Prop Shaft removal - in car

[gjz30075]

So, did you pull it out the front or rear? Any details we need to know other than what was mentioned?

[Peter +2]

Hi Greg,

Just getting everything prepped in my mind, I am away at the moment but planning to get started when I return.

I will post once completed.

Peter

[alan.barker]

the UJ's to use are for a triumph spitfire because they have grease nipples. Just be sure to assemble correctly so the grease nipples do not touch the UJ yokes. Be sure to mark each side of UJ yokes to assemble same orientation to avoid balance problems.
Alan

[Peter +2]

Alan,

Tip noted, many thanks.

Peter

[JJDraper]

Prop shaft removal on the +2 is pretty straightforward & with a bit planning, most of which has already been given, you can get it out in 20-30 minutes. I only have experience of the Spyder style chassis, which I believe make it easier to drop the shaft after disconnection. Most of the time is securing and raising the car so you can work on it (I backed up onto ramps). It's worth trying to raise one of the wheels off the ground/ramp so that you can rotate the propshaft to get at all the nuts/bolts - this will take planning to do safely. Use chalk or something to mark the flange for re-assembly. With the car backed up on a ramp, you shouldn't need to drain the gearbox, unless it's overfilled.

If your exhaust is a tight fit in the tunnel you may have to jiggle it out of the way to drop the shaft. Also worth checking for any exhaust/chassis contact as you jiggle it about.

Getting the old UJ's out, again is straightforward with circlip pliers, a couple of suitable sockets and a soft hammer. You only need to take out one circlip - you can guess which one. Clean the yokes thouroughly before installing new UJ's - worn ones are pretty obvious to the feel, even on the car.

When fitting UJ's with grease nipples (not sure they really need these), be careful when fiddling with the prop shaft off the car - the joints can, if you are unlucky, rotate sufficiently to snap off the long nipple (been there, used an easy-out to remove the stem).

While the wheel is off the ground & you are messing about with the propshaft, you can check what diff ratio you actually have by counting the prop revs against wheel revs - again the chalk comes in useful..

In this way a whole day will pass.

Jeremy

[alan.barker]

imho remove all circlips and use a big Vice to assemble or a Press.
Alan

[Peter +2]

Update 1

Well I wont be winning any records for speed, it took me an hour last night to get this far;

I hope to get another chance to get in the garage and make a little more progress tonight.

Peter

[reb53]

A recommendation: Place reference marks on the flanges at the differential so that you can return the flange "as it was" when you are done. May avoid balance or other issues on reassembly.

I've heard this said before but can't see why it'd be necessary as I assume the driveshaft isn't, ( and never has been), balanced whilst connected to the diff.

I did make the mistake of not balancing the shaft after replacing the UJs and had to remove it again as the imbalance was certainly apparent.

On my Elan there was no problem pulling the shaft out the back, but it was years ago so, sorry, can't elaborate.

Ralph.

[Peter +2]

All,

Right its out, took 1.5 hours with the usual problems mentioned re clearances and what seems not to clear suddenly with an extra bit of force it clears.

Using the guidance on the forum this is how I did it (cribbing previous notes):

1. Raise car as high as possible to give maximum working height.
2. Disconnect 4 no flange bolts which connect the Prop Shaft UJ to Final Drive
3. Disconnect the Final Drive Tie bars to allow the Final Drive to be pulled rearwards as far as possible. I could not get the Prop shaft UJ, to separate from the final drive without doing this.
4. Pull prop shaft to rear and position it so that it is as far back as you can get it, the shaft should then be free of the box. This took ages as I just could not get adequate clearance without pulling the Final Drive as far back as it will go.

5. Remove Exhaust- Gearbox mount

6. Support gearbox to allow the removal of the Gearbox mounting
7. Jack up gear box to allow clearance
8.Raise the gearbox tail of the box to create a space to pull the shaft out between the tail shaft and the transmission tunnel entrance, passing to the right i.e. Starter Motor side, its a bit of fiddle but can be done, remove the shaft from below the gearbox tail.

I haven?t got to the next bit but I assume:

9. to return the shaft use the access to the transmission tunnel next to the driver?s seat.

Thanks for everyone?s help & experience.

Peter

[david.g.chapman]

That's a very useful post.

I take it that the prop shaft is going over the diff input flange with the diff nose forced downwards as well as being pulled back?

Dave Chapman.

[alan.barker]

when i did this job many years ago i don't remember moving or detaching the diff. That was with a 1970 +2s and a Lotus Chassis.
Alan

[Peter +2]

Hello all and to update this post,

Dave, yes you are correct in your assumption, as the Final Drive is still attached to its top mounts, pushing the FD rear wards causes the nose of the FD to drop as it rotates on the mount axis. This then gives just enough clearance to pull the prop shaft rearwards to allow the Prop Shaft to separate from the gearbox, then for final removal of the Prop Shaft from the front of the car. I used a strap to pull back and hold the diff in this position.

After spending about an hour or so trying to reconnect the prop shaft to the gearbox by trying to insert my arm up the transmission tunnel, I finally gave up as I could not get the correct purchase to make everything align for the shaft to insert. I am impressed by those who managed to do it this way, but I reverted to accessing the inspection hole in the side if the chassis/body.

Here is the process I followed.

? Remove driver?s seat
? Remove rear seat bases and rear backrest
? Remove gear knob
? Remove Transmission tunnel trim
? Remove Foot well carpet
? Remove transmission tunnel carpet
? Remove inspection Bung

I did all this as I did not want to risk damaging the Transmission tunnel?s plastic / abs trim which is very fragile.

Finally after an hour so I managed to get the prop shaft back in, see pic, all in all I say it took between 3 to 5 five hours over several weeks.

To summarise my whole process:

Prop Shaft removal

1. Raise car as high as possible to give maximum working height.
2. Disconnect 4 no flange bolts which connect the Prop Shaft UJ to Final Drive
3. Disconnect the Final Drive Tie bars to allow the Final Drive to be pulled rearwards as far as possible. I could not get the Prop shaft UJ, to separate from the final drive without doing this.
4. Pull prop shaft to rear and position it so that it is as far back as you can get it, the shaft should then be free of the box. This took ages as I just could not get adequate clearance without pulling the Final Drive as far back as it will go.
6. Support gearbox to allow the removal of the Gearbox mounting
7. Jack up gear box to allow clearance
8.Raise the gearbox tail of the box to create a space to pull the shaft out between the tail shaft and the transmission tunnel entrance, passing to the right i.e. Starter Motor side, its a bit of fiddle but can be done, remove the shaft from below the gearbox tail.


To Reinstall the shaft using the access to the transmission tunnel next to the driver?s seat.

1. Remove driver?s seat
2. Remove rear seat bases and rear backrest
3. Remove gear knob
4. Remove Transmission tunnel trim
5. Remove Foot well carpet
6. Remove transmission tunnel carpet
7. Remove inspection Bung
8. Reinstall Prop Shaft reversing the Removal Process


I will report back once I the car back on the road as to whether the vibration is cured, but it may be a while as there are a few other jobs to be done.

Regards

Peter