ZX O/S driveshaft 1.4i

[UserError]

Hi,
I'm in the process of replacing the engine in my ZX and the inner joint boot is looking a bit tired so I want to replace it. However, I can't get the tripod joint out of its housing - I've spent most of this (sunny & dry) morning looking on here and at the thing, but can't figure it out. Haynes doesn't help either.

All reference to it suggests that it should slip out once the gaiter is off, but it won't - the gaiter groove narrows the internal diameter of the housing & the tripod won't come out. Am I missing something, or does it need some force?

Any other tips as well?

Cheers.

BTW, as the shaft is readily accessible, can I reuse the strapping - I thought I could try compressing the crimped part with a pair of nail pincers?

[TBONE]

when I was doing them the inner one always just popped out even when I didn't want it to as I was doing the outer one but watch out for the bearing caps when you pull it out its a pig refitting all those needle bearings, once you have cut the clips off it should come out and personally I use electrical tie wraps its much quicker

[citronut]

if its the type of inner joint i call the baked bean can type, you have to un/roll the inner most edge very carefully so not to damage it, then slide the can towards the gaitor, this allows you to remove the metal cage with the slined shaft that fits into the diff, now the triac will be exposed just remove the cireclip and gently tap the shaft through it

on reassembling it tap the edge on the tin can back as it was before nice and neat

regards malcolm

[TBONE]

another fantastic cheap tool to save all that work is this

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur ... n%26sa%3DN

[citronut]

but if usererror has the tin can inner the cone type fitting tool will not be any good, as you wont be able to stretch the metal section over the cone,

besides that i allways belive if the gaitor is split wide open, you should allways dismantle the joint the old fasioned way, so you can clean out any grit and crap that has found its way inside

regards malcolm

[UserError]

Cheers for the timely replies - Malcolm, it was the "baked bean can" type - I knew instantly from your terminology. Funny, Haynes don't mention anything about knocking seven bells out of the casing.....

Easy enough to do but a bit fiddly and tedious. Only problem is there was a secret O ring in there and it snapped.

Interestingly, after all the dire warnings about the needle bearings, I wound some tape round it (more wishful thinking than effective I suspect as I couldn't degrease it - acetone wouldn't touch it. Malcolm what do you degrease this with?) the tripod had retaining lugs and I gently tugged at one and it wouldn't come off.

After the mixed posts about fastenings, I am tempted to go with cable ties, but have some reservations about the heat.

If I bought the Ligarex kit I would never have to worry about it again on any car, but £70 is not inconsiderable. There are other non-Ligarex systems, where the pliers/tool cost £10-15 instead of £32 which I suspect is what many garages use as the fastenings on the various joints are not all the same. I can get a Sealey kit for under £30 - anyone had any experience ov eared/non-eared clamping?

TBone: read mixed posts for the stretchy cone gaiters and having got this far I'll run with the traditional ones.

Cheers
Jonathan

[citronut]

if the triac dose not fall appart i tend not to wash/clean just that part, but when/what i do clean i use petrol, as this is what citroen say to use,

and you can fit LIGAREX with just two pairs of pliers with one holding the eyelet and the other the end of the straping, then lever them against each other

cable ties are crap at this job and can fail the MOT if they allow the joint to leak grease

regards malcolm