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Retroanaconda

Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2647

Absolutely no point doing the 'good' prop unless it's also got wear. If it suddenly fails a month later just change them then, you've not lost anything other than perhaps five minutes getting the tools out again. Don't make work for yourself.

UJs last almost indefinitely if well greased, however over time the grease eventually stops getting to one or more of the cups and one fails requiring replacement. With good maintenance though this should be many tens of thousands of miles, if not hundreds.

I grease mine at every service - 6,000 miles or two months.

30th Aug 2018 7:58am

roel

Member Since: 08 Aug 2009
Location: Lelystad
Posts: 2039

If you really need to drive you can take the complete propshaft out and engage diff lock. You will have even more play in the drive line so drive like your grand mother.

If you drive off-road regularly and like water grease them before going off-road and as soon as possible after. This way minimal water stays in the bearings.

If you notice that one cup doesn't get grease you can take a U joint apart and clean the internals off the cross. Fitting a new one is less time consuming but it is possible if you see this late at night before a nice off-road weekend.

Roel

1984 90 2.5 na Diesel - RR V8 (1994-2001)
1997 Camel Trophy Discovery 300TDI (2001-2009)
2005 G4 Discovery III 4.4 V8 (2008-2018) It's gone but it still hurts.
2003 90 Td5 (2009-now)

30th Aug 2018 9:07am

Retroanaconda

Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2647

You can also use g-clamps to force the grease to all the cups, but it's a pain in the backside.

I do the greasing after a run, in the hope that the grease is warm and will flow better. No idea if it has any effect whatsoever.

30th Aug 2018 9:11am

Greeny

Member Since: 20 Mar 2018
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 272

GREENI wrote:
Hey up Jonny, I've only skim read the thread, so not sure if it's been said.

On flat ground and safe, (chock wheels but leave a few inches space) so it can't roll off.
Take your handbrake off and in neutral. This will take all load off the props, then get underneath and try move the props at the ends, they should be solid, worn uj's will noticeably have play.

It's not essential to replace all uj's, but if you like 'cost no object maintenance' then it makes sense.

A whole new prop could be cheaper to replace yourself, than getting a garage to replace your uj's.

A prop can be taken off with 2 X 9/16" spanners in around 20 minutes, so not a big job.

Shame you're not closer as I love doing uj's, very satisfying.

Also, by coincidence of discovering the uj's.. the clunk could be worn radius arm/chassis bushes worn. So when it's set up as above on flat ground etc, grab your rear wheel and move back n forward rigorously, checking the bush, any front rear movement will show wear.

Cheers Greeni, I will try this out later and check for play in the UJ's. I will replace the UJ's so it shouldnt be a problem, looks to be a fairly simple job if it comes apart nicely!So I will change both the UJ's on the rear prop. I will grease the front prop UJ's and check what kind of state they are in. Instagram - @Land_Rover_Defender

30th Aug 2018 9:29am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17387

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

Retroanaconda wrote:
... however over time the grease eventually stops getting to one or more of the cups ...

This is a symptom of not greasing them regularly enough. It won't happen if you do grease them sufficiently frequently.

30th Aug 2018 11:49am

Greeny

Member Since: 20 Mar 2018
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 272

What a s**t job this has turned out to be. Removed the prop shaft after some work but it finally came out. Then came the problems of the circlips which were rusted in place and took over an hour to remove all of them. I dont know whether the cups on the UJ are knackered but they are basically stuck in place, I managed to remove one side but the cups are still in place and one is broked off. I dont even want to try the other side! Watching videos online is all well and good, it works nice and easy for people on their new equiptment, but not for me on a 20 year old rusty prop shaft! Might just buy a new propshaft and save myself the hassle.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge Instagram - @Land_Rover_Defender

5th Sep 2018 12:04pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20382

They are a right pain! You really need a large socket on the exterior of the flange and a long spark plug style socket or metal rod section to push it though.
Or clamp it on the edges of the cup and work it out, use lots of WD40 or penetrating fluid. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R
🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪

5th Sep 2018 12:51pm

Greeny

Member Since: 20 Mar 2018
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 272

I have tried the socket to squeeze them out but the vice I havent isnt large enough nor is the G clamp that I have. I have managed to get one UJ out now by hammering it out. Was trying to be careful not to damage the prop however. Instagram - @Land_Rover_Defender

5th Sep 2018 1:10pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17387

Once the spider is out you can drift out the remains of the cups either inwards or outwards. it is usually easiest to go inwards with a drift just smaller in diameter than the diameter of the cup. Just be careful not to belt the thing so hard that you bend the yokes.

Removing the circlips is generally easier if the first thing you do before attempting removal is give the cup a hefty biff inwards away from the circlip. This will reduce the friction, rust, etc between the cup and the clip (the cups may have become pushed out against the circlip as the UJ wears, effectively locking them in place). Quite often you will still need a small punch, screwdriver, and a good grasp of matelots' "special words" to get them out.

When you fit the new UJs, make sure that the circlips are well greased too. Usually this will make getting them out next time easier.

With a little practice you can do the whole job without a vice or clamp if you hold the joint and gently tap with a hammer. I recently removed, stripped, cleaned, and rebuilt the front UJ of my front prop for the MOT using only a copper hammer to dismantle the joint. (I had to clean and rebuild the roller bearings since I didn't have a spare, the shops were closed, and the MOT was the next day. I have however since fitted a DC propshaft in place of the barely-adequate original).

5th Sep 2018 3:06pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20382

I should have greased my circlips! More interested at the time making sure they did not ping off somewhere which they are very good at doing if not careful.
And of course eye protection is a must, they fly off very fast! $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R
🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪

5th Sep 2018 3:10pm

Greeny

Member Since: 20 Mar 2018
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 272

Thanks for the replies, appreciate them. After some bashing with a hammer I managed to get them all out and fitted up the new UJ's, good news! However I now have a problem. I pulled the spline apart to grease it and clean it as it was a mess, I then lined it up again and pushed it on, however it cant have been correct as it now doesnt slide and is stuck, properly stuck!!!!! So now I have my new UJ's fitted but it wont slide and is well and truely stuck! Absolute nightmare of a job. Any ideas about getting it unstuck and back sliding?

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge Instagram - @Land_Rover_Defender

5th Sep 2018 5:02pm

MadTom

Member Since: 10 Sep 2013
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 623

Try to add more grease to the spline - through the nipple. It is possible, that it is just the grease, holding the splines together. "Drobek" = The Small One - Discovery 2, "Blufínek" = The Blue Thing - Defender 130, and for me at least Ford Mondeo

5th Sep 2018 8:08pm

Greeny

Member Since: 20 Mar 2018
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 272

Got it off! It seems that there is only one specific position that the splines will fit. I worked it free using a scissor jack and some wood and a metal pole to force it off. I rotated it 180 degrees and it then fitted perfectly. Must remember that it can only fit in one place and not to force it.

So that let me finish the UJ's and it is finally ready to go back onto car tomorrow morning. What an experience. Instagram - @Land_Rover_Defender

5th Sep 2018 8:12pm

dorsetsmith

Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

front propshaft is the one out of phase

5th Sep 2018 8:19pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20382

I didn't dismantle the slider on mine, they don't always take kindly to it and have a lifetime coating on the splines at least 2007> props do I think.
That being said I'm no expert, only my view from what I've read.
They can also lock up if greased too much, so don't pump too much in on those. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R
🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪

5th Sep 2018 8:25pm

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