Examination
Block the front wheels with chocks to prevent the vehicle from moving. Raise the rear of the vehicle and support it on stands. Release the parking brake lever and place the gear shift lever in neutral.
Inspect the driveshaft from under the vehicle for dents and cracks. If there is any damage, replace the drive shaft.
Check for leaks at the connection points between the front and rear parts of the driveshaft and the gearbox and the rear final drive. Leaks at the front indicate a worn or defective transmission seal, while leaks at the rear indicate a faulty rear final drive seal.
While the assistant rotates the rear wheel, check the condition of the universal joints, which should rotate smoothly, without binding or visible play. If the driveshaft support bearing is making noise, it is worn or damaged and needs to be replaced. Also check the condition of the rubber bearing support for delamination and cracks.
Check the condition of the universal joints with the driveshaft stationary by grasping it with both hands and trying to turn it in one direction and the other. Any play indicates wear on the joints, in which case the front or rear part of the driveshaft must be replaced.
Finally, check the tightness of the driveshaft mounting bolts.
Removal
Block the front wheels with chocks to prevent the vehicle from moving. Raise the rear of the vehicle and support it on stands. Release the parking brake lever and place the gear shift lever in neutral.
Use paint or a marker to mark the alignment marks on the final drive flange and the driveshaft flange. This is necessary to reset the shaft to its original position to maintain shaft balance.
Figure 10.10. Unscrewing the bolts securing the rear universal joint of the propeller shaft to the flange of the main rear gear
Loosen the nuts and bolts securing the rear universal joint of the propeller shaft to the flange of the main rear gear (figure 10.10). To access the nuts and bolts, rotate the driveshaft.
Figure 10.11. Location of the bolts securing the propeller shaft support bearing bracket to the underbody of the vehicle
Remove the bolts securing the driveshaft support bearing bracket to the underbody of the vehicle (figure 10.11).
Remove the front of the driveshaft from the transmission and lift the driveshaft assembly out from under the vehicle.
Installation
Lubricate the working lips of the gearbox sealing cuff. Insert the front of the driveshaft into the transmission and install, but do not tighten, the driveshaft support bearing bracket bolts to the underbody of the vehicle.
Connect the rear universal joint of the propeller shaft to the flange of the main rear gear, aligning the marks made before removal. Secure it with nuts and bolts and tighten them to 74 Nm.
Figure 10.12. Distance between the hinge cover and the protrusion on the rear of the propeller shaft
Figure 10.13. Distance between the rear of the support bearing and the rear of the rubber support
Adjust the position of the propeller shaft support bearing bracket so that the distance between the joint cover and the protrusion on the rear of the propeller shaft is within the range of 65.5 - 70.5 mm, and the distance between the rear of the support bearing and the rear of the rubber mount should be within the range of 11.5 - 13.5 mm (figure 10.12, 10.13). Tighten the propeller shaft support bearing bracket mounting bolts to 37 Nm.