Prop shaft / UJs

I'm talking '97 Disco 1 now....

I am getting squeaks and squeals from below the drivers position, mainly from release of clutch and on over-run - not with the clutch depressed. I was thinking prop shaft or UJs or possibly thrust bearing. Having read another thread a similar problem turned out to be UJs.

• How do I know if they are knackered?

• The front prop / UJ that connects to the transfer box was feeling HOT after a ten minute drive at 40 mph (the others werent) - is this normal?

• Inside the UJ there appears to be a shard of worn metal.

• Assuming that it is ****ered - do I need to replace just the UJ or the prop shaft as well?

• Do both ends of this UJ come off the prop shaft?

If I appear a dimwit it os prolly 'cus I am...


Many thanks in advance for the love and support that I know I will get throughout this time of ordeal.

i think you found one of the ways,freeplay another remove one end of prop feel joints for stiffness or notchy ,joints are reasonably easy to do,make sure spigot is well in bearing cup and needles arent dislodged when pressing cups into yoke ,fit uj to flange end of prop first as this often hardest to get bearing cups in

You see, to me it all looks like one thing - do the lumpy bits come off the straight long bit?

Does the sqeaky squeal sound like a UJ?

and does hot mean it's buggered?

hot means uj cross shaped joint between shaft and flange that bolts to diff or t/box,is dry and will be worn,there are 4 x circlips holding each bearing cap in which will need removing first but theres probably one of busters guides that shows in pics how to change,and remove prop and drive in diff lock till fixed as it might break up and damage vehicle

Thanks James

So pardon my ignorance here... but..... I have just greased all the nipples and lathered the UJs in grease - The squeaking started 3 days after doing that!!!!

Any ideas?

wot do yu mean by "lathered the UJs in grease"

The Mad Hat Man said:

wot do yu mean by "lathered the UJs in grease"

Click to expand...

I took a dirty gurt big dollop and shoved it in and around the UJ after greasing the nipples.... ANd yes it flew all over the underside - but the UJs are still wet with grease.

Dartmoor Navigator said:

I took a dirty gurt big dollop and shoved it in and around the UJ after greasing the nipples.... ANd yes it flew all over the underside - but the UJs are still wet with grease.

Click to expand...

I did wonder - that will do no good what so ever - the grease has to go inside the X pieces so that it can travel down to the bearings in the cups at each end. Only by pumping grease in thru the nipple will it do any good. Yu have to make sure that the grease is flowing into the yoke, until it is forced out of the cups.

Pity yu is so far away I would help ya change em - both in a morning

The Mad Hat Man said:

Pity yu is so far away I would help ya change em - both in a morning

Click to expand...

Thanks - but viewing recent threads it appears that travel + help fitting parts costs a minimum of a cuddle



You know what it's like - once you've done aa job you have a better understanding, but until then it's all just a black hole

No cuddle - I promise

take the nipples orf ~(one at a time) and check they allow grease thru them.
then refit and pump grease nto the nipple until it is forced out around the cups (at the end of the yokes) - chances are it will only come out of the worn end, so dont expect it to come out of all of them.

if joints been hot its beyond grease,you should do them ,if you need taking thru at the time let me know,i do them regulary

very true JM - but it might buy him a bit of time, if he is lucky.

My diff lock was sticking in for a while without me realising. I suspect that saw them off.

Thanks for the offer of the 'talk through' James

Mad Hat - phew (re: cuddles)

Would it be simpler top just replace the whole prop shaft, or is that going too far?

no - it is such an easy job, providing the props havent been damaged. Honestly, once yu have been shown, yu will be amazed yu didnt do it yoself. A few sockets and a big vice (and a little file helps). thats all you need. Two UJ's are only about £19 on fleabay.

Land Rover Defender GKN Propshaft Universal Joint x 2 on eBay (end time 31-Mar-11 12:26:07 BST)

hahahhahahhahahahhahahahahahha - Bollox!

So the UJ isn't the whole lumpy bit - just the cross in the middle?

it is the X in the middle, plus the caps that go over the ends. Inside the caps is a set of thin little rollers, packed in grease, that enable the x to rotate slightly in each cup. It is a bit fiddly to do, but not that difficult. One tip is to remove the nipples before fitting and replace after. Buster has, most likely, done a writeup.

Well the following worked for Annabellabong and her water pump....



hi, i am a young lady (errr actually a 40 something balding bloke) with a 300tdi. My fuel pump (which looks like a pair of UJs) is ****ered and could end upcosting me a fortune!

i've ordered one (well I will be) but am not experienced enough to change it myself and my mechanic wont do it for nothing and is mega busy.
i was just wondering if there is a good samaritan somewhere nearby that fancies doing it in exchange for a great big cuddle!


really hope someone is feeling nice!:lvhearts-151:











Whaddayamean****offyapervytosser

hopefully this shows it a bit better?

in fairness - that is a shagged one - not a goodun .