Guide to replacing/rebuilding drive shafts?

[sine mora]

I've spent a bit of this morning reading all the horror stories about drive shafts failing and taking transmissions, catalytic converters, etc. with them. Such a failure would likely cost me close to what I paid for my 2000 Disco II..... So I'm starting to worry about this...

I've had my Disco for just about a year now. It's sitting at about 140,000 miles and is my daily driver when it's too cold to ride my motorcycle. I'm no mechanic by any means, but I'm also living on a fairly snug budget which means I am willing to work on the ol' girl myself when I can.

Searching the MANY threads about this problem here and at another LR forum leads me to a few questions.....

When I look at my front shaft, I see one grease zerk on the u-joint on the front end of the shaft, but have yet to find any on the rear end of the front shaft. This is bad, right?

While I'm under there, I'm thinking, "I should probably be looking at the rear shaft as well..." but truthfully I don't know what the hell I'm looking for.

SOOOO let's just assume that I have the original equipment and that the previous owner did not have her lubed as needed. Should I be looking to do more than replace the u-joints & shaft on the front? Should I be worried about the rear (The disco's rear, I mean...)?

I've read that these are the parts I need to take care of the front: (Thanks to Antichrist... never thought I'd be typing that....)

"To rebuild the front propshaft on a a DII you need:
3 u-joints
1 centering kit.

PN's are:
u-joint - Neapco 1-0005 or Precision 344
Centering kit - Neapco 7-0081NG or Precision 617"

Once I know exactly what I need, and am sure that I can accomplish such a task, I'd like to spend a day with the camera taking "step by step" photos (to include photos of what to look for in the first place) in an attempt to make things easier for the next fella who falls in love with a LR before considering the cost of parts.

In the end, this all means I need to know:
If I should be checking anything else before I start parts shopping?
If there are any other/better/etc. parts I will need?
If such a "disco drive shafts for dummies" guide has already been made?
If not, is anybody willing (I understand the knowledge I seek likely cost somebody else time and money and it's rude to just assume they'll give it out freely) to point me in the right direction as far as step by step instructions go?

If this has already been done, then I apologize for wasting time...

 

[Chongo]

Drivelines

Guide to replacing/rebuilding drive shafts?

I've spent a bit of this morning reading all the horror stories about drive shafts failing and taking transmissions, catalytic converters, etc. with them. Such a failure would likely cost me close to what I paid for my 2000 Disco II..... So I'm starting to worry about this...

I've had my Disco for just about a year now. It's sitting at about 140,000 miles and is my daily driver when it's too cold to ride my motorcycle. I'm no mechanic by any means, but I'm also living on a fairly snug budget which means I am willing to work on the ol' girl myself when I can.

Searching the MANY threads about this problem here and at another LR forum leads me to a few questions.....

When I look at my front shaft, I see one grease zerk on the u-joint on the front end of the shaft, but have yet to find any on the rear end of the front shaft. This is bad, right?

While I'm under there, I'm thinking, "I should probably be looking at the rear shaft as well..." but truthfully I don't know what the hell I'm looking for.

SOOOO let's just assume that I have the original equipment and that the previous owner did not have her lubed as needed. Should I be looking to do more than replace the u-joints & shaft on the front? Should I be worried about the rear (The disco's rear, I mean...)?

I've read that these are the parts I need to take care of the front: (Thanks to Antichrist... never thought I'd be typing that....)

"To rebuild the front propshaft on a a DII you need:
3 u-joints
1 centering kit.

PN's are:
u-joint - Neapco 1-0005 or Precision 344
Centering kit - Neapco 7-0081NG or Precision 617"

Once I know exactly what I need, and am sure that I can accomplish such a task, I'd like to spend a day with the camera taking "step by step" photos (to include photos of what to look for in the first place) in an attempt to make things easier for the next fella who falls in love with a LR before considering the cost of parts.

In the end, this all means I need to know:
If I should be checking anything else before I start parts shopping?
If there are any other/better/etc. parts I will need?
If such a "disco drive shafts for dummies" guide has already been made?
If not, is anybody willing (I understand the knowledge I seek likely cost somebody else time and money and it's rude to just assume they'll give it out freely) to point me in the right direction as far as step by step instructions go?

If this has already been done, then I apologize for wasting time...




Hello Sine Mora:

It sound like to me you have already done your homework, now the fun begins. On the rear axle input yolk where the rear driveline connects to the rear axle, this is sometimes not a universal joint but what land rover calls a flexible coupling. This was installed as a low cost remedy by Land rover to resolve the velocity differentials by not using a constant velocity joint at the rear transfer case output. They did do a what is called a double cardan CV design , or a “ Hookes “ as in the LR manual, on the front driveline at the transfer case to resolve velocity differentials in the front drive line only. This flexible coupling is sort of a Mickey mouse short term attempt to fix this velocity differential problem, { engineering band-aid sort of speak }, but the way the full time 4x4 system was designed as an offset design transfer case and not a straight through to the rear, the flexible coupling would be necessary to remove harmonics set up through the drive train system. Without this flexible coupling, a harmonic chatter will set up in the Transfer case and drivelines possibly resulting in accelerated wear of related components. And the steeper the driveline angle the worse it would be. However some people have removed the flexible coupling and installed a u joint with unknown results to me.
With the driveline needing to be pressed apart, all components needing to be timed and matched, and the double cardan unit being a real challenge, I won’t say it can’t be done by a novice, but you’ll sleep better if you remove both drivelines and take them to a shop. A couple bills will well be worth the money, and piece of mind. Make sure you picture the orientation, and mark yolk for alignment. Make sure you get all the yolk and flange bolts to the proper torque on installation, and some loctite on the bolt threads doesn’t hurt. Be sure to clean all threads with lacquer thinner or acetone before applying loctite, as there can be no oil on the treads for loctite to work.

Best wishes………………………… Chongo

 

[Disco Mike]

If you are a little mechanical and want to safe some money, send me your e-mail address and I'll send you a very complete PDF on rebuilding the double cardon.

 

[antichrist]

Once I know exactly what I need, and am sure that I can accomplish such a task, I'd like to spend a day with the camera taking "step by step" photos (to include photos of what to look for in the first place) in an attempt to make things easier for the next fella who falls in love with a LR before considering the cost of parts.

Here are step by step instructions.
http://www.discovery2.co.uk/propshafts.html
I don't know where you live, but if in the US near an Advance Auto you can get the Neapco parts there, about $13 per u-joint and $25 for the centering kit.
Be very careful at other shops that sell u-joints with the 10005 part number, some are made in China. Also, someone was posting they got the precision 344 boxed as Masterpro at O'reilly or Kragen. I stopped in and the masterpro 344 was made in china.

For the rear, if you can get new grease to come out from around all 4 seals on the u-joint in the yoke next to the gearbox it's probably ok. However, for $13, I'd replace it anyway.
On the rotoflex, check it for cracking. If it is cracked bad, order a new one. Based on what I've heard I suggest going OEM. The Britpart (common pattern part replacement) are noted for early failure.

Once you rebuild it, lube it properly every 5,000 miles at a minimum. I do it every 3,000 when I change my oil.