Drive Axles, Bearings and Joints: Description and Operation

An intermediate shaft with a high torsional rigidity emerges from the righthand side of the differential and is journalled in an extra support bearing which is secured to the engine body. In this way the drive shafts can be made identical and will have the same angle in relation to the wheels. The advantage with this solution is that the car's directional stability remains totally intact, even during very hard acceleration.





The inner universal joint is of the Tripod type and consists of a tripod housing and a tripod. The tripod consists of three rollers in needle bearings and it can move axially in the tripod housing.

The inner universal joint is installed in the gearbox on the lefthand side. The righthand side inner universal joint is connected to the intermediate shaft in a corresponding way. The universal joints are filled with grease and protected from dirt and moisture by a rubber bellows.





The outer universal joint transfers the power from the drive shaft to the outer drive shaft and the wheel. The inner end of the outer drive shaft is designed like a clock with spherical grooves, where six balls transfer the driving power from a hub (so called Rzeppa type). The drive shaft is connected to the outer universal joint by splines and axially secured with a locking ring. Hub, balls and outer shaft are in pairs and must not be mixed up. The universal joints are permanently lubricated. The universal joints are only lubricated if they have been renovated or if the joints are dismantled for some other reason.