Propshaft re-fit??

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bustermilo

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Hi peeps,i have just refitted my prop assembly after removing to see what it was like in 2wd and i did mark the props before removing but after some months the mark on the front prop had come off and i was on my back in the cold so i thought feck it and just bolted it back together,my question is would it make much difference if the prop was refitted not aligned as it was?there seems to be no imbalance?.
I had a slight knock from the rear before and its there again and after a quick look the front diff mount is fecked so im gonna replace it but im not sure if i should just replace and leave props how they are or remove totally and try to find the original marks i put on them??
 
I've split the prop on mine a couple of times in the past by just unbolting the front half from the IRD flange and the splined end of the VCU shaft. The rear half of the prop and VCU stayed in place on both occasions. After some weeks, and my alignment marks somehow disappeaing, I've put it back together with no vibration or imbalance problems at all. I'd be pretty surprised if it is now aligned as it was originally :)

The only time I know for sure that it has gone back "correctly" was the first time I dismantled the whole thing to replace the VCU.
 
bustermilo said:
Hi peeps,i have just refitted my prop assembly after removing to see what it was like in 2wd and i did mark the props before removing but after some months the mark on the front prop had come off and i was on my back in the cold so i thought feck it and just bolted it back together,my question is would it make much difference if the prop was refitted not aligned as it was?there seems to be no imbalance?.
I had a slight knock from the rear before and its there again and after a quick look the front diff mount is fecked so im gonna replace it but im not sure if i should just replace and leave props how they are or remove totally and try to find the original marks i put on them??
Click to expand...

Always puzzles me this thing about marking the shaft before removal, can't see the need since the pinions they fit to are the same in any position. Splitting the 2 sections of a prop would be a different matter.

I don't think you should worry about it.
 
When a vehicle, any vehicle, goes down a production line the engine/transmission is fitted as one 'Lump' then further down another guy fishes a propshaft out of the pallet and bungs it on! This is the first time the shaft and flange have ever seen each other. They were probably made 100's of miles apart. So why mark them when you take them off, also what happens if a different flange/shaft is fitted? A propshaft is individually ballanced when it's made.

OldDiscMan
 
I think this topic may have been raised as I’ve put up photos with marks on. I read before some peeps have had problems after refitting the prop, and they thought it was a balancing issue. Happens rarely, but they could have done something silly.

I’d agree it probably doesn’t need done, but it’s a good idea. If it goes back how it came off, then you know there won’t be a problem. New props would be perfectly balanced. An old rusty one may be a little bit out. It’s just caution on my behalf really. If yours goes back and its ok, then your ok. I put mine back exactly how it came apart, but with new bearings. If it can go wrong... remember it's a Freelander.

Sorry if it’s confused.

P2271825.jpg
 
When not aligned the Hooks joint (universal) fitted in front of and behind the VCU is not a constant velocity coupling. The driven shaft speeds up and slows down over the rotational cycle relative to the driving shaft. This imposes a fluctuating torque in the shaft thus giving the feeling of vibration and imbalance.
In conventional rear wheel drive vehicles the aim is to have the gearbox output shaft parallel to the differential input shaft (in the median position) so that the angle turned by the front uj is "undone" at the rear. Also the cross shafts in the uj's should be aligned so that the increase in rotational speed is negated across the joints.

Given that the shafts must be seriously misaligned for a noticeable effect.
 
vic.middleton said:
When not aligned the Hooks joint (universal) fitted in front of and behind the VCU is not a constant velocity coupling. The driven shaft speeds up and slows down over the rotational cycle relative to the driving shaft. This imposes a fluctuating torque in the shaft thus giving the feeling of vibration and imbalance.
In conventional rear wheel drive vehicles the aim is to have the gearbox output shaft parallel to the differential input shaft (in the median position) so that the angle turned by the front uj is "undone" at the rear. Also the cross shafts in the uj's should be aligned so that the increase in rotational speed is negated across the joints.

Given that the shafts must be seriously misaligned for a noticeable effect.
Click to expand...


Nicely put Vic.

Doesn't the CV joint on the IRD flange lessen any gearbox issues?

Also, in RWD setups, isn't allignment more an issue if the transmission/gearbox is mounted longitudinally and not transversely (like the FL)
 
What I said above holds for any shaft using Hook type couplings. CV joints are required where the angle of deviation along the shaft is large, i.e. Such as front wheel drives where both steering angle and suspension plunge must be accommodated.

In the case of the Freelander a CV joint is hardly necessary on the rear of the IRD as input and output are aligned and the only movement to be catered for is the rock of the engine on its mounts under torque. Some CV joints can accommodate the change in length of the shaft but looking at RAVE it appears that a sliding spline is also included on the front prop, most expensive!
 
Hi All
New to this i have a 2 litre diesel 1999 5 dr, about 3 months ago i had removed the prop shaft on the mechanics advise and it drove better untill the bad weather now, i was looking at various salvge yards for the propshaft, want to know if it has to be for this exact model or would any other fereelander models will do also. thanks
 
freelanderr said:
Hi All
New to this i have a 2 litre diesel 1999 5 dr, about 3 months ago i had removed the prop shaft on the mechanics advise and it drove better untill the bad weather now, i was looking at various salvge yards for the propshaft, want to know if it has to be for this exact model or would any other fereelander models will do also. thanks
Click to expand...

What was wrong with old propshaft? All freelander 1 propshafts are the same
 
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