+2 5 Speed prop shaft maintenance

[mbell]

Hi,

It would appear that my 73 +2S 130/5 was one of the cars that was built while some people were taking an extended lunch hour at ?The Worlds End? and so they didn?t have time to create an access hole for the front UJ on the prop shaft (by the driver?s seat). I?ve currently got all the carpets and matting removed from my car, so I am considering if I should purchase the necessary hole cutter and bung to fit one or just leave it as is.

From searching on here it is my understanding:
- That it is not that uncommon on later cars to be missing the hole from the factory
- At the time my car was made the prop shaft would be fitted with sealed bearings in the UJs on it (the rear UJ doesn?t have a grease nipple)
- The sealed bearing UJ do not need greasing and do not have a grease nipple
- The only part of my prop shaft that would benefit/require grease is the sliding spline joint

Is my understanding correct?

Is it possible to get to the sliding spine joint on the 5 speed prop shaft and successfully grease it via the UJ access hole?

Thanks,

Mark

[rgh0]

Your understanding is correct as far as I know. My spare 5 speed prop shaft has grease nipples on the UJ's and these will be a replacement at sometime I presume. My 4 speed Elan orginally had sealed Uj's and i replaced them with new sealed Uj's in 1980 - still in perfect condtion 34 years later!. The Uj's do little work as little movement of diff and engine and are well protected from the weather inside the chassis tunnel

The sliding spline grease nipple is just behind the front UJ and should be accessible through the normal drivers side chassis / body hole. I have a Spyder chassis so I can access mine through the bottom of the chassis

cheers
Rohan

[mbell]

Thanks Ronan, much appreciated. I wasn't aware there was a grease nipple for the spline joint.

Sounds like it would be wise to cut the hole and grease the spline joint as it's probably not seen any fresh grease in 40 years.

[john.p.clegg]

Mark
You could try from underneath...

John

Nipples on view...

[mbell]

Interesting idea and easier possibly easier access to grease it. Have to admit I am too much of a chicken to start cutting holes like that in my chassis.

As I am going to make my own carpet set I think I just try to do something clever to give easier access to the standard access hole. Maybe some Velcro to fasten a piece of carpet or something.

[alan]

the hole is only cut in the fibreglass tunnel. There is already a punched out hole in the chassis backbone.
imho it is possible that your car has had a new front laminated on and the repairer never cut the hole in the grp tunnel.
My first 1968 elan +2 had been in an acident and the front replaced. The person who did the repair had nut cut the hole in the grp tunnel also.
I would suggest you cut the hole.
For the prop uj's it's better to use one for a Triumph Spitfire which has a grease nipple