Evening,

Currently stripping the rear end of the car. Took the diff and both push-in driveshafts out to search for a noise that appears over 50mph. After a full inspection the diff is absolutely fine, however the n/s driveshaft is leaking grease (not from the gaitor) and has a fair mount of rotational play.

I'm fairly confident at most jobs, but I think this one is probably best sending away for overhaul or buying a new part from eBay.

Any suggestions or ideas welcome.

It's a BEC, horrible clanking noises from the diff on overrun and coasting are normal as there is no real cushion in the drive train, can you not drive around it?

have you asked your local motorfactor for a price for a new or recon shaft ?

Tripod push ins arent easy to service as the actual bearing joints aren't supplied (to my knowledge). You can replacethebcans n boots with ford parts but if there is play then new or good used shafts will be needed.

Building my MK Indy I chose to overhaul my push-in drive shafts with new cans, boots and clips (kit from my local Ford dealer). There was no play in the joints themselves and I reused the bearings packed with fresh grease. The overhaul was fiddly as you have to cut off the metal cans, dismantle the joints and then reassemble, including swaging the new cans in place on what is a spring loaded joint. Fiddly, but mine worked fine and never leaked thereafter. The kits were not expensive from Ford either - certainly cheaper than recon driveshafts.

Some info here in January 2004 on the overhaul - http://www.winchester7.com/


Driveshaft 3

I also took the opportunity to dismantle the rear wheel bearings and reassemble with fresh grease and seals. The diff driveshaft seals were replaced as well. Cheap parts and simple work.

[Edited on 21/10/16 by nick205]

Thanks for the all information.

One further thought...under the metal can is a rubber O ring in a groove. The O ring is part of the overhaul kit and IIRC the reason the can needs to be swaged closed on reassembly. The O ring is there to stop grease leaking out so you do need to be gentle with it on reassembly.

New drive shafts are about £70 each, but are billet machined (no can) and will not pass through the upright, as the old can style ones do.
You have to remove the whole rear upright assembly

Grease leaking from the can might be the o-ring or distortion in the can. I've had both. It is possible to get the cans off intacktbut does tend to distortthem and getting a seal after is hard as the can gets stretched. New boot/can kits are getting harder to source.
I've also had (relativley slight) rotational play/wear in a joint and put up with it for a while, as BECs are clunky anyway. Eventualy, I striped it and found the wear was in the slots in the outer section, that the bearings run in, rather than the bearings themselves. A second hand good joint fitted and the whole transmission was much quieter after.