Do-it-yourself replacement of the VAZ 2107 driveshaft crosspiece

The threshold for the upcoming replacement of the driveshaft crosspiece is the appearance of vibration in the car interior while it is moving, as well as knocking sounds heard from under the bottom of the vehicle. Of course, an experienced car owner can easily determine the essence of the problem, but for novice car enthusiasts there are two ways to identify the problem:

• visual inspection;
• sending the vehicle to a repair shop.

The second option will require an investment of money, since the car service technicians are guaranteed to offer a quick fix for the problem, not limiting themselves to diagnostics. Therefore, since we decided to carry out the process of replacing the driveshaft crosspiece with our own hands, we will consider the first method, and also describe the option of how to replace the driveshaft crosspiece yourself.

A visual inspection will require simultaneous fixation of the driveshaft and the drive gear flange of the gearbox. If the car owner feels play when trying to rotate these elements towards each other, then the crosspiece requires replacement.

Before carrying out repairs at home, you should ensure that you have the necessary spare parts and tools. To work you will need:

1. hammer and pliers;
2. a set of open-end and socket wrenches for “12”, “13” and “27”;
3. Phillips screwdriver and metal drift;
4. new crosspiece;
5. suspension bearing and retaining rings.

It is recommended to stock up on a set of new bolts and nuts to replace old fasteners with them. The driveshaft can be removed quite simply using a key of size “13”. It should be remembered that the new cross must have exactly the same marking number as the analogue being removed, otherwise it will become impossible to solve the problem with the malfunction.

The whole process can be divided into several stages:

Cardan shaft crosspiece, device, signs of malfunction to the driver's hearing

The PTO is part of the transmission of all four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles. This is the shaft that transmits torque from the gearbox or gearbox to the rear or front axle gearbox. It should be noted that the driveshaft is so unique and simple that its design has not changed for many decades.

Cardan shafts can be one-, two- and three-section. They consist of several elements - two crosses, a shaft, seals, retractable forks, fastening parts and many other elements that usually depend on the design. The weight, thickness and length of the shaft are determined by the dimensions of the vehicle. It is worth noting that sports cars are usually equipped with single-section shafts. For example, the Nissan GT-R uses a single-section driveshaft.

The driveshaft is one of the most maintenance-intensive parts of a car. Its dismantling is quite simple, and the repair consists of replacing the suspension bearing and crosspiece.

Signs of lateral driveshaft failure may include:

• Feeling of running and knocking in the chassis.
• When starting off, you can hear a distinct metallic clang from the chassis.
• Presence of vibration in the car interior.

The main stages of repair work on the cardan shaft

Removing a Worn Cross

Before you begin the process of dismantling the old cross, you should make notes about the clear location of the forks. As a result of incorrect installation, you will also not have to expect a high-quality result.

Having marked the necessary places, the retaining rings are dismantled in conjunction with the removal of the bearings. The bearings are knocked out using a hammer and a metal drift. Professional specialists for this type of activity use a special puller, the presence of which in private hands is quite rare. As a rule, ordinary car owners use their own funds. By dismantling the crosspiece, the joints and holes are freed from foreign elements that could damage the new part in the future.

Diagnosis of a breakdown, how to diagnose it yourself

To carry out self-diagnosis, you need to crawl under the car. Secure the shaft with one hand and the drive gear flange with the other. Then turn them towards you.

The presence of even the slightest backlash proves that the matter really is in the cross. Although, if only one bearing is worn out, there may be no play.

In this case, the condition can only be checked visually; to do this, disconnect the drive shaft from the gear flange using the “13” key and check the condition. Marks before disassembly to avoid incorrect assembly.

Which crosspiece to choose

When choosing a crosspiece, you cannot rely only on its cost. This is a heavy-duty part, so it must be high quality. Experts recommend choosing a cross with a special grease nipple. The presence of lubricant will extend its service life. You can even conduct a simple test on the quality of the part in the store itself. To perform this you need to prepare a small mirror or piece of glass. Place the crosspiece on the surface of the glass and, holding its two opposite ends, swing the crosspiece. After this, repeat the operation with the other ends.

Turn the part over and do it all over again. If during the test the cross makes a characteristic knock, then it is still better to refuse to purchase it. To avoid such problems when purchasing in the future, it is better to give preference only to well-known manufacturers. Below are the world's best brands.

Table. Review of popular manufacturers of crosspieces.

On a note! If you decide to change the shaft cross yourself, then in this case you need to replace the other one too, so as not to encounter problems in the future. It also makes sense to change the suspension bearing. A comprehensive replacement will extend the life of your car's chassis.

How to remove the crosspiece, step-by-step instructions

The first thing to do is note where the spider forks are located because they are balanced at the factory and will generate vibration when the driveshaft is reassembled. First you need to remove the retaining rings. This is best done with special sharp tongs.

In specialized workshops, bearings are pressed using a hydraulic or manual press, but if you do it yourself, this problem can be solved with a hammer and a mallet made of soft material. Next, remove the pair of bearings from the fork. Perform a similar operation with the second pair of spider bearings. Also clean the mounting holes and grooves for the retaining rings. You can use sandpaper (fine or medium).

In addition, it may be necessary to remove small burrs that sometimes appear when bearings detonate.

How to replace a crosspiece

It is most convenient to change this with the driveshaft removed. Although, if the vehicle’s ground clearance allows it and there is no way to drive it onto a pit or overpass, then you can do it this way, especially in the case of trucks. You can also remove the shaft without a hole. Although it will take much more time, effort and nerves to repair. In the first case, the procedure will be as follows:

1. Following safety precautions, you need to block the wheels of the car. After this, you need to engage any gear (so that the driveshaft does not rotate).
2. Mark the location of all parts that will be removed relative to each other.
3. Unscrew the cardan bolts (secure the shaft to the axle flange). There are four of them.
4. Unscrew the suspension bearing mount (two nuts).
5. Pull the driveshaft out of the gearbox (there is a splined connection).

Once the shaft is removed, the universal joint spider can be removed. To do this, you will need pliers, a powerful flat-head screwdriver, a hammer and a round attachment (rod, tube). Its diameter should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the eyes in which the ends of the cross are secured. It will be much more convenient to work if you clamp the shaft in a vice.

Next you will need to do the following:

• it is necessary to remove the fixing rings that hold the ends of the cross in the eyes. For this operation you need pliers. If the rings are too tight, then you should tap them with a hammer through the adapter so that the cups at the ends of the cross sag a little;
• After removing the rings, you need to knock the cups out of the eyes. This is done using the same attachment and hammer. It is important to remember that striking the cardan itself is not recommended. In the process of removing the cross in this way, the cup that is being struck will move inward, and on the other side of the fork, the cup will come out to a certain limit. In some cases, the cups may fall out on their own, but often they need to be pulled out using various suitable tools: pliers, a gas wrench, and so on. All four cups are removed in the same way;
• When the cross is removed, it is advisable to clean the lugs and the fork itself from dirt using a wire brush. It is recommended to go over the internal surfaces with sandpaper, clean the grooves of the retaining rings and wipe everything well from dust.

It should be separately added that there are special pullers for crosspieces. However, in practice they are used extremely rarely, even in repair conditions at large service stations. Let us add that no special tools are required when replacing the crosspiece, since installing a new part is also not difficult.

1. The two opposite cups can be easily removed by hand. You must act carefully so that the needle bearing does not crumble. It is important to pay attention to the presence of lubricant under the cup.
2. The crosspiece is placed between the eyes on the shaft fork, after which the cups are put on. At this stage, they are easily recessed with your fingers as much as possible, and then, using a hammer and adapter, they are lowered so that the grooves of the retaining rings open.
3. Retaining rings are installed.
4. The same operation is performed with the other ends of the cross.
5. Replacement of the cardan cross is completed. Now you can install it back.

As already mentioned, it is not always necessary to carry out this type of car repair. Sometimes lubrication is enough. This can be done without removal if a crosspiece with an oiler is installed - a special hole for introducing lubricant. There is nothing special about how to lubricate the cardan crosspieces. For this procedure you only need a special tool - a syringe. You can fill it with either a special lubricant for crosspieces, or use regular lithol.

Replacing the driveshaft crosspiece. Reasons, sequence of actions, important points,

The driveshaft spider may need to be replaced if there is a humming, grinding or vibration sound. The sound is caused by play in the bearing in the joint spider, and the vibration can be caused by "curvature of the joint spider." Read on to learn more about this and how to change the driveshaft spider.

“The drive shaft is an integral part of the transmission that transmits torque from the transmission (or transfer case) to the front and rear axle gears. An important part of the driveshaft is the universal joint, which, like an articulated mechanism, allows the shafts to rotate at different angles in relation to this fastener, which most often requires replacement (approximately every 10,000 km).

Pressing cups

The pressing of the cups of the cross occurs in this way: the cross is moved in the direction of the already installed cup, and then the next one is put on, similar to the method described above.

To install the outboard bearing, you will need to unscrew the nut securing the universal joint fork to the front shaft of the vehicle.

When carrying out all stages of work, you should be extremely careful and careful. All necessary parts of the mechanism must be treated with lubricant, old fasteners, if possible, should be replaced with new ones, and installation of the crosspiece should not occur with distortions and deviations, as this will cost the car owner a waste of time and possibly new financial waste associated with the purchase another set of spare parts. For those people who do not know how to lubricate the elements of the driveshaft, we inform you that this will require lubricant No. 158 or a foreign-made equivalent.

The final installation of the driveshaft occurs in the reverse order, taking into account the marks set in advance. However, all stages of this process can be clearly seen in the photo and video materials present in the article.

Signs of a broken universal joint

An experienced driver who knows his car well usually has no difficulty in noticing even the slightest change in the car's performance, but problems with the driveshaft often become noticeable when it is too late. Experts note that the easiest way to determine if a crosspiece is broken is by sound. The driver himself cannot always hear it, so it is better to check the car with an assistant located outside the cabin. What should the following sounds convey:

• Knocking and knocking noises when the gearbox is turned on clearly indicate that the crosspiece is faulty. Its inability to hold the shaft creates a misalignment - backlash, which is the cause of sharp impacts.
• Creaking noise when driving or accelerating may be due to deformation of the spider bearing. If you do not carry out an urgent replacement, the hinge will only continue to deteriorate.
• Vibration of the chassis can be a manifestation of many malfunctions, but the most common is wear of the crosspiece bearings.

Important! Even this modest information is a reason to contact a car repair shop for a more thorough and detailed inspection of the cardan. You can conduct a visual inspection yourself. Pay attention to the external deformation of the part and check for oil leaks.

Required set of tools

All work consists of several stages. You also need a set of open-end wrenches, a hammer and chisel of a suitable size, socket heads depending on the car model, a set of screwdrivers, a tool for removing circlips, a brush for cleaning metal products, pliers, a syringe and grease for cardan shafts and crosspieces.

When everything is in stock, purchase a repair kit for your shaft. It will already include the necessary spare parts.

These are the crosspieces themselves, the “barrels”, and a large number of retaining rings. You should also purchase the correct bolts and nuts.

It is better to do this work in a pit, overpass or lift. But you can do without all this, but lying under the car is not very comfortable. It wouldn't hurt to invite an assistant. This way everything will work out much faster.