Table of Contents
Advertisement
16 - 10
DRIVE SHAFTS AND UNIVERSAL JOINTS
•
SERVICE PROCEDURES
INDEX
Page
Drive Shaft Measurements
10
Drive Shaft Operating Angle Measurement
12
Drive Shaft—Removal/Installation
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
Rear Axle and Axle Yoke Horizontal Measurement . 16
Rear Drive Shaft Center Bearing Service
20
SERVICE INFORMATION
PRECAUTIONS
D r i v e shafts are balanced b y t h e manufacturer t o
prevent v i b r a t i o n , therefore, before undercoating a
vehicle, the drive shaft a n d t h e U-joints should be
covered to prevent t h e undercoating m a t e r i a l from
attaching t o t h e shaft a n d t h e U-joints a n d causing
a n unbalanced condition (and v i b r a t i o n ) .
Replacement o f the drive shaft a t t a c h i n g fasteners
(e.g., screws, bolts, n u t s a n d clamps) w i t h exact re-
placements is essential for safe vehicle operation. A l -
ways replace t h e a t t a c h i n g fasteners w i t h those t h a t
have identical p a r t numbers (or w i t h equivalent at-
t a c h i n g fasteners) w h e n replacement is necessary. I n
addition, the specified torque m u s t always be applied
w h e n t i g h t e n i n g t h e fasteners d u r i n g drive shaft i n -
stallation.
LUBRICATION
The rear a n d f r o n t drive shaft single cardan U -
j o i n t s require periodic l u b r i c a t i o n . The single cardan
U-joints have a " Z e r k " type l u b r i c a t i o n f i t t i n g lo-
cated on one b e a r i n g cap (Figs. 1 a n d 2). The front
drive shaft slip yoke has a " Z e r k " type lubrication
f i t t i n g located o n t h e tube r e a r w a r d of the yoke.
The double cardan (CV) j o i n t (Figs. 1 a n d 2) at-
tached to the f r o n t drive shaft (4WD vehicles) is per-
manently
l u b r i c a t e d
w h e n
assembled
d u r i n g
manufacture a n d does not r e q u i r e a d d i t i o n a l lubrica-
t i o n d u r i n g i t s service life, b u t i t can be lubricated
w h e n disassembled
( i f necessary).
T h e C V j o i n t
should be inspected for seal external leakage and
damage each t i m e t h e vehicle is serviced. I f seal ex-
t e r n a l leakage or damage exists, t h e C V j o i n t should
be replaced t o avoid eventual failure.
F o r vehicles w i t h a n extended wheelbase, the b a l l -
type, center support bearing is permanently l u b r i -
cated when assembled d u r i n g manufacture and does
not require a d d i t i o n a l l u b r i c a t i o n d u r i n g i t s service
life.
A l l CV/U-joints s h o u l d b e i n s p e c t e d f o r seal ex-
t e r n a l l e a k a g e a n d d a m a g e e a c h t i m e t h e v e h i c l e
is s e r v i c e d . I f seal e x t e r n a l l e a k a g e o r d a m a g e
Page
Service Information
10
Slip Yoke Service
20
U-Joint Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21
U-Joint Yoke Bore Alignment Measurement
12
exists, t h e U - j o i n t s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d / r e p l a c e d
(as a p p l i c a b l e ) t o a v o i d e v e n t u a l f a i l u r e .
A n extreme-pressure (EP), l i t h i u m - b a s e type l u b r i -
cant should be used t o l u b r i c a t e a l l areas t h a t are
designated t o be l u b r i c a t e d a t specified time/distance
intervals. Refer t o Group 0 — L u b r i c a t i o n A n d M a i n -
tenance for a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n i n v o l v i n g lubrica-
tion.
N o a d j u s t m e n t s a r e p r o v i d e d t o c o m p e n s a t e
f o r w e a r o f t h e U - j o i n t c o m p o n e n t s . W h e n exces-
sive " p l a y " e x i s t s b e t w e e n t h e s p i d e r a n d t h e
needle
b e a r i n g s ,
t h e U - j o i n t
o r
c o m p o n e n t s
s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d / r e p l a c e d t o a v o i d e v e n t u a l
f a i l u r e .
DRIVE SHAFT MEASUREMENTS
UNBALANCE
I f drive shaft unbalance is suspected, i t can be ver-
ified (and t h e drive shaft balanced) w i t h t h e follow-
i n g procedure.
(1) Raise a n d support t h e vehicle.
(2) Clean a l l t h e foreign m a t e r i a l from t h e drive
shaft a n d t h e U-joints (e.g., m u d , road spray, under-
coating, etc.).
(3) Inspect t h e d r i v e shaft for:
• missing balance weights,
• broken welds,
• bent areas, a n d
• dents.
I f t h e d r i v e s h a f t t u b e o r y o k e i s b e n t , i t m u s t
be r e p l a c e d .
(4) E n s u r e t h a t t h e U - j o i n t spiders a n d needle
bearings are n o t w o r n , t h a t t h e U-joint b e a r i n g caps
are properly i n s t a l l e d , a n d t h a t each U-joint is cor-
rectly aligned w i t h t h e shaft (i.e., t h e yoke is n o t
bent or distorted).
(5) Measure t h e torque and, i f necessary, r e - t i g h t e n
the U-joint clamp screws.
(6) Remove t h e wheel covers a n d the wheels/tires.
I n s t a l l t h e w h e e l l u g n u t s t o r e t a i n the brake drums
i n place.
( 7 ) M a r k t h e drive shaft tube a t four positions
spaced a t 9 0 ° i n t e r v a l s a r o u n d t h e circumference of
the tube (approximately six inches i n w a r d from t h e
Advertisement
Table of Contents
