For our Second week we worked on Driveshaft units

What we did:

• The very 1st thing we did was a Visual inspection on the driveshaft. Checking that the phasing of the driveshaft was correct. Also we moved both ends of the shaft checking for play, binding and roughness.
• Using a DTI we checked the run out of the driveshaft. Supporting it on blocks and placing the gauge on the centre of the shaft rotating it and looking for the largest movement on the gauge.
• Following the instruction manual we dismantled each joint of the drive shaft making sure all steps were followed and all components are in good working order.

Why we did it:

• We did a visual inspection to identify any damage/faults to the driveshaft. We found our one had dents on the shaft which would affect the round out. The phasing was correct so the cross yokes was aligned the right way. Also we checked each end of the drive shaft for play, binding and roughness to give us an idea of the condition the internal components.
• A driveshaft needs to be nice and round in order for it to perform at its best. A bend shaft would be difficult for the transmission to transfer the torque to the final drive. We had a small run out of 0.20mm on our driveshaft due to some small dents that would have affected it.
• We followed the instruction manual to ensure we were correctly taking apart the joints correctly and not damaging them by taking shortcuts and missing steps.

Summary:

• We found our cross joints had an excessive amount of play. When we dismantled it we found some rollers were missing so they were replaced which fixed the excessive amount of play. The circlip that secures the cup to the yoke was also missing so a new one was fitted during re assembling.

We also Dismantled and inspected CV joints

What we did:

• The very first thing we did on our CV joint was a visual inspection. Turning it around checking for any obvious damage. The CV boot was a main focus checking for any cracks, splits etc. Our CV joint was in good condition, there was no cracks, splits or damage.
• We then moved each end of the CV joint, checking for free easy movement. The inner CV joint that connects to the gearbox should move in and out more than the outer end and both should rotate in a circular motion. The inner end of the CV joint was stiff and hard to move on your shaft. It didn't move in a circular motion as well as the outer end which was in good working order.
• Next we followed the instruction manual to dismantle the CV joint ensuring all components removed were inspected, cleaned and kept together so none get lost.

Why we did it:

• We did a visual inspection to determine the condition of the CV joint. The CV boot was very important to check as this component holds all the grease in the joints and keeps dirt and water out. A crack or a split in the boot would cause the grease to run out and the joints to operate without lubrication and would lead to wear and noise very fast.
• We checked for play and movement on the inner and outer joint to help us determine the condition of the components inside.
• We followed the instruction manual to gain a firm understanding of how the CV is properly dismantled, ensuring we followed the steps and not take any shortcuts.

Summary
We found in our CV joint our boots were in very good condition but our internal components were not. We were missing a CV boot retaining clip on the Outer constant velocity joint which meant the boot was loose and would have potential to come off during operation. Also we had a ball missing inside the cage which was the reason for our joint having trouble moving freely. After we dismantled the CV joints we replaced these missing parts and it fixed the problem of the loose CV boot and stiff moving joint.