Cardan shaft UAZ: repair and balancing

The all-wheel drive of the car works by connecting the bridges and transfer box with cardan shafts. In total there are two: front and rear, the first of them consists of a splined joint and a tube with thin walls, on each side of which there are special tips with a ball bearing and an elastic coupling. The bearing has an additional fixation in the form of a retaining ring and is placed in a steel base. All the main elements have rubber seals, which reduce the level of vibration.

What you need to know

The UAZ front drive shaft has an uncomplicated design, which is fixed by a special bracket located at the bottom. But, like any other detail, it requires periodic repair or replacement. Ftoroplastovye splines are a weak point of the mechanism, they are subject to rapid wear, but their repair, as is known, is impossible.

The cardan shaft of UAZ is based on three fastening points, so it is often referred to as a three-bearing shaft. Suspension bearing, which is a middle element of the support, requires more careful attention. It is he who ensures the retention of a structure consisting of two parts in a stationary state. Therefore, it must be periodically inspected. Diagnosis is carried out on average every 50 thousand km. When it is replaced with a new one, a straight type cardan is often installed.

Causes of breakage

Despite the fact that UAZ is an all-wheel drive car, most of the load falls on the rear axle. This is due to the fact that the need for a front drive arises only in the case of overcoming various obstacles. Even taking into account the low-intensity use, it does not differ a long period of operation, and it must be systematically examined and eliminated. It is worth noting the faults that most often occur in this mechanism:

• Weakening of retainers;
• Violation of balance;
• The cardan shaft UAZ acquired a gap between the bearings of the crosses;
• Breakage of splined joint;
• The erasure of slots;
• Enlarging the gap in the splined joint.

Cross

Like any other part, first the cross shaft of the UAZ propeller shaft must be cleaned of dirt and rust. After that, its location and the location of forks are noted. With the help of a hammer, the cups of bearings are pressed gently. The retaining ring is detached from the edge and pinched by a conventional screwdriver. Then the bearings are pressed from both sides by means of an abutment and a hammer. After turning the shaft, the fork with the sealing element and the cross itself are removed. It remains only to install a new part and assemble the structure in reverse order. The cross is located both on the rear and on the front cardan, but there are no differences in its removal and installation.

Splined connection

Repair of cardan shafts UAZ is primarily to replace worn crosses. When the splined joint is worn, the cardan is usually replaceable. This malfunction can be determined by the beating of the steering wheel when the all-wheel drive is turned on and the increased backlash. It should be noted that the average period of operation of the mechanism, depending on the intensity, is 30-50 thousand km.

In some cases, you can resort to repair. The period of use of the splined joint can be increased by welding. This method is based on the ability of the metal to expand during heating to a certain temperature and shrinkage during cooling. To begin with, it is necessary to dismantle the mechanism and disconnect the splines. Part of the part, located under the front axle, is thoroughly cleaned. On the outer part of the joint, several seams are applied using a welding machine. Then the formed protrusions must be removed by emery. If you do not do this, there is a possibility of a violation of balancing. On this, the repair of the UAZ's cardan shafts is completed, only To trace the details and put them in their original place.

After the shrinkage of the metal, the backlash, as a rule, disappears. If everything is as before, you need to purchase a new device.

Cardan shaft UAZ: balancing

This procedure is an integral step in the installation of the cardan on every car of this brand. It ensures the preservation of the balance of all structural elements. About its improper conduct will quickly become known by the presence of extraneous noise, increased vibration and the appearance of backlash in the part. To avoid repair, which in this case may be required earlier than 10 thousand km, it is necessary to carry out balancing, regardless of the degree of interference in the system. It is worth noting that this procedure is carried out at the service station.

Lubrication of the main structural elements is of particular importance. This procedure should be carried out regularly, especially since it is within the power of any motorist. It is enough to dial "Litol-24" in a special technical syringe and press the compound into the cardan shaft. UAZ "Patriot" does not require the dismantling of the mechanism, the main thing is that there is sufficient access to the greens.