tailshaft rebuild

[turbovr4]

I know this has probably been done before,but I just rebuilt my tailshaft a couple of weeks ago with new centre bearings and uni joints. I had two different mystery noises, one was definately a seized uni which I knew about when I had to change only two of them because all the shops around my area had no more stock. The other was the standard rattling noise on back off, anyway I pulled apart the DOJ joint and repacked with gease and checked it out. so far the noises haven,t been back, the centre bearings were good, just sagged on the rubber. The noises were from the DOJ joint because the factory grease was more like paste and dry. So two weeks and 800km later, still silent, but I will see what happens after 6 months. Still better than the noises that i have heard for 3years

 

[4piknup]

All of these joints are service items. They need the old grease out and the new grease in, to stop the noises and wear.

Nice work boss.

 

[turbovr4]

Thanks for that, The reason why I was mentioning this was because when I posted a while ago about the thrashing noises under the car, a lot of responses were directing me to clutch and centre bearings. Being a Fitter and turner for 30years I saw that the DOJ joint could be pulled apart, but everyone basically said it is not that that makes the noise. So this time when I took the tailshaft out I decided to do it, I forgot to mark the uni joints on their splines which was a pain to realign the tailshaft but luckily the original marks were on the DOJ joint, that would have been worse because you need front and back taishaft sections to align.

Another tip before i forget, The neoprene gasket was brokn on my DOJ joint and I couldn't get the replacement in time so I used 3mm O ring and using the lithium grease to keep it in place i made it form the same shape as the original gasket. So far so good , no grease has come flying out yet. By the way guys , anyone who hasn't dome the job by themselves it is not too bad a job, and like Jack of all said. it should be serviced.

 

[MDK87]

Ok Trent, so when are you free to do mine?

No but seriously, if I ever get around to piece my VR4 back together, would you mind popping over and showing me how to do it?
I had to take my last tail shaft to a diff shop and all I remember was it being a big pain in the ass! Generally, I'd like to know how to do it myself anyway so I can do my two other VR4's as well haha
And what is a DOJ joint?

 

[4piknup]

Next person to do this should post the pics and do a write up...

 

[turbovr4]

That should be fine Mo, It took me around 4 hours from removing the tailshaft and reinstalling it doing it casually. The main worry was undoing the nuts holding the yoke and joint on the tailshaft, I think it was a 24 or 27mm socket and I had to hold the tailshaft in the vice as well as something through the other end yoke to stop it turning, Because even holding the tailshaft on the welded end, I didn't want to crush the tailshaft. The other problem was to knock the centre bearings off required me to knock the dust shields off as well , which i had to straighten and knock back on before the centre bearing goes back on.
The DOJ joint was what I read somewhere describing the joint that looks like a CV joint.
By the way, the price of the centre bearing have gone up, i paid $185 but I didn't shop around because I wanted them in a hurry so autobahn got them in. Someone said I could have got them cheaper if I wanted to wait a week or so,but I couldn,t be bothered.
I picked my parts up after work on friday afternoon, pulled the tailshaft out at 0600 on the saturday morning and road tested the car by 1000 the same morning, no noise or vibrations up to 100km so I was happy with that.

 

[MDK87]

Sweet man. I remember you were complaining about those noises ages ago! hehe
Good to see you've finally sorted it.

 

[penngwyne]

Have a look on you tube at driveshaft 101", "driveshaft 102" "driveshaft 103
Step by step videos for prop shaft overhaul for a vr4
Be aware that the centre bearing on the RVR has the rubber seal facing the front of the car otherwise the carrier wont fit and you will have to turn it around.
and it's a 26mm self locking nut too (not a nylock one)