Half shaft install help!

Hi chaps!

My constant battle with the Freelander 2 is really starting to frustrate the hell out of me! A few weeks ago I changed the PTU and driver side drive shaft. Once you know what you’re doing a pretty easy job!

At the time I thought well if I’m replacing one drive shaft I might as well to them as a pair! I set to on the passenger side front shaft two weeks ago! Firstly the bottom ball joint would not come free from the knuckle, after some serious abuse it’s now off, but as a consequence I had to install a new ball joint, which of course meant removing the original riveted in one! What a pig of a job that has been! Finally today I actually got to the job I was trying to do, the half shaft! OMG!!!

OMG!! Omg….. what an absolute pig! I’ve spent 4 hours just trying to get the old one off, which I eventually did after buying a different shaped wrecking bar from Screwfix! Great I thought! All the tough jobs done, I can now start putting the new parts on and get the car back together! But NO! Can I get the new shaft into the gearbox! Can I hell!

Does anyone have any hints or tricks to getting these things in that doesn’t involve beating it to death with a hammer? I’ve farted about for a good 2 hours trying to figure out the best way of getting it in??? The problem is the humps on the circlip. I can get it on about 7 or 8mm until the clip hits the splines of the gearbox and after that I just can’t manipulate the thing into place!

I have noticed on the gearbox side there are two splines missing which I assume are to aid installation but I still can’t get the thing on.

Any advice would really help me out!

Thanks!

Some photo to help.

There should be no reason that the splines don't mate up fine, unless there's an issue with the spline accuracy of the replacement shaft.

Are those intentional gaps in the splines or broken teeth ??

Whenever I've done a driveshaft its always needed a pretty good tap with a mallet to shock the circlip in

andyfreelandy said:

Are those intentional gaps in the splines or broken teeth ??

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Hi Andy.
I thought that too looking at the photo, also the circlip looks to be miss shaped a sort of kink in it? from the photo, thoses circlips should be renewed every time.

It turns out the retaining clip on the new shaft wasn’t the right one! It is suppose to have the lugs, the old shaft clip lug position was 3oclock and 9oclock. The new clip lugs were more like 4oclock and 8 o’clock. So they didn’t line up with the slot in the spline. For now I have swapped the clips over and the shaft went on much easier with a bit of a push. I’ll keep an eye on it….. I did give it good pull once it was on and it didn’t want to come back off so should be fine.

Arctic2 said:

Hi Andy.
I thought that too looking at the photo, also the circlip looks to be miss shaped a sort of kink in it? from the photo, thoses circlips should be renewed every time.

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It is a 2014 model 64 plate. I know they were experimenting with these models and the Evoque. So I’m guessing the gap in the spline are per the design? They didn’t look sheared.

I have a mate at JLR and he is currently trying to find out.

Well done for sussing it out. Whilst the clips are supposed to be replaced, in reality as long as the joint remains in the gearbox, it'll be fine. The shaft only has about 10mm of free play, which isn't anywhere near enough to allow the shaft to come out.

Nodge68 said:

Well done for sussing it out. Whilst the clips are supposed to be replaced, in reality as long as the joint remains in the gearbox, it'll be fine. The shaft only has about 10mm of free play, which isn't anywhere near enough to allow the shaft to come out.

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Exactly!

Danger Steve said:

It turns out the retaining clip on the new shaft wasn’t the right one! It is suppose to have the lugs, the old shaft clip lug position was 3oclock and 9oclock. The new clip lugs were more like 4oclock and 8 o’clock. So they didn’t line up with the slot in the spline. For now I have swapped the clips over and the shaft went on much easier with a bit of a push. I’ll keep an eye on it….. I did give it good pull once it was on and it didn’t want to come back off so should be fine.

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Good news then i thought the clip did not look right when i saw the photo

Did this job today on my 2013, and probably spoke the same language. I couldn't lever mine out so went to it with the slide hammer with appropriate attachment, oh joy, all chuffed to bits as i quickly grab the new one and after a pint of gear oil splashes over the drive, im swearing/sweating trying to manipulate this circlip into going home. Instead i grab my no5 leather mallet and make sure the shaft and joint are all straight and give it a few taps gradually increasing force until she seats perfectly. Phew.... onto the driverside....