.
Disconnect the ABS sensor under the hood, and at the upper control arm
remove the wire from the clip (prevents breaking the wire).
Remove the front axle bolt.
Remove the tie bar from knuckle.
Remove the upper control arm bolt from the knuckle.
Flex the knuckle back and down and you can just remove the shaft from the
hub.
However, installing it back into place is just pure joy. It will take two
people, one to flex the knuckle/hub assembly and one to squeeze the shaft
into the knuckle hub after shaft is in the diff.
I would say it would be just as fast to remove the lower control arm to
knuckle bolt and pull the knuckle out of the way and it might save some
time.
Besides the required wrenches/sockets, etc., you will need one long pry
bar, plenty of beer
Now, let me throw this out. If the front diff is damaged, why not remove the front prop shaft, (eight bolts; four front/four rear), and drive and some good strong duct tape. Worse that could happen is the ring gear is shaved completely, or the vehicle will not move. I mean, drive at a very slow speed. Prop shaft would have to be removed to prevent damage to the T/case, but who would care about more damage to the diff. Yes, an axle might get damaged, but I’m not sure if I would not take the chance.