Over the past 7 to 10 days, I had noticed an occasional clicking sound emanating from the O/S rear. I strongly suspected one or both universal joints within that half shaft as being responsible.
So this morning, I removed the shaft with inspection revealing that my suspicion was correct. The inner universal joint was quite rough along one axis. This shaft was a NOS item that I had obtained some years ago; with the universal joints being factory fitted sealed GKN Spicer units. Between April 5, 2011 and today, 76,626 Miles (123,368km) of service had been provided.
From my experience, the sealed units don’t last as long as those that I have used that sport grease nipples, and even more so when the former are factory fitted. I suspect the scant amount of grease that they may have been within is primarily responsible, especially if the NOS universal joints that I seen over the years are anything to go by.
Stains are evident where the grease that was once within has departed.
I’ll fit new Hardy Spicer universal joints complete with grease nipples into this shaft, then store away until it is required for service once again.
The elbow looks solid and corrosion free.
After wiping the dust off, the chamfer is still bright, 40 years after being fitted to the car.
A layer of dust, but nothing to suggest anything untoward.
The bushes in the trailing arms were fitted during October 2008. Over the ensuing 6 years, 100,000 Miles (160,000km) of sterling service has been provided.
The bump stop and surrounds look dusty but otherwise in fine condition. Not bad for a car that has covered over half a million km!
The replacement half shaft, the universal joints I had fitted during April this year.
Nice and clean and ready to install.
Back in place, tags knocked up, ready to go.
Only the wheel to go.
While I was here, I greased both the tail shaft universal joints and the sliding joint. Although the workshop manual advises greasing every 6000-Miles (10,000km), I opt for a service schedule with twice that frequency. So far, those universal joints have delivered just on 110,000 Miles (177,000km) since being installed during September 2007, and I am happy to say, show no signs of needing replacement anytime soon.
Ron.