Pic. 3.126. Front wheel drive shaft components
Withdrawal
Raise the car and remove the front wheel.
Remove the cotter pin and unscrew the nut securing the wheel drive shaft to the wheel hub.
Drain the gearbox oil.
Pic. 3.127. Disconnecting the wheel drive shaft
Using a plastic mallet, remove the wheel drive shaft from the wheel hub (pic. 3.127).
Pull the wheel hub outward from the vehicle and separate the wheel drive shaft from it.
Pic. 3.128. Disconnecting the wheel drive shaft from the gearbox
Insert a pry bar between the gearbox housing and the wheel drive shaft CV joint housing, and then disconnect the wheel drive shaft from the gearbox (pic. 3.128).
Attention! Be careful when disconnecting the wheel drive shaft with a pry bar, do not damage the gearbox housing and shaft CV joint.
Attention! To avoid damage to the gland, do not insert the pry bar too deep (maximum 7 mm).
Attention! Do not pull out the wheel drive shaft with considerable force, as such an operation will damage the internal parts of the CV joint «Bearfield BJ» or «Tripod TJ» wheel drive shaft (boot rupture or bearing damage).
Attention! Close the hole in the gearbox using a special plug to prevent dirt and foreign particles from entering inside.
Hold the wheel drive shaft securely.
Always replace retaining ring (retainer ring) after disconnecting the wheel drive shaft from the gearbox.
Examination
Pic. 3.129. Checking the drive shaft
Check the protective cover of the CV joint of the wheel drive shaft for damage and deterioration.
Check ball joints for excessive wear and movement.
Check the spline of the wheel drive shaft (and hubs) for excessive wear or damage.
Check the dynamic damper for damage or cracks.
Installation
Lubricate the splines of the wheel drive shaft and the contact surfaces of the differential case with gear oil (in the gearbox).
Before installing the wheel drive shaft, position the retaining ring so that its lock is pointing down.
After installing the wheel drive shaft, check that the shaft is securely locked and cannot be removed by hand.
Pic. 3.130. Installation of a washer and a nut of fastening of a shaft of a drive
Install the washer with the convex side out, then install the wheel drive shaft nut and cotter pin (pic. 3.130).
Always replace the self-locking wheel drive shaft nut and cotter pin with new ones each time the shaft is disconnected from the hub.