Driveshaft and cross type universal joints

Driveshaft and cross type universal joints

Checking the Driveshaft Run Out:

Before dismantling the driveshaft, the driveshaft needs to be set up on a couple of vee bocks. Close to each universal joints. A dial test indicator is used to check the that the driveshaft is still correctly balanced. This done by checking ovality, also manufacture specifications are needed to complete this first task.

Dismantling & Checking the driveshaft:

Using soft face jaws on a vice, gently secure the driveshaft in the vice.
Once secure then we can check for play, roughness & binding.
To check for the above is a simple step - Move joint up & down & side to side.

To start dismantling the joint we first needed to pop off the snap rings or sometimes instead of snap there will be circlips.
To get these off is down with one or two flat head screw drivers.
The pic on the left is showing you this simple process.

The pic on the right is of the snap rings.

When knocking the caps out, the driveshaft needs to be rested on the vice while the opposite cap gets gently hit with a bronze punch.
What will happen is that the opposite cap to the one getting hit will get gently pushed out.
Once the cap has been pushed out enough to grab with a peer of pliers or even might be easy to pull out with your fingers.
To get the other side off, the exact same process is done.

The bearing that fits onto the universal joint is called a needle bearing.
Inside there is many compacted needles with a lot of grease to allow the uni joint to move around.
These needles are to come out cleaned & replaced with new ones.

Pic on the left is of the universal joint, We check this for wear.
This joint is what allows the driveshaft to bend with out breaking.

The snap ring is what holds the needle bearing in place so it doesn't fall out and cause the joint to fall apart.
These can break when removing & putting them back on.

The pic on the right is showing you the counter weights that help balance out the driveshaft.

Once all parts have been cleaned & inspected & new parts replacing old if need be.

Once we had done all inspections and replaced what needed to be replaced, We could then begin to put everything back together.
By using two sockets, one small & and one big socket.
Before following the pic on the right, The needle bearings need to be put through the holes & joined on to the universal joint. Make sure that there is enough grease applied to the areas needed. Once bearings have lined up & have fitted in properly using the two sockets & soft face vice. Then we were able to to put the snap rings back on.

When everything is back together the Joint should move about & should be a tad tight.

Tripod Joints

Tripod Joints

Safety & Resources Needed:

Overalls & safety boots must be worn at all time's.Also when using the tools provided, safety glasses must be worn.Tools needed are - Circlip pliers, Soft face hammer, A range of flat head screw drivers & a set of bronze punches.Also 1 C.V Joint.

Inspecting the Tripod Joint:

When pulling everything apart, all parts need to be cleaned thoroughly.

Is the same inspection test as the C.V joint.

Check for any splits or cracks on the rubber boot & also the outer clips haven't broken that hold the boot in place.

Check for any cracks on the outer housing as well.

Rotate the joint & listen for any clicks or noise  in general. This joint is able to move back and forth, so check that it is with in manufacture specifications.

After the outer clips that hold the rubber boot in place have been removed & the boot itself. Then the Housing will slide off.

Some tripod joints have an extra clip on the inside of the housing for more support to prevent the housing sliding off so easy.

This one didn't have the inside clip.

Before pulling the housing off marks need to be made as each roller needs to be put back in the right channel

Inside the housing connected to the axle by splines are 3 needle bearings/ rollers that allow the joint to move back & forth, up & down, Side to Side.

At the end of the splines holding the rollers on is a snape ring.
This needs to be popped off with a couple of flat head screw drivers
Once the snape ring has been removed then we can remove the 3 rollers.
The following 2 pictures are of the rollers

 When inspecting the rollers, we were looking for smoothly spinning, wear on the rollers and making sure the splines of the rollers and axle haven't been worn down or any broken off.
Some rollers are able to come right apart for further inspections.
Unfortunately these were unable to come apart.

When checking the inner of the housing, we are looking for points of wearing down from the rollers moving back & forth on the inside.


When putting everything back together we needed to pack the housing with lots of grease.

All parts need enough grease so the new parts don't break or wear down.

Constant Velocity Joints

Constant Velocity Joints

Safety & Resources Needed:

Overalls & safety boots must be worn at all time's.

Also when using the tools provided, safety glasses must be worn.

Tools needed are - Circlip pliers, Soft face hammer, A range of flat head screw drivers & a set of bronze punches.

Also 1 C.V Joint.

Inspecting the C.V Joint:

First step is to remove the interconnecting shaft/ axle from the vehicle so it can be cleaned and thoroughly inspected for any possible faults.

Before mounting the axle into a vice, The rubber seals & boots need to be checked for cuts, splits & any damage on the outer area.

Next is to mount the axle into the vice, remembering to use soft jaws to protect the axle.

Once mounted into the vice we then check for roughness or binding by turning the joint in a circular motion.

This tells us if the balls inside the cage are sticking or moving to freely.

Dismantling the joint:
All clips holding the boot in place must be removed & the boot it self slide's back back off the joint.
The C.V joint we were working on has snap ring's instead of internal circlips.
To get the CV apart, you can use a slide hammer or a bronze punch & a soft head hammer. When knocking of the joint pull on it at the same time so it is easier to come off.

Once the joint has been removed we placed it back into the vice so we can remove the balls, cage  & the inner race.

To remove the balls, a bronze punch must be used because it is softer compared to other punches and want damage the cage when tapping on it.
Using the bronze punch gently tapping on the cage until a ball is able to become free.


The video below will show you how this process is done.

Once the balls, inner race, cage & housing has been removed they all need to be cleaned and thoroughly inspected.


With the balls we looking for ovality, chips & even worn down points. The balls sit in inside the slots in the cage


The cage is on the right. As you can see our one has a big chip on the edge running down the face of the cage.
This one will need replacing







The inner race sit's inside the cage, The groves on the inner race is what the balls move around on.
The middle of the inner race connects to wheel end of the axle.


We are looking for small and large indents or even possible chips. The spinals in the middle of the inner race we are looking for points where it could have worn down.

The housing/ outer race is on the right - we looking for wearing down points, small & big indents.

Once everything has been inspected and all damaged parts have been replaced, then the joint can be put back together.