rubber coupling rear drive shaft

Thought i could pick anybodys brains, my r reg 300tdi seams to be eating its way through the rubber couplings between the rear axle and the drive shaft easy as pie.

Had it up on the ramps and the axle seems to be sitting parrallel to the ground and the drive shaft is meeting at a slight angle all the bushes seem to be ok on the axle supports and was wondering if this was normal or could be leading to the problem.

If anybody has expierienced this before or has any ideas.

Allan

Check the prop-shaft SPLINES are free, so the propshafy can telescope in and out.

If they are stuck, or even just tight, as the axle goes up and down the propshaft will push and pull very hard on the rubber UJ and tear it to bits.

This could be a cause of your problem.

Drop the shaft, MARK a line so you can fit two two sections back exactly the same way, and then try to pull the two shaft sections apart. If it can't be done, or is tight and sticky, sort it, fit a grease nipple even if you have to drill and tap it, and that should be that.

CharlesY

Hi CharlesY i have already changed the drive shaft and it is floating on the splines no problem i was wondering about the angle that is between the two flanges where the coupling sits that could be causing the problem.

cheers Allan

tika243 said:

Hi CharlesY i have already changed the drive shaft and it is floating on the splines no problem i was wondering about the angle that is between the two flanges where the coupling sits that could be causing the problem.

cheers Allan

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The angle is established by the location of gearbox and axle.
If you have fitted a raising kit it will make the angle worse of course.

I don't think there is a lot you can do to alter the angle between prop-shaft and axle, so wrecking the flexible joint is a mystery unless there's some other problem we haven't thought about.

Two things that come to mind are heavy towing and locking the centre diff.

Both of these can put tremendous strains on the transmission, but You wouldn't do that, would you?

CharlesY

sorry to bring an old thread back up but i encountered a problem just like this when looking at a mates '95 tdi. his prop ate a rubber coupling in a week!

like the guy here, the prop and rear axel seem to be meeting a a bit of an angle, oil leak from the shaft seam etc. now he won't admit it, but i think he has over greased the rear prop, by a long way.

could this cause what Charlsey is describing? having the prop act like a hydraulic ram, pushing and pullin all the time on the coupling? this means i'm gonna have to try and seperate the prop....damnit

another reason might be having the wurds "made in chad" stamped on the rubber. if your buying cheap one from ebay they MIGHT be crap. then again they might not be . if everything else is ok then try forking out for one from landrover if it still eats it have a look at yer driving style

yeah cheers slob, I bought him a geniune one, should arrive tomoro.

the 'one piece' props, they easy to split? i assume if he has over greased it then trying to pull the splined shaft out is gonna be a pain in the ass?

TheMunster said:

yeah cheers slob, I bought him a geniune one, should arrive tomoro.

the 'one piece' props, they easy to split? i assume if he has over greased it then trying to pull the splined shaft out is gonna be a pain in the ass?

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Drill a small hole up at the other end to let air in as you separate the sections.

But I think you should be able to pull it apart easily enough if you do it slow and steady.

If the hollow half of the shaft is FILLED with grease then the grease may prevent telescoping, thus acting like a solid shaft, but I find it hard to believe anyone would do that.

CharlesY

CharlesY said:

but I find it hard to believe anyone would do that.

CharlesY

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same here. but then i looked at the grease gun he said he used. high pressure and he said he kept going untill it became impossible to pump anymore. so fk knows how much he put in.

The manual says to use a low pressure hand operated grease gun.
why would anyone use a high pressure grease gun unless he thought he was waxyoiling the chassis!

Suspect possibility of high pressure grease gun (could be 10,000 psi plus) turning propshaft into hydraulic ram which upon extension with several tons thrust presses both ends outwards thus ripping rubber UJ apart by driving the prop shaft parts straight through the diff flange parts, a stress and strain the UJ was simply not designed to handle.

Bye Bye UJ ... it was nice while you lasted ...

Sure as fate .... over-greased to oblivion

But I like Slob's "Made in Chad" thinking too.

Of course it could be a "Made in Chad" rubber UJ destroyed by HP greasing.

CharlesY

AFAIK Hardy Spicer (HS) was (is?) OEM for LR UJ's, including the rotoflex (the rubber coupling). I may be wrong.
Anyway, they list the rotoflex in their product catalog http://www.hardyspicer.com.au/PDF_Files/Driveline/B1_Universals_and_Bearings.pdf on page 69.
I also know that the cheaper version is supplied by Allmakes. Don't know who makes the ones that they supply, if they're made in Chad or on a steam ship in the middle of the ocean but it would be interesting to know.

There are shops that supply all three kinds/brands: Allmakes, HS or genuine LR. Example: Range Rover Classic 300 Tdi parts, spares

It would be nice to know if the markings on the HS ones match or resemble the markings on the genuine rotoflex.

But the fact is, he's wrecked it, and you still can't be sure how he did that.

CharlesY

CharlesY said:

But the fact is, he's wrecked it, and you still can't be sure how he did that.

CharlesY

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yah thats true, if the guy has over greased it then compressing the prop to get it off is gonna be a slag. starting to wish i hadn't agreed to look at it for him now.

axel/t-case mounts look fine so hopefully its the prop.

would not marking the prop and then not re-aligning it cause this???

by being out of balance it might produce some weird vibrations and stuff which would all be taking up in the do-nut.


this is pure speculation and may be a load of ship

CharlesY said:

But the fact is, he's wrecked it, and you still can't be sure how he did that.

CharlesY

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Right. I second the opinions presented here. I just took the opportunity, used the topic title and the "Chad" thing to say something about the options when buying a new rotoflex.

First think that I would do is climb someone on the rear bumper, have him rocking the car up and down as much as he can and me under the vehicle watching how the drive shaft works and how the rotoflex behaves. Maybe move the car a little to do this test with the drive shaft in different positions.
If nothing conclusive will come up, take the drive shaft off, test it, clean it etc .. like it was already said here.

how'd the twa.... eh? bloke get the grease in , in the first place

Had it up on the ramps and the axle seems to be sitting parrallel to the ground and the drive shaft is meeting at a slight angle all the bushes seem to be ok on the axle supports and was wondering if this was normal or could be leading to the problem.

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If we go back to the beginning I think this is the problem!

My mates had the same problem for the past 3 months,3 different garages have had a look,I've spent more time under the bitch than I care to mention and we still can't find out why??????????????????????????

there's a thread with some pictures in it here: http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/sheared-bracket-transmission-rear-axle-help-31475.html
last 2 pictures show the angle between the prop shaft and diff axle which does look right to me. I guess it's about the same as on my disco when it's empty.

cipx2 said:

there's a thread with some pictures in it here: http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/sheared-bracket-transmission-rear-axle-help-31475.html
last 2 pictures show the angle between the prop shaft and diff axle which does look right to me. I guess it's about the same as on my disco when it's empty.

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See the difference!

Ps:The dark stuff is Land Rover's famous fully automated anti-corrosion system in action!!!