Contents: Removal ↡ Installation ↡
Cardan shaft
1 - Front damper; 2 - Cardan shaft flange; 3 - Cardan shaft assembly; 4 - Rear centering sleeve; 5 - Front propeller shaft; 6 - Casing; 7 - Ball bearing; 8 - Support; 9 - Rear cardan shaft
Removal
Attention! Be sure to replace self-locking bolts and nuts with new ones.
The operation of lifting and installing the car on stands is associated with danger! Therefore, before carrying out the operation, read the Section Jacking and towing Introduction to the manual.
1. Raise and support the vehicle on stands.
2. Remove the rear part of the exhaust system, refer to Section Removal, installation of the exhaust system and leak testing.
3. Loosen the mounting screws and remove the heat shield (1).
4. Diesel engine: Remove the lower trim of the vehicle.
5. Manual transmission: Disconnect the stiffening rib from the central gear shift unit.
6. AT: Disconnect the stiffener (2). (3) – cardan shaft.
7. Loosen the mounting screws (1) and disconnect the front propeller shaft from the gearbox. The coupling should remain on the propeller shaft. To prevent the propeller shaft from turning, hold it with a strap wrench.
8. Disconnect the rear propeller shaft from the final drive. The flange should remain on the propeller shaft.
9. Loosen the guide bushings in the flanges of the cardan shaft using a cylindrical drift (W = 10 – 12 mm, length = approximately 150 mm).
Caution! Place a support under the cardan shaft so that it does not tilt at a large angle when removed. Otherwise, in particular, the protective covers of the constant velocity joint may be crushed.
10. Unscrew the intermediate support mounting bolts, holding it from turning. If necessary, remove the washers from the bolts. When installing them, they must be installed in their original places.
11. Remove the propeller shaft from the centering pins on the gearbox and on the final drive flange and pull the shaft back.
12. If necessary, disconnect the front and rear propeller shafts at the splined connection.
Installation
1. If the front and rear cardan shafts were separated, connect them. In doing so, pay attention to the markings on both shafts. The protrusion of the front shaft should be located between the two protrusions on the pivot fork. Before assembly, lubricate the splined connection with Molykote grease. Cover the connection with a protective cover.
2. Fill the cavities of both centering bushes, each with 6 g of universal grease (MERCEDES 267/0, for example, "Aral Langzeitfett H" or "Elf Multi") and install the cardan shaft in place.
3. Secure the intermediate support of the propeller shaft with a torque of 30 Nm.
4. Secure the rear propeller shaft to the final drive using the torque values specified in the Specifications.
5. Secure the front propeller shaft to the gearbox using the torque specified in the Specifications.
6. AT: Tighten the front stiffener to 23Nm.
7. Manual transmission: Secure the transverse stiffener to the central shift unit with a torque of 23 Nm.
8. Diesel Engine: Reinstall the lower trim panel of the vehicle.
9. Secure the heat shield. Replace the nuts if necessary.
10. Install the rear part of the exhaust system, refer to Section Removal, installation of the exhaust system and leak testing.
11. Lower the car onto its wheels.