14 replies to this topic

[I hate Brian]

Hi guys weekends here again, hope you've earned a few quid (for all those who know )

 

Fitted front subframe to body all ok I want to fit the front hubs and steering, brake assembly and wheels, what's the best way to leave the drive shafts ready for the engine to go back in. I want to get it back on wheels ready to fit the engine but the drive shafts will not pass through the holes in the subframe, I don't want to tighten up the swivel joints only to struggle to free them or possibly damage them.

[Steve220]

Remove the inner pots from the drive shafts (one that connect to the gearbox). Put the pots in the gearbox and attach them to the drive shafts as you lower the engine in.

[I hate Brian]

Thanks Steve220 for the info cheers mate

[Retroman]

Or have both driveshafts sat built up ready to pop into the diff and wriggle them in as you drop the engine down, it keeps the greasy bits clean and means you can build the pot joints up easier...its a real pain if you drop a ball too...can be a bit awkward sometimes on the circlips, new ones are better.

[I hate Brian]

Cheers Retroman

[tiger99]

Steve220 was saying that you keep the complete, assembled pot, including rubber boot, in the diff. There is really negligible risk of dropping balls or getting dirt into the joint. It is the correct way, clean and hassle-free. See the Rover manual.

 

It would be very bad practice to try assembling with the inner parts of the pot on the driveshaft and just the outer body in the diff. They "should" not be removed that way either, as it usually ends up with dropped balls, and not getting things back in the same orientation, resulting in unnecessary wear. Again, the correct way is to pull the shafts out of the inner members of the pots, which has the advantage that the oil stays in as you lift the engine. But you would almost certainly need a special tool 18G 1243, and just try finding one these days...  (One was sold on Ebay on 5th July 2015, sadly I missed it.) The aftermarket suppliers have sadly not seen the need to remanufacture it (which would be fairly simple), doubtless preferring to sell more pot joints after ball-dropping incidents.

[I hate Brian]

Hi Tiger99 so what is the correct way I'm not clear on your description, at the moment I have installed the front suspension and steering which includes the drive shafts, so I can move the shell around.

Obviously the engine needs to be dropped in, and currently the drive shafts are complete and I'm waiting for correct method of whether to dismantle them to what stage to facilitate the engine. 

[Steve8274]

Hi
In the comments in this YouTube video, it says that you should be able to pass the cv joint side through the hole. I havent tried this yet so cant comment if it works
https://youtu.be/yeStHEMY6_M

Hope this helps
Please let us know if it works so I can do it to mine when I get to that stage

Edited by Steve8274, 13 November 2017 - 09:39 AM.

[I hate Brian]

Hi Steve not seen the video yet as I'm at work, but my drive shafts complete with CV joints will not pass through the subframe

[Steve220]

Steve220 was saying that you keep the complete, assembled pot, including rubber boot, in the diff. There is really negligible risk of dropping balls or getting dirt into the joint. It is the correct way, clean and hassle-free. See the Rover manual.

 

 

Pretty much. As i've built mine up, my concern was having to pull the inners out of the pot, but you can remove the shaft from the pot without pulling it entirely apart! Which is handy in situations like these.

[I hate Brian]

still know one has given any definitive answer yet on what to do with the drive shafts prior to engine install ? 

[JonC]

I think what the team is saying is, separate the drive shaft inner and outer parts, fit the outer part to the Hub/ suffrage assembly and the inner part to the gearbox, reunite them when you lower the engine into the car. I've not done this myself so could be wrong.

[JonC]

I think what the team is saying is, separate the drive shaft inner and outer parts, fit the outer part to the Hub/ subframe assembly and the inner part to the gearbox, reunite them when you lower the engine into the car. I've not done this myself so could be wrong.

[Gilles1000]

I dismantled my front subframe during my vacation.

First I removed the wheel hub assembly with drums by taking apart the 3 ball joints.

Next point was to remove the driveshafts, for this I took them out of the differential housing. This worked well because I had lot of space at the wheel's side.

My problem was afterwards when the driveshaft was completely free to let it go through the holes in the subframe. As the hub assembly was away, the upper arm was free and pushed down by the suspension rubber, I think further down than on a mounted subframe. this prevented me to move the driveshaft inwards (engine was at the time still on the subframe)

After having removed the arms I could remove the complete driveshaft by pushing it inside the car.

 

I think without the engine you could remove them just by pushing them inwards. It's a little tight through the subby hole but I don't think it will hurt the CV joint.

 

I hope my description is clear to you...

[pete l]

I got mine out by unclipping the rubber boot from the inner pot and pulling it out towards the exterior through the subframe hole. It won't pass the hole if the rubber boot is still over the inner pot.