Help with off side drive shaft

macafee2 · 18th July 2018, 12:40

Yet again I find myself in a blind panic.

I cannot get the nearside drive shaft to go back in to the "gearbox" of a Diesel.
when I fitted the new circlip it looks to have stretched a little, it is open more then it was before fitting.

I cannot get the drive shaft back in, it was a cow to get out with the old circlip.

Please can you advise how to "force" the drive shaft home into the "gearbox"?

thank you

macafee2

EastPete · 18th July 2018, 13:32

There isn't a circlip actually on the OS driveshaft - it usually is retained in the diff housing when you remove the shaft. I normally don't bother trying to replace this, unless there was an issue with the shaft being loose or the seal leaking etc. How did you get the old one out ?

The shaft should go back in quite easily - feed it in a straight line into the diff, and turn it gently whilst pushing it into the diff - it should slide/click into place. Put some LM grease on the shaft splines, and some red rubber grease around the seal before fitting the shaft - this helps it go in more easily, and protects the oil seal from damage. Sometimes, the inner bearing housing/assembly on the shaft fouls the support bracket, stopping the shaft from going in, but it is just a case of manoeuvring it out of the way, so the inner end of the shaft can go into the diff.

Good luck- let us know how you get on.

Pete

macafee2 · 18th July 2018, 13:47

sorry panic took over, circlip is on near side as you say and it is the near side I'm having trouble with.
When you say you don't replace it do you mean you don't fit a new one or you don't fit one at all and leave it off? I was trying to do things right so fitted a new one, right now... wish I hadn't.

I had to use a crow bar on the near side between the joint closest to the gear box and gear box. It was tough to get it out

macafee2

macafee2 · 18th July 2018, 13:50

Eastepete is not going mad in his reply above, original post did say off side, now corrected to near side

macafee2

Daveluck · 18th July 2018, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by macafee2

sorry panic took over, circlip is on near side as you say and it is the near side I'm having trouble with.
When you say you don't replace it do you mean you don't fit a new one or you don't fit one at all and leave it off? I was trying to do things right so fitted a new one, right now... wish I hadn't.

I had to use a crow bar on the near side between the joint closest to the gear box and gear box. It was tough to get it out

macafee2

On both occasions when I've removed these the shorter of the 2 was a pig to get out and a bit of a pig to get in.

The short shaft has the clip. My long ones didn't.

How far out are you?

As Pete says you have to twist and push until it kind of slips in. I've never got one completely home by pushing. It has always needed some very judicious tapping ( tapping!! ) with a suitable wooden drift and a light(ish) hammer.

That has applied to both sides for me.

macafee2 · 18th July 2018, 14:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveluck

On both occasions when I've removed these the shorter of the 2 was a pig to get out and a bit of a pig to get in.

The short shaft has the clip. My long ones didn't.

How far out are you?

As Pete says you have to twist and push until it kind of slips in. I've never got one completely home by pushing. It has always needed some very judicious tapping ( tapping!! ) with a suitable wooden drift and a light(ish) hammer.

That has applied to both sides for me.

I'm perhaps 1/2 inch out but not sure as shaft is now laying on cloth on the floor. I think it engauges with the spline inside the gearbox and so assume the problem is the circlip not closing and allowing the shaft to slide fully in

Tapping it home, the shaft ( near side) collapses (slides together) in one or two places. Do collapse the shaft and then tap it on the end where the hub nut goes?
I've had to look judicious up. How hard do you tap?

I've not tried the off side shaft, I'm panicked enough with the near side.

macafee2

Daveluck · 18th July 2018, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by macafee2

I'm perhaps 1/2 inch out but not sure as shaft is now laying on cloth on the floor. I think it engauges with the spline inside the gearbox and so assume the problem is the circlip not closing and allowing the shaft to slide fully in

Tapping it home, the shaft ( near side) collapses (slides together) in one or two places. Do collapse the shaft and then tap it on the end where the hub nut goes?
I've had to look judicious up. How hard do you tap?

I've not tried the off side shaft, I'm panicked enough with the near side.

macafee2

Mate, deep breath and relax. Have a cup of tea or something and try again. Things are always better after a break. You got it out of the hole so you'll be able to get it back in again.

Let me go and have a look on mine as the old brain ain't what it used to be.

Both times I've done mine with the shafts still attached to the hub....

Right, back from a quick look and gven myself a brain refresh.

I hasten to add this approach is not mentioned in the Haynes manual and there will be titters and tutters and I'm sure much shaking of heads in judgement. But there you go the risk of sharing I suppose.

On the short shaft, I lined up the shaft, faffed until it started to go in, then utilised the weight of the hub on the shock, rocked back and forth with a little more emphasis on the forth until it went home. When it finally goes home it is quite a positive action so you know its there.

I followed a similar procedure with the long shaft. However for final fitting of this I have on both occasions had to use a wooden drift on the flange where it meets the oil seal on the gearbox itself. I always seem to have about a 10mm gap from the face of the flange to the oils seal. A couple of light taps and it pops home.

EastPete · 18th July 2018, 16:25

NS shaft - I do replace the circlip, then grease up the splines and oil seal - push it in as far as it will go, keeping it straight, then normally use a rubber or plastic mallet to tap it home.

Pete

RoverP480 · 18th July 2018, 17:43

I have found its needs fairly high steady pressure pushing, then still pushing, a sharp tap with a mallet to jolt it in.

macafee2 · 18th July 2018, 18:05

I have used Daveluck's method and the drive shaft seems to have gone in.

Would have liked the drive shaft to have been straighter then it was but it seems to have worked.

Appreciate the advice given

macafee2

18th July 2018, 12:40	#1
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,926 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	Help with near side drive shaft, updated question Yet again I find myself in a blind panic. I cannot get the nearside drive shaft to go back in to the "gearbox" of a Diesel. when I fitted the new circlip it looks to have stretched a little, it is open more then it was before fitting. I cannot get the drive shaft back in, it was a cow to get out with the old circlip. Please can you advise how to "force" the drive shaft home into the "gearbox"? thank you macafee2 Last edited by macafee2; 18th July 2018 at 13:49..

18th July 2018, 17:43	#9
RoverP480 Gets stuck in None at the moment Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Hereford Posts: 501 Thanks: 1 Thanked 165 Times in 146 Posts	I have found its needs fairly high steady pressure pushing, then still pushing, a sharp tap with a mallet to jolt it in. Last edited by RoverP480; 18th July 2018 at 17:45.. Reason: improve responce

18th July 2018, 13:32	#2
EastPete Posted a thing or two Rover 75 CDTi Classic saloon, MGB GT, Skoda Yeti Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ramsey, Cambs Posts: 1,874 Thanks: 626 Thanked 635 Times in 430 Posts	There isn't a circlip actually on the OS driveshaft - it usually is retained in the diff housing when you remove the shaft. I normally don't bother trying to replace this, unless there was an issue with the shaft being loose or the seal leaking etc. How did you get the old one out ? The shaft should go back in quite easily - feed it in a straight line into the diff, and turn it gently whilst pushing it into the diff - it should slide/click into place. Put some LM grease on the shaft splines, and some red rubber grease around the seal before fitting the shaft - this helps it go in more easily, and protects the oil seal from damage. Sometimes, the inner bearing housing/assembly on the shaft fouls the support bracket, stopping the shaft from going in, but it is just a case of manoeuvring it out of the way, so the inner end of the shaft can go into the diff. Good luck- let us know how you get on. Pete

18th July 2018, 13:47	#3
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,926 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	sorry panic took over, circlip is on near side as you say and it is the near side I'm having trouble with. When you say you don't replace it do you mean you don't fit a new one or you don't fit one at all and leave it off? I was trying to do things right so fitted a new one, right now... wish I hadn't. I had to use a crow bar on the near side between the joint closest to the gear box and gear box. It was tough to get it out macafee2

18th July 2018, 13:50	#4
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,926 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	Eastepete is not going mad in his reply above, original post did say off side, now corrected to near side macafee2

18th July 2018, 16:25	#8
EastPete Posted a thing or two Rover 75 CDTi Classic saloon, MGB GT, Skoda Yeti Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ramsey, Cambs Posts: 1,874 Thanks: 626 Thanked 635 Times in 430 Posts	NS shaft - I do replace the circlip, then grease up the splines and oil seal - push it in as far as it will go, keeping it straight, then normally use a rubber or plastic mallet to tap it home. Pete

18th July 2018, 18:05	#10
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,926 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	I have used Daveluck's method and the drive shaft seems to have gone in. Would have liked the drive shaft to have been straighter then it was but it seems to have worked. Appreciate the advice given macafee2