ok so i have 95 3VZE auto 4WD. can anyone shoot me a link or thread on dropping the front diff/trans axle to remove the oil pan so i can replace the oil pan gasket

Linky:

3VZE oil pump, oil pan tricks and tips? - YotaTech Forums

If youre quick you can download the factory service manual (sticky at the top of the classics forum, but hurry!)

If you buy the cork gaskets for the oil pan, buy new oil pan bolts. The stock ones will not be long enough. Otherwise, you can buy the Permatex 1 minute gasket sealer instead. The stuff is amazing!

Dropping the front diff is not easy, but it is mostly straightforward. Here's how I do it:

Make sure the fill plug on the front of the diff can be removed and isn't frozen, then drain the gear fluid from the diff. If you don't plan on removing the stub shafts you don't HAVE to do this, but that thing is heavy enough to wrestle around, it's worth $20 in gear oil to me to not have that oil sloshing around inside.
If you have a vacuum actuated diff, remove all the vacuum lines.
Unbolt the CV axles from the stub shafts.
Unbolt the upper ball joint on both sides.
Loosen the bolts on the driveshaft, but leave them finger-tight.
Unbolt the front crossmember from the a-arm towers left and right (you can also just unbolt the diff from the crossmember, I think dropping the whole thing makes it easier to get back in).
Place a floor jack underneath the drain port.
Move the steering spindles outboard (which you can do because you unbolted the upper ball joints) to give the CVs room to slip off the studs on the axle stubs.
Begin backing out the two vertical bolts on either side of the diff that secure it to the chassis mounts.
You'll probably need to tap/gently pry on the crossmember to get it to drop out as you back out the vertical bolts. Do each bolt about an inch at a time and lower the diff to the floor jack. Once the bolts are out and the crossmember free, the diff will want to drop so have the jack in place and supporting it before then. Another pair of hands here is great to keep the diff from rolling off the jack, because all that's attached now is the drive shaft.
Once the diff is down, detach the driveshaft, and you're done. Installation is basically the reverse - I bolt up the driveshaft first, raise the diff, coax the crossmember into place while installing the vertical bolts to the chassis mounts, and finally reattach the CVs to the stub shafts.

Now would be a great time to pull the stub shafts out of the diff and pound those studs out. Take the splines off the studs with a flap wheel, or replace them with grade 8 bolts and nuts/lockwashers, and you won't need to pop the balljoints to remove the diff or change a CV in the future.

so i can just make a gasket from that stuff?

Black RTV works well to. Just did mine while the engine was out. Careful not to put too much on, you dont want it to squish INTO the oil pan and get into the oil.

I have a little easier methood than Kid Vs on removing the diff.

Instead of pulling the CVs, you can pound out the 6 studs (per side) that hold them to the stub shaft with a long bar or wooden dowel (careful not to fubar the threads, thats why wood is nice, like an old ax handle) and then the diff will drop straight down. That way the cvs and upper ball joints stay in place. I also deal with ALOT of rust up here, so often times, bolts dont come loose, they get cut off. So the less of that I have to do, the better. Im dreading pulling my front diff right now because of how rusty everything down there is...

I also like to leave that front crossmember, only for the fact that every time Ive pulled it, it seemed to throw my alignment off, not bad, but it just wasnt what it felt like before.

I wasn't able to pound my studs out from under the truck. I guess you're more man than I.

Yet another plus for solid axles--if you want the oil pan off, you climb under the truck, loosen the bolts and nuts on the pan, and voila! Sure beats that long list of steps for removing the IFS pumpkin (aargh).

Yep. Stuff works like a dream! And it's damn strong! I had to remove my oil pan again after I discovered it WASNT the rod bearings that were bad... I had to use a four foot pry bar with a chisel end and hammer it between the lip of the pan to crack it loose. I bent the lip of the pan and the windage tray doing so. Mind you, this was after using the 1 minute gasket sealer.

i would love to do that but i have a 4wd the transaxle and sway bars and shocks are in the way. if it was a RW2WD then i could

I understand completely--I've had two with the stock IFS set-up, and with the differential hard-mounted in the frame, EVERYTHING is in the way of the pan. With a solid front axle, everything hangs below, away from the engine. I'm sure you'll manage--just take your time, maybe take a lot of notes and some pics to help in the reassembly.

I have a growing oil leak coming from right where the oil pan meets the pump (3VZE). I bought a FelPro gasket set as well as a tube of Permatex Ultra Grey from a local Napa shop because the guys there said that the fipg would work ok but they recommended using the cork gasket. Which do you guys think would last longer?

Also, if it turns out that the leak is actually coming from my oil pump, I can remove the oil pan without removing the pump, but I can't remove the pump without removing the pan, right?

You can remove the oil pump without removing the pan but you have to remove the bolts that go through the pan into the bottom of the pump. Most likely what is leaking is the crank oil seal. The cooling fan has a tendency to blow the oil all over the place making it difficult to determine where its coming from.

Thank you all for your advise. I have to drop my oil pan this weekend. The car is lifted 6 inches so it looks like i can do it without removing anything