Some will not agree as I just change the bearing as I never have seen a bad race......
Really BAD idea.... 'Some will not agree' includes every engineering and mechanics handbook ever written. That's why every 'best practise' says you replace it.
I've seen plenty of races that at first glance 'look' ok, but as I had no intention of not replacing them, they get pulled out anyway. Once out and I get to have a proper look at them, yeah, they're shot! And down inside a drive shaft housing there is no way you can get a proper look at that surface.
As for removing the race at the bottom of the drive shaft housing.... Either the way AD and Speakerdude described, or drive it out, along with the seal immediately under it, with a long screwdriver from underneath. Just be careful, there are some very thin shims under that race and they can be easily damaged by either method. I usually just measure the shims and put new ones in.
Chris........
