We change the driveshaft crosspiece for a VAZ, UAZ or GAZ

Cardan shaft crosspiece, device, signs of malfunction to the driver's hearing

The PTO is part of the transmission of all four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles. This is the shaft that transmits torque from the gearbox or gearbox to the rear or front axle gearbox. It should be noted that the driveshaft is so unique and simple that its design has not changed for many decades.

Cardan shafts can be one-, two- and three-section. They consist of several elements - two crosses, a shaft, seals, retractable forks, fastening parts and many other elements that usually depend on the design. The weight, thickness and length of the shaft are determined by the dimensions of the vehicle. It is worth noting that sports cars are usually equipped with single-section shafts. For example, the Nissan GT-R uses a single-section driveshaft.

The driveshaft is one of the most maintenance-intensive parts of a car. Its dismantling is quite simple, and the repair consists of replacing the suspension bearing and crosspiece.

Signs of lateral driveshaft failure may include:

• Feeling of running and knocking in the chassis.
• When starting off, you can hear a distinct metallic clang from the chassis.
• Presence of vibration in the car interior.

How to replace the driveshaft crosspiece - is your strength enough?

Basically, this part cannot be restored, but needs to be completely replaced. Below are instructions on how to install a new crosspiece. The first step is to remove both cups, install them in the eyelets, and then carefully, so that the needles do not fall apart, put the cups back in their original places. Next, we compress them and put on the retaining ring, and then install the shaft in place. So that this stage does not cause difficulties and is carried out very quickly, it is better to put marks when removing the cardan.

Also, before installing a new crosspiece, clean the cardan eyes and the groove for the snap ring from any traces of rust. Of course, if you are not confident in your abilities and you are short of time, then it is better to have the driveshaft crosspiece replaced at the station. But, in general, there is no difficulty in changing it on your own.

Diagnosis of a breakdown, how to diagnose it yourself

To carry out self-diagnosis, you need to crawl under the car. Secure the shaft with one hand and the drive gear flange with the other. Then turn them towards you.

The presence of even the slightest backlash proves that the matter really is in the cross. Although, if only one bearing is worn out, there may be no play.

In this case, the condition can only be checked visually; to do this, disconnect the drive shaft from the gear flange using the “13” key and check the condition. Marks before disassembly to avoid incorrect assembly.

Signs of faulty crosspieces

The VAZ 2106 crosspiece, like any other car part, has a certain service life. Theoretically, the service life of the part is quite long, about 500 thousand km, but the real figures are 10 times less. Therefore, replacement has to be carried out after 50–70 thousand kilometers. This is due not only to the quality of the parts, but also to our roads and the intensity of vehicle operation. Lack of periodic maintenance of crosspieces only brings the need for their replacement closer. The following characteristic signs indicate that there is some problem with the hinge:

• blows and knocks;
• chassis vibrations;
• squeaks when driving or accelerating.

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Clicks and bumps

Often problems with crosspieces appear when the seals are damaged and dust, sand, dirt and water get inside the bearings. All these factors negatively affect the service life of the product. When the joints wear out, clicks will be heard when changing gears while moving, impacts at a speed of about 90 km/h, and a crunching or rustling sound will also appear. If metallic sounds occur, it is recommended to twist parts of the cardan, for example, by placing the car on an overpass. If large play is detected, the crosspieces will need to be replaced.

When diagnosing the gap in the crosspieces, the gearbox must be in neutral gear.

Video: play of the cardan cross

If clicks appear in the cardan area on my car, but I am sure that the crosspieces are still in good condition and should move, then, most likely, there is simply not enough lubrication in the hinges, for which they need to be injected. If clicks appear, I advise you not to delay maintenance, since the bearings will break and it will no longer be possible to do without replacing the crosspiece.

Creaks

The cause of squeaks in the area of ​​the driveshaft is usually associated with souring of the crosspieces. The problem is clearly noticeable at the beginning of the movement and when driving at low speed, while the car creaks like an old cart.

The malfunction occurs when the hinges are not maintained, when the bearing simply cannot cope with its task. Sometimes, after removing the cardan, it is discovered that the crosspiece does not move in any direction at all.

Video: how the cardan cross creaks

Vibration

Malfunctions in the form of vibration with the universal joints can occur when moving forward or in reverse. The problem can be present with both old bearings and new ones. In the first case, the malfunction is caused by jamming of one of the hinges. If the vibration persists after replacing the crosspiece, then a low-quality part may have been installed or the installation was performed incorrectly. The crosspiece, whether old or new, should move in any of the four directions freely and without jamming. If you have to exert little effort when moving the hinge by hand, you can lightly tap the bearing cup; it may not be seated properly.

Vibrations in the driveshaft may be due to imbalance. The reason may lie in the impact on the cardan with something hard, for example, when hitting a stone. The balancing plate could also fall off the shaft. In such situations, you will have to visit a car service to eliminate the imbalance, and possibly replace the shaft itself.

Cardan vibrations are caused not only by the failure of the crosspiece. From personal experience I can say that the problem also manifests itself when the outboard bearing breaks, when the rubber in which it is held breaks off. The vibration is heard especially clearly when reversing and when starting to move in first gear. Therefore, before you start replacing the crosspiece, it would be useful to check the driveshaft support.

How to remove the crosspiece, step-by-step instructions

The first thing to do is note where the spider forks are located because they are balanced at the factory and will generate vibration when the driveshaft is reassembled. First you need to remove the retaining rings. This is best done with special sharp tongs.

In specialized workshops, bearings are pressed using a hydraulic or manual press, but if you do it yourself, this problem can be solved with a hammer and a mallet made of soft material. Next, remove the pair of bearings from the fork. Perform a similar operation with the second pair of spider bearings. Also clean the mounting holes and grooves for the retaining rings. You can use sandpaper (fine or medium).

In addition, it may be necessary to remove small burrs that sometimes appear when bearings detonate.

How to replace a crosspiece

It is most convenient to change this with the driveshaft removed. Although, if the vehicle’s ground clearance allows it and there is no way to drive it onto a pit or overpass, then you can do it this way, especially in the case of trucks. You can also remove the shaft without a hole. Although it will take much more time, effort and nerves to repair. In the first case, the procedure will be as follows:

1. Following safety precautions, you need to block the wheels of the car. After this, you need to engage any gear (so that the driveshaft does not rotate).
2. Mark the location of all parts that will be removed relative to each other.
3. Unscrew the cardan bolts (secure the shaft to the axle flange). There are four of them.
4. Unscrew the suspension bearing mount (two nuts).
5. Pull the driveshaft out of the gearbox (there is a splined connection).

Once the shaft is removed, the universal joint spider can be removed. To do this, you will need pliers, a powerful flat-head screwdriver, a hammer and a round attachment (rod, tube). Its diameter should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the eyes in which the ends of the cross are secured. It will be much more convenient to work if you clamp the shaft in a vice.

Next you will need to do the following:

• it is necessary to remove the fixing rings that hold the ends of the cross in the eyes. For this operation you need pliers. If the rings are too tight, then you should tap them with a hammer through the adapter so that the cups at the ends of the cross sag a little;
• After removing the rings, you need to knock the cups out of the eyes. This is done using the same attachment and hammer. It is important to remember that striking the cardan itself is not recommended. In the process of removing the cross in this way, the cup that is being struck will move inward, and on the other side of the fork, the cup will come out to a certain limit. In some cases, the cups may fall out on their own, but often they need to be pulled out using various suitable tools: pliers, a gas wrench, and so on. All four cups are removed in the same way;
• When the cross is removed, it is advisable to clean the lugs and the fork itself from dirt using a wire brush. It is recommended to go over the internal surfaces with sandpaper, clean the grooves of the retaining rings and wipe everything well from dust.

It should be separately added that there are special pullers for crosspieces. However, in practice they are used extremely rarely, even in repair conditions at large service stations. Let us add that no special tools are required when replacing the crosspiece, since installing a new part is also not difficult.

1. The two opposite cups can be easily removed by hand. You must act carefully so that the needle bearing does not crumble. It is important to pay attention to the presence of lubricant under the cup.
2. The crosspiece is placed between the eyes on the shaft fork, after which the cups are put on. At this stage, they are easily recessed with your fingers as much as possible, and then, using a hammer and adapter, they are lowered so that the grooves of the retaining rings open.
3. Retaining rings are installed.
4. The same operation is performed with the other ends of the cross.
5. Replacement of the cardan cross is completed. Now you can install it back.

As already mentioned, it is not always necessary to carry out this type of car repair. Sometimes lubrication is enough. This can be done without removal if a crosspiece with an oiler is installed - a special hole for introducing lubricant. There is nothing special about how to lubricate the cardan crosspieces. For this procedure you only need a special tool - a syringe. You can fill it with either a special lubricant for crosspieces, or use regular lithol.

Replacing the driveshaft crosspiece. Reasons, sequence of actions, important points,

The driveshaft spider may need to be replaced if there is a humming, grinding or vibration sound. The sound is caused by play in the bearing in the joint spider, and the vibration can be caused by "curvature of the joint spider." Read on to learn more about this and how to change the driveshaft spider.

“The drive shaft is an integral part of the transmission that transmits torque from the transmission (or transfer case) to the front and rear axle gears. An important part of the driveshaft is the universal joint, which, like an articulated mechanism, allows the shafts to rotate at different angles in relation to this fastener, which most often requires replacement (approximately every 10,000 km).

Removing the driveshaft crosspiece - check its condition visually

In order to prolong the life of the crosspiece and, of course, the cardan itself, it is necessary to regularly carry out visual inspections, with which you can assess its serviceability. It also wouldn’t hurt to use high-quality lubricant for the driveshaft crosspieces, especially since purchasing it is not difficult at all. Moreover, it is recommended to lubricate its elements at least every ten thousand kilometers.

You can carry out diagnostics as follows: grab the flange with one hand, and the shaft with the other, and rotate them in different directions. If play is formed, this indicates severe wear of the part, and therefore the need for urgent repairs or its complete replacement. In order to understand whether it is possible to limit ourselves to just replacing worn elements, you will need to completely remove the driveshaft crosspiece.

This is done according to the following scheme. First, you should unscrew the cardan mounting bolts, and then it can be easily dismantled. Next, unscrew the nuts with which the shaft is attached to the rear axle shank. Using pliers, you need to loosen the locking ring and dismantle the cross itself. Then turn the shaft so that it hangs and knock out its cups with a hammer. Now remove them, given the dimensions of the driveshaft crosspiece, this is not difficult to do.

Pressing cups

The pressing of the cups of the cross occurs in this way: the cross is moved in the direction of the already installed cup, and then the next one is put on, similar to the method described above.

To install the outboard bearing, you will need to unscrew the nut securing the universal joint fork to the front shaft of the vehicle.

When carrying out all stages of work, you should be extremely careful and careful. All necessary parts of the mechanism must be treated with lubricant, old fasteners, if possible, should be replaced with new ones, and installation of the crosspiece should not occur with distortions and deviations, as this will cost the car owner a waste of time and possibly new financial waste associated with the purchase another set of spare parts. For those people who do not know how to lubricate the elements of the driveshaft, we inform you that this will require lubricant No. 158 or a foreign-made equivalent.

The final installation of the driveshaft occurs in the reverse order, taking into account the marks set in advance. However, all stages of this process can be clearly seen in the photo and video materials present in the article.

Replacement procedure

Having decided to carry out a replacement, you first need to take care of everything necessary. It's not just about buying a new cross, but also about preparing the work area and all the tools. The step-by-step instructions given below are suitable for most VAZ car models from 2101 to 2107. You can also use it to replace the crosspiece on foreign cars such as Ford Transit, Toyota Camry, Niva Chevrolet and so on. The process itself can be roughly divided into several stages: preparing tools, removing the cardan, replacing the crosspiece and installing the cardan shaft in place. Let's consider each of these stages separately.

Preparing tools

As noted earlier, to replace the cross, you need to prepare all the necessary tools:

• Screwdriver Set;
• chisel;
• pliers;
• universal crosspiece puller;
• mandrels for removing crosspiece bearings;
• hammer;
• attachment made of aluminum or copper;
• set of socket and open-end wrenches.

Crosspiece replacement tools

As a rule, when repairing an old car, fasteners can become very rusty, so it is advisable to replace them with new nuts and bolts. Once everything is ready, you can start replacing.

What is a crosspiece puller and why is it needed?

A cardan shaft cross puller is a tool that is used to dismantle various parts and assemblies (pulleys, gears, bushings, wheels, couplings, bearings) that have an interference fit. This tool consists of two support plates, two ties, two nuts, two pieces of pipe and a bolt. As a rule, it is made of structural steel.

A driveshaft spider puller can effortlessly remove bearings from their forks without damaging adjacent parts. The puller can also act as a device for repairing a universal joint, since universal joints serve an average of 70-80 thousand km, during which time they wear out sufficiently and require replacement. In this case, the puller helps to extend the working life. In this case, you need to know that the spikes of the cross wear out more intensively only on one side. Therefore, when removing the hinge, it is necessary to make appropriate notes, wash and lubricate its parts, and then reassemble and install it, while rotating the cross 180°C around one of the axes relative to the previous position, in this case the main load during operation will fall on less worn side. As a result, such a hinge will last for more than one thousand kilometers.

Removing the VAZ 2107 cardan

It is better to remove the cardan on a lift or inspection hole. In the latter case, it is necessary to secure the car wheel with boots and secure it with the handbrake so that the car does not roll away. Only after this can you begin dismantling.

The work is performed in the following sequence:

• unscrew the bolts connecting the cardan to the gearbox flange;

• unscrew the nuts securing the outboard bearing to the bottom of the car;

• Carefully, using a wooden hammer, knock the cardan out of the splines of the elastic coupling.

You need to knock on the cardan parts with a wooden hammer or use a regular hammer and a wooden spacer. Otherwise, the cardan pipes may be deformed.

If the driveshaft has already been disassembled

There are cases when the driveshaft inadvertently splits in the splines during dismantling. Or, due to inexperience, the car enthusiast did not put marks in advance when replacing the crosspiece or outboard bearing.

Take a close look; on some European-made driveshafts, marks are placed at the factory in the form of convex triangles, arrows and dots; sometimes curved balancing plates and even grease nipples act as marks.

Note: there are marks on all cardan shafts with offset crosspieces relative to each other.

If you do not find marks, you have two options - contact a specialist to balance the driveshaft or try to find the correct position yourself.

Troubleshooting

Before carrying out repairs, you need to find the cause of the problem. To do this, you will need to drive the car onto a pit or a lift. We put the transmission in neutral and climb under the car. We inspect the cardan, special attention should be paid to the condition of the crosspiece seals. Next, holding the crosspiece, we rotate the cardan itself. If the crosspiece requires replacement, the play can be noticed immediately. If there is no play, but various noises and squeaks are heard during rotation, then the crosspiece may not need to be changed. You just need to replace the lubricant. There are two crosspieces in the cardan and both need to be diagnosed. The rear universal joint crosspiece fails most quickly, since it bears heavy loads. When moving, dirt and moisture also fall more onto the rear crosspiece.