In the article, we will consider disassembling the cardan shaft and replacing the crosspieces
We install the car on a viewing ditch or lift and remove the driveline, as described in the previous article
Gimbal Disassembly
Swing each hinge in both planes. At the same time, there should be no backlash, clicks and jamming
Since the driveline is balanced at the factory as an assembly, each time it is disassembled and reassembled, it is necessary to maintain the original relative position of the shafts.
Otherwise, a noticeable vibration may occur when the vehicle is moving.
Make marks with a chisel or center punch on the hinge forks
Using a screwdriver, remove the retaining rings of the bearings of one hinge axis
We install a smaller diameter mandrel on the side of the oiler, and a larger mandrel on the opposite side, clamp the hinge in a vice or on a press
We press out two bearings of the hinge axis
When pressing out, be careful not to deform the hinge collar against the fork eye
We take out the bearing that has come out and, prying with a screwdriver, remove the second bearing from the spike of the cross
Disassembling the universal joint
Remove the seal clips from the cross spikes
We also press out the other two bearings and remove their seals
Using an 8 wrench, unscrew the grease fitting
We wash all the parts in kerosene and inspect them
If traces of needles, corrosion and other damage are visible on the spikes of the cross, replace the cross with bearings
Replace damaged cuffs with new ones.
When installing new bearings, we clean them of conservation grease and wash them in kerosene
When assembling, we orient the hinges so that the grease fittings of both crosses are facing the splined connection
At the same time, the grease fittings of the spline joint and the cross located near the bridge were in the same plane and on the same side of the shaft, and the grease fitting of the cross at the opposite end of the shaft was rotated 90° counterclockwise, if wipe off from the side of the bridge (see fig. 12).
We assemble the hinge in the following order: we put mechanical seals on two spikes of the axis of the cross and insert the cross into the eyes of the fork.
We install bearings in the holes of the eyes
Centering the cross on the bearings
In a vice or on a press through a mandrel, we press the bearings into the eyes, slightly turning the crosspiece to avoid pinching the bearings
Install retaining rings
If one of the rings does not fit into the groove, press the crosspiece in such a way as to select the gap between the lug and the installed ring, after which we install the second retaining ring
Disassembling the spline
Using a chisel, we straighten the gland seal holder in the places of its locking punching
Unscrew the clip with a pipe wrench and slide it along the shaft
With a chisel, we apply alignment marks on the sliding fork and cardan shaft
Remove the sliding fork from the shaft
We pry off with a screwdriver and push the steel, felt, rubber and second steel split rings alternately out of the clip
Remove the rings from the shaft
Remove the clip from the shaft
We clean the spline connection from dirt and old grease
We wash the parts in kerosene or diesel fuel
Remove traces of scuffing and corrosion on the splines and the smooth part of the shaft with fine sandpaper
Heavily worn and damaged rubber and felt rings are replaced
We measure the radial clearance in the spline connection, for this:
- inserting the splined shank into the shaft hole, and shaking the shaft, measure the gap with an indicator installed at a distance of 80–100 mm from the splines.
It should be no more than 1.5 mm. Otherwise, replace the driveline assembly
Apply grease to the splines of the shaft, soak the felt ring with gear oil
We assemble the spline connection, aligning the installation marks, while the hinge forks should stand in the same plane
Fix the clip on the shaft with a chisel
