drive-shaft woe

[keith]

decided the disks ('93 Spi, so 8.4") needed replacing as they were well scored and thin. sure i'll re-furbish the callipers while i'm in there.. "hmm.. that ball joint needs re-shimming too..."

finally got the hub off the suspension arms - bought a new ball joint splitter. the better "scissors" type. the disk slides off easy.
the hub.... doesn't. tap tap tap with a "soft faced mallet" (a big hammer and a piece of wood) and still nothing doing. I have about 3mm of free play, the distance between the outer oil seal and the bearing, but the inner part of the bearing seems solid to the shaft.
I have doused the area in paraffin and retired for the night.

what options do i have?

1] heat the hub-carrier?
2] use pullers to draw the hub & bearing off the shaft? i had a quick look with a torch in the dark and didn't see any place the pullers would attach to.
3] keep smacking it with ever bigger hammers? I would prefer to save the drive-shaft assembly: i have a spare hub.

i've not seen this happen before and wonder what anyone else might have done?

[Merlin]

sounds like the bearing over heated and has welded it's self to the shaft your best bet is to try a pullers tbh Keith

[zeemaxmini]

hi merlin any changes in the van rest any pics

[66mini]

Do you want a hand, what about Sunday?

David

[keith]

David
I'll have look again tomorrow in daylight bearing in mind what Merlin said: I've no pullers though and if i can re-shim the top ball-joint I'm leaning towards just re-assembly with the new disk and re-furbed calipers.

I have spare shafts and hubs but they would need work before being used.

The Sunday is fine, thanks... I'll bring the 998 for hopefully its last outing. I'm aiming at getting to maynooth/LIDL in time for the trip to Moate. what time are you setting off and do you want to swing by here on your way past?

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Keith, I'd say Merlin is right, it's going to be a tough job trying to sort it on the car.

Have you considered knocking the inner CV joint off the drive shaft and withdrawing the whole hub assembly ? It should still be possible to leave the rubber boot on the inner joint intact.

[Merlin]

Keith I would be replacing that bearing if I as you if it has inded got hot enuf to weld its self to the shaft then it is nacked and will just let you down

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Outer CV could be a gonner too.

[keith]

I didnt see any heat discoloration though on any component. theres still an outside chance that its all down to rust.
Certainly the outer CV feels good though, no play, no noise. I'm going to attempt the ball-joint re-shim in place and re-assemble with fresh grease in the bearing. I'll re-build the spare shafts, joints and hub and swap them over some fine day this summer.
The last two times i separated a shaft from the inner joint, using a hammer and drift, i tore the rubber gaiter. I will beg borrow or build a tool to "do it right©"

[The Marcos Graveyard]

This is the special tool you need ,

[The Marcos Graveyard]

And here is how it is used,

[keith]

Groovy...!! no, really! looks like the secret ingredient there is the rounded indent or groove on the driveshaft,allowing it purchase, and the the two bolts just push/pop the inner joint off the shaft. IIRC there is a spring wire in a groove on the drive-shaft inside the inner joint which has to be overcome..
Now if any of our readers has such a tool (18G 1243) *and* is attending the AGM Sunday i would be much much obliged of a loan of same. I would of course return within a day or two.

what am i saying.. even if you are not going to the AGM and you are willing to loan give me a shout. I'll collect & deliver.

[DaveC]

Keith - I was talking to 66Mini earlier and we will call in by you on Sunday unless anyone else local is interested in convoying along in which case we might meet elsewhere

[DaveC]

How did you get on sorting this out Keith?

[keith]

I left well enough alone.. i will assemble all the needed parts before diving in there again, including a removal tool of sorts: the most needed part at the mo is *time* .. . you may have noticed i have been "quiet" for some weeks now here, as other matters took the focus of my attention. TBH i likely wont get to it till after MTM. another 1200 miles on the shaft/bearing/hub is unlikely to change anything.
I'm toying with the thought of putting 10's on the car, as I've come into ownership of a great set of cooper-S hubs/calipers/disks. but clearly nothing is going to happen unless i get the shaft off the car.