Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

[dcunn]

Hi people.

Just spent the day in the garage, diff now back in car but propshaft is fighting back.

When the diff came out the rear propshaft bolts were too tight to undo on the car, so decided
to slide the propshaft apart to get the assembly off the car, great, very easy, and the bolts
more easily persuaded when off the car.

OK fine, now why won't the so and so propshaft slide back together, theres nothing to stop it !

The front part of the shaft is now also off the car as I couldn't get it together, and I still cant !
I can't think what I've done wrong, it slid out but just will not slide back in
I've cleaned the grease out so it's not hydraulicing.
The splined bit seems to have a black plastic coating all over it (similar to powder coating ?) and
it will not slide in at all as this coating seems to be catching.

What now my loves ????

[lizbillings]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

There is a possibility it only fits in one place on the splines, possibly 180 degrees out. regards Doug

[dcunn]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

Thanks Doug but tried all places around 360 degrees. The splines all look the same, but the "socket" bit is one spline short - I guess to allow for air out and stop hydaulicing.
It jusy doesn't want to slide in - this plastic seems to jam up...................... I'll go and try again later when I've had some sustenance

[dcunn]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

Pics here - I've just tried again and it's as though the plastic makes the splined bit too big to fit in

You can see some of the marks I've put on it and it will require force to put it in - not right !

The camera flash makes the plastic look green, really it's black

The "female" bit is parallel, just the camera makes it look weird

[b_caswell]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

Have you used any solvent that may have swelled the plastic coating?

Dont forget you must line up the U/Js you cant just push it in in any position. OOH Matron!

[dcunn]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

No to solvent. The front bit has stayed on the car since the diff etc came off, and we tried to push it in (just as it was left, no more grease or anything) - when we couldn't make it slide we took it off the car.

Paraffin was used to remove all the grease, after it came off the car.....no other solvent....but yes, seems as though something has swollen the plastic stuff

[CABRIOBOB]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

DC,
If you look at the inner splined shaft (male) end carefully there could be 2 splines closer together then the rest as they should line up with the outer tube splines (female) that are wider also there coild be a small tag of weld on those spline end, this is so you can only fit the shaft in one position. If you are sure there is no master spline then use a file to slightly taper the outer edge splines of the outer tube (female) end. Dont file the shaft with the plastic coating as this will split it. If you get stuck ring me.

[Mike]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

Dave

There are only two possible ways you should attempt to put your prop-shaft back together.

As Ben has pointed out, the UJs must be lined up in parallel - ie the two yokes must mirror each other in one plane - they will not be at odd angles to one another - this helps to avoid vibration, and irregular rotational movement.

So this means you only have two diametrically opposite options to try - one of them will be the way it was before you took it to pieces!!!

Tomorrow's a new day - have another go.......

Mike

[dcunn]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

Thanks guys for the inputs, when the frost has cleared a bit I'll go out and try again

[dcunn]

Re: Hunter : Prop shaft sliding joint which doesn't slide - help/advice please!

O)K so I failed again, and took it to a friendly local village garage guy who incidentally is also a kit car person - and guess what, it's fixed !

He passes on the following useful comments : As we know it will only go in one way, and you must be exceptionally careful to have it exactly
lined up or else the plastic coating gets tiny damages from all the 90 degree sharp edges, and if you try a time or two the damages are increased
to the point where it will NOT go in - which was my trouble - some very judicious use of a fine file has cleared it and BINGO !

Hope this may be a good lesson to others, and a BIG THANKYOU to all who responded to my plea - see you at Stoneleigh

B Rgds DC