Prop Shaft / UV Joint Advice

[Munzy]

Hi all, hoping for some advice on a prop shaft on my Discovery 2 TD5. In reality if you know your way around a universal joint regardless of make and model I could use your help!

I have a slight dull squeal when coming off the throttle and also a quite noticeable metallic knock when coming and off the throttle. To me it felt drivetrain related rather than a belt or bearing on the engine.

After crawling under and having a look I saw the front prop shaft or rather the uv joint is looking sorry for itself. I’ve uploaded a video here…

https://streamable.com/sy2uez
 

Should there be this much play in the joint? Basically it’s the bearing cap you can see has broken on one side and the joint seems to move around a lot in the bearing cup/yoke. Is this much play normal?!

I’ve ordered a rebuild kit (three uv joints, bearing caps, circlips etc) to do each end of the shaft, just want to be prepared for how it “should” look once assembled.

Thanks!

[oneshot1979]

That is absolutely shot and I wouldn't be driving it anywhere. The flanges and prop may still be salvageable if you stop now, but if the spider wears through the cups the whole prop will be scrap.  

[ditchman]

that is totally stuffed........the yoke looks fine tho' so you should be fine...........are you ok with replacing the new u/j's..........i did make a post with loads of pics of replacing u/j's on my L/R..........im not teaching you to suck eggs ...but remember the propshaft is in 2 pieces and when you re-assemble it the arrows should line up....if you cant find the arrows mark it with a chisel........

i took my u/j's out with an angle grinder.......and put the new ones in with a "G" clamp

[Zapp]

As has been mentioned, seriously shot.

We just did mine - I bought a C frame press like this off Amazon:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143806585380?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338785333&toolid=10029&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1hc3XF6FTRDG_JIa_ZqrUIg56&customid=s%3AGS%3Bgc%3ACj0KCQjws4aKBhDPARIsAIWH0JU5HO1vYOGg7h8H0GE3RYbFefdsRV3iYXCJec6F8qWbu6qdiM6X5CgaAhW3EALw_wcB

  That and an impact gun had the old ones out and the new ones in in about 35 mins.

[ditchman]

4 minutes ago, Zapp said:

As has been mentioned, seriously shot.

We just did mine - I bought a C frame press like this off Amazon:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143806585380?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338785333&toolid=10029&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1hc3XF6FTRDG_JIa_ZqrUIg56&customid=s%3AGS%3Bgc%3ACj0KCQjws4aKBhDPARIsAIWH0JU5HO1vYOGg7h8H0GE3RYbFefdsRV3iYXCJec6F8qWbu6qdiM6X5CgaAhW3EALw_wcB

  That and an impact gun had the old ones out and the new ones in in about 35 mins.

nice little set there....i used a socket and a g clamp.........but that set at that price is worth having

[Zapp]

5 minutes ago, ditchman said:

nice little set there....i used a socket and a g clamp.........but that set at that price is worth having

It was great.  My youngest is a mechanic and we were both laughing at how ridiculously easy it made the job.

[Munzy]

Thanks guys, you confirmed my thoughts that this isn’t good but also saved me from driving it any further! Having never bothered to inspect a prop shaft in good order I wasn't sure how bad this one was! Last thing I want is that letting go and 5kg of metal spinning around under the car!

[Cawdor118]

34 minutes ago, Munzy said:

Thanks guys, you confirmed my thoughts that this isn’t good but also saved me from driving it any further! Having never bothered to inspect a prop shaft in good order I wasn't sure how bad this one was! Last thing I want is that letting go and 5kg of metal spinning around under the car!

I have seen this on vehicles with 70-100kg shafts and its not pretty. Its like a steel strimmer.  

[Munzy]

24 minutes ago, Cawdor118 said:

I have seen this on vehicles with 70-100kg shafts and its not pretty. Its like a steel strimmer.  

Nasty! I’ve also heard of them breaking at the front end, dropping and catching the floor sending the car over.

This one will be sat on the drive until I’ve rebuilt it. Thank you everyone, you’ve likely saved me from a nasty incident!

Dom

[la bala]

Just a little add on. Anyone thinking of jacking up a 4x4, get the props for the job. With the more acute angle normal props wont last long.

[Peteg]

Just be sure to buy a good uj. Not an eBay special. I’ve seen awful last a few weeks and without grease nipples
 
A Hardy Spicer or a Gkn Even better bet pop Into your local Independant they’ll have them on the shelf. Not sure where you are in the world  but Norfolk has Jsf which are a good bunch of boys

Nice to find it early as said before can be right mess if they let go

[harrycatcat1]

https://www.paddockspares.com/

[Saltings]

as above or trover milner  at matlock  craddocks at canock    

[Munzy]

Well, frustrating day yesterday. Ordered a UJ rebuild kit from Paddock and then realised it’s not even in stock so wouldn’t be here until Tuesday probably.

Decided to take the old shaft off and strip it down in preparation. Found there was no grease nipple or blank on this one AND the gaiter had a split in it. Being as I don’t know how many miles have been through this part, when it split, how worn the splines might have been and the fact there was no way to grease it in future I opted to replace the whole thing.

Nipped over to Ridgeway 4x4 in Swindon and they had a replacement on the shelf. Fitted in 20 minutes and back on the road. Cancelled the UJ kit and pleased to say the clunk and squeak was indeed from the prop. On the bench the old one looked even worse, when I prized off the circlips one of the bearing caps disintegrated!

[London Best]

Min you, you really are supposed to replace u/j’s before they get that bad!

[Munzy]

41 minutes ago, London Best said:

Min you, you really are supposed to replace u/j’s before they get that bad!

Yeah, completely my fault for not keeping up with routine maintenance. A lucky escape!

[Shotkam]

Leaving worn UJ's in the drivetrain can lead to premature failure of Diff. input shaft bearing and subsequent demise of the diff gears !!!

[harrycatcat1]

17 hours ago, Munzy said:

Well, frustrating day yesterday. Ordered a UJ rebuild kit from Paddock and then realised it’s not even in stock so wouldn’t be here until Tuesday probably.

Decided to take the old shaft off and strip it down in preparation. Found there was no grease nipple or blank on this one AND the gaiter had a split in it. Being as I don’t know how many miles have been through this part, when it split, how worn the splines might have been and the fact there was no way to grease it in future I opted to replace the whole thing.

Nipped over to Ridgeway 4x4 in Swindon and they had a replacement on the shelf. Fitted in 20 minutes and back on the road. Cancelled the UJ kit and pleased to say the clunk and squeak was indeed from the prop. On the bench the old one looked even worse, when I prized off the circlips one of the bearing caps disintegrated!

Good job done then, well done 👏

[London Best]

6 hours ago, Munzy said:

Yeah, completely my fault for not keeping up with routine maintenance. A lucky escape!

I have always tried to remember to grease my u/j’s about every 1000 miles, as they are always covered in ****.

[Lord O War]

I am surprised the MOT didnt pick up on that. Sill not as bad as the prop shafts on my series 3 though. The P.O. had spent money on getting tissue paper welded over the rusty chassis and it had a good paint job but there was only 50cc of grinding paste in the gear box and the props were both 100 yards from full self destruct! I bought it as a rebuild.