Front driveshaft rebuild questions

I tore a driveshaft apart yesterday (Double-cardan front from 89 AW4/242) with intent to freshen up the 3 UJs.

Anyway the roller bearings inside the D-C 'ball' were toast, and the removable cup was worn-rusted/pitted badly. The fixed cup (part of the yoke-welded to the DS) is pretty rough too. How does one service a mess like this?

I assume the ball and removable cup are simple replacements, but what for that fixed cup/yoke? Have it cut off and replaced???or does it even matter.

Question #2: How does that cap come off (to access/clean the 'slip' splines) Mine turns by hand, but doesn't appear to be unthreading. We refreshed and cleaned my buddies S10 shaft and his just unscrewed...

This was the OEM shaft from the AW4/242 setup, I am running a similar shaft (89 5spd/231) in there now, swapped from my MJ when I swapped in the 231. I hate to tear into that one and find a similar mess...but OTOH I have two other spare double-cardan front shafts to scrounge parts off if need be (one custom length XJ, one from ZJ)

Thanks

I would suggest a replacement. But if you can't then you can get away with putting a new cup in place with some JB weld or similar it will help but will not be a permanent fix. Might be a good excuse to call Tom Woods for an new driveshaft, why waste time on a stocker.

Woody, the whole cup assembly comes off, basically you have to dismantle the shaft. There are c-clips inside the cup that allow it all to come apart look carefully. The replacement part, which I do not have the part number for, is the same unit that replaces the Renault Alliance axle CV joint comes with everything to make it new; Moog makes it, GKN which is the OEM no longer makes them.

XJguy

Woody,

I just tore into my front driveshaft off my '98 over the weekend. I too was fearing the roller pin toast theory in the ball, but all was well I'm happy to report. The ball part is servicable and replaceable. There is a rebuild kit for it that run about $38. You get a new ball, spring, roller pins, and seal/ball retainer goodie. It appears the seal/retainer goodie is simply tapped into place to hold the ball component. Since mine was still in relatively good shape, I left well enough alone for now.

As far as your setup being pitted and all, the ball replacement would help you there, but I'm not sure what to do about the cup part. I venture to think it's not as critical as the roller pins within the ball, so maybe you can get away with the ball overhaul for the roller pins (which is critical), and overlook the pitted cup portion. My "boot" that the ball slid around in had a slight tear, so I just smeared some silicon on it, to patch it up. Threw in some more grease for the roller pins, and completed replacing the u-joints as long as everything was apart....

Ivan

Woody I think I gave you SPOBI, well for your application anyway. The info I gave is for the older/different style DS joint that used a constant velocity u-joint like those found in the 86 XJ. I reread your question and seemed to have missed the part about double-cardan, my bad.

XJguy