Front Driveshafts

Seems funny to be saying that about a big saloon, but I went to Dave Macs to collect the driveshafts yesterday. Sadly they hadn't done anything with them, as none of the splines or fittings were compatable with any modern products. They did say that they could make new ones, but I would need new front hubs too etc etc .... the cost was going to be huge so they hadn't done anything, but they did say that they had looked at the existing parts and there didn't appear to be any appreciable wear, so why didn't I rebuild them?

So I left there with 4 CV boot kits.

This is a front joint stripped, the grease was more like toffee than grease, but I stripped and cleaned them all

Ever wondered how they come apart - or go back together, the ball bearings are easy, just tilt the cage and pop them out, but there is a trick to the cages, which have 2 larger holes than the rest - these are more oval than round, and you use them to firstly rotate the cage into the joint, aligning them with the "lumps" between the ball bearing groves

Then once these are in place use the large holes to rotate the centre splined section in place

Now beware at this point, before inserting ball bearings make sure that both the cage and the centre section are the right way up - they usually need rotating through 180 degrees to ensure that the beveled spline input (which compresses the ring on the end of the shaft on insertion) is facing outwards - get it wrong and you won't get the shaft in !

Anyway 3 more joints later here are the complete shafts - I still have to fit the CV boot clips, clean the grease off, and give the metal a quick coat of paint.

I also completed the pedal box tonight, complete with NOS pedal rubber

And I painted the diff parts that I got back from blasting - except the rear alloy cover plate

When the paint is dry these will need the oil seal "bearing" areas polishing, but much better than the old rusty bits.

Time spent now 631 hours - 4 tonight
Money spent £13515 - £40 on blasting, paint and CV boots