How to replace the drive shaft - do-it-yourself complex solutions

The drive shaft is a part of every vehicle and its work is indispensable. The cardan shaft provides efficient power transfer from the engine to the wheels or drive. If a drive shaft fails, it can no longer fully or at all perform its task. In any case, timely replacement is recommended. In the following article, you will learn how the damage to the driveshaft differs, what costs you can expect and how the driveshaft is replaced.

Drive shaft in detail

Although the drive shaft is a component installed in every vehicle , different drive shafts vary considerably depending on the make and model.

Essentially, the drive shaft should be referred to as the power transmission shaft. , as this very accurately describes its function. Due to the possible angle of the steering wheel and the deflection of the vehicle in and out, the drive shaft does not have to be rigid and strong in its construction.

Thanks to accompanying balancing joints these movements can be compensated while the drive shaft drives the vehicle. These hinges are protected rubber cuffs , and are also the most sensitive point of the drive shaft.

Drive shaft damage is expensive and labor intensive, mainly because the drive shaft is connected to the vehicle by several components. So the replacement takes a long time.

Signs of a bad driveshaft

There are a number of symptoms that indicate a driveshaft failure. . However, it must be made clear that many of these symptoms can also be signs of other defects.

Therefore, it is always recommended to check the drive shaft before replacing it. . In this way, costly and unnecessary repairs can be avoided.

The most common symptoms of driveshaft damage include:

- Cracking when cornering with a sharp turn of the rear wheels. – Oil spill in the parking lot – Grease deposits on brake pads and fender liner – Vibrations while driving that seem to come from the chassis.

All these signs are a good reason to take a closer look at the entire vehicle. Malfunctions or damage to the propeller shaft should be repaired as soon as possible so that they do not get worse and the vehicle remains on track.

Drive shaft and swivel bushings

Significantly more often than the drive shaft, hinge bushings are affected . They protect the two hinges that keep the drive shaft stable. And this is where most of the problems arise. The hinges are manufactured to a tolerance of a few thousandths of a millimeter and are true precision instruments. . And they must be, because they are constantly affected by huge forces.

For this reason connections are thoroughly lubricated and protected by rubber cuffs. However, over time, the rubber around the joints can become brittle and begin to tear. In this case, protection is no longer enough , and fine sand and dirt can penetrate the seams.

Because of their very fine workmanship Even minor contamination can quickly lead to massive damage. Therefore, it is important to check the rubber bushings regularly and replace them if necessary.

In this way, costly and much more extensive repairs to the drive shaft can often be avoided.

Is the drive shaft a wear part?

In fact, the drive shaft is not a component that wears out regularly or needs to be replaced. . As a rule, the entire life of the car is kept without problems. Unfortunately, however, damage cannot be ruled out. so it may still be necessary to replace the drive shaft from time to time. However, it is not subject to general wear and tear.

Replace it yourself or contact a specialist workshop.

Replacing the driveshaft is quite difficult , and on some vehicles this can only be done with special tools. If you do not understand automotive technology and have no experience, the right choice would be a specialized workshop .

But If you have a well-equipped private workshop and can also use a lifting platform, there is nothing stopping you from replacing the driveshaft yourself.

Replacement tools

– Lifting platform or jack and safety device as an alternative – Set of wrenches for wheel nuts – Hex nut with ratchet and extension – Hexagon nuts in various sizes – Container for collecting oil

Removing the drive shaft step by step

1. Drain and collect gear oil first. 2. Now remove the wheel. 3. Loosen the lock screw. 4. Loosen the ball joint and tie rod end . 5. Loosen the upper stabilizer link nut. 6. Remove the ball joint of the front lower transverse arm. 7. Pull out the drive shaft. – Thoroughly degrease all areas. 8. Install a new drive shaft. – Assemble all components in reverse order. 9. Fill in new gear oil.

When replacing the drive shaft, pay attention to the following

• Use only brand new spare parts. You should avoid used parts for this repair.
• Work in a clean and well-lit area.
• Keep dirt or soot away from the drive shaft joints.

Cost of replacement in a specialized workshopIf you are replacing a driveshaft in a specialist workshop, they will usually complete the job within one to two hours. This means that, depending on the workshop, you only need to count on 170-300 euros for a replacement. The cost of the drive shaft is included. It will be a little more economical if you purchase the cardan shaft yourself and hand it over to the workshop along with the car. In this way, you avoid the inflated prices that many workshops charge their customers.Defective connecting sleeves increase costsOf course, if the joints are also damaged, the cost of a visit to the workshop will increase. The joint kit costs between 20 and 130 euros, depending on the vehicle. Replacing the driveshaft joints takes another 30 to 60 minutes, for which the workshop also charges a fee. Thus, the cost of visiting the workshop again increases significantly.The cost of a new driveshaftBecause cardan shafts vary considerably from manufacturer to manufacturer, there are also some price differences. The price does not necessarily depend on the size of the car or the drive shaft. If you want to buy a new drive shaft, you should expect between 70 and 450 euros.

Important note: buy only new cardan shafts. Since they cannot be comprehensively tested, installing a used driveshaft involves incalculable risks. For this reason, it is important to use suitable spare parts.