Constant Velocity Joint: Service and Repair

Fig. 5 Exploded view of driveshaft. 1984-87 626 w/manual transaxle:

Fig. 6 Exploded view of joint shaft & bracket assembly. 1984-87 626:

Disassembly, Models W/Manual Transaxle

Disassemble driveshaft in numerical order, Fig. 5, noting the following:
1. When securing shaft in vise, use protective material on vise jaws.
2. Ensure dust or other foreign matter does not get inside joint while work is being done.
3. Do not disassemble ball joint at wheel side and do not wipe off grease unless necessary.
4. To remove boot band, pry up locking clip with screwdriver, then raise end of band.
5. Use flat tipped screwdriver to remove clip.
6. Use suitable pliers to remove snap ring.
7. Pull balls, inner ring and cage out from shaft as a complete assembly and insert a flat tipped screwdriver between inner ring and cage to remove balls, then turn cage approximately 30 degrees and pull it away from inner ring. Before disassembling, scribe alignment mark.
8. Disassemble joint shaft and bracket assembly in numerical order, Fig. 6, noting the following:
a. To remove joint shaft, support bearing and press off. Hold shaft by hand, ensuring it does not drop.
b. To remove bearing, support bracket and press off.

Fig. 7 Exploded view of driveshaft. 1984-87 626 w/automatic transaxle:

Disassembly, Models W/Automatic Transaxle

Disassemble driveshaft in numerical order, Fig. 7, noting the following:
1. When securing shaft in vise, use protective material on vise jaws.
2. Ensure dust or other foreign matter does not get inside joint while work is being done.
3. Do not disassemble ball joint at wheel side and do not wipe off grease unless necessary.
4. To remove boot band, pry up locking clip with screwdriver, then raise end of band.
5. Remove snap ring with suitable tool, then remove tripod joint bearing.

Fig. 6 Exploded view of joint shaft & bracket assembly. 1984-87 626:

6. Disassemble joint shaft and bracket assembly in numerical order, Fig. 6, noting the following:
a. To remove joint shaft, support bearing and press off. Hold shaft by hand, ensuring it does not drop.
b. To remove bearing, support bracket and press off.

Inspection

1. Check for twisted, bent or damaged shaft, replacing as necessary.
2. Check for wear or scoring of splines, replacing as necessary.
3. Check for wear, excessive looseness, seizure, rust or damage to ball joint, replacing as necessary. Turn joint completely to check it.
4. Check for cracks, damage or deterioration of boots, replacing as necessary.
5. Check for excessive play or heat damage of joint shaft bearing, replacing as necessary.

Assembly, Models W/Manual Transaxle

1. After wrapping tape around spline of shaft and ball joint assembly, attach boot at wheel side, noting the following:
a. The wheel side and differential side boots are different, do not intermix.
b. Fill inside of ball joint with grease included in kit.
c. Correctly fit boot onto shaft and outer race boot groove.
2. Secure wheel side boot with new boot band as follows:
a. Fold band back, pulling on end with pliers.
b. Lock end of band by bending locking clip.
3. After fitting new boot band (the part with smaller diameter) to shaft, attach differential side boot.
4. Attach clip to clip groove in shaft.
5. Assemble cage, inner race and balls as follows:
a. Insert inner race into cage, then turn cage approximately 30° with respect to inner race. When assembling, align mating marks made during disassembly.
b. Fit balls through cage into ball groove of inner race.
c. Completely fill inside of ball joint assembly with grease included in kit.
6. Install cage (assembled in step 5), inner race and ball assembly to shaft.
7. Fit snap ring in snap ring groove in shaft.
8. After attaching outer race for wheel side, fit clip into groove of outer race. Fill inside of outer race with grease supplied in kit.

Fig. 8 Installing differential side boots. 1984-87 626 w/manual transaxle:

9. Fit differential side boot onto outer race and the boot groove of shaft. The joint for differential side will slide, so distance should be as shown, Fig. 8.

Assembly, Models W/Automatic Transaxle

1. After wrapping tape around spline of shaft and ball joint assembly, attach boot at wheel side, noting the following:
a. Fill inside of ball joint with grease supplied in kit.
b. Correctly fit boot onto shaft and the outer race boot groove.
2. Secure wheel side boot with new boot band as follows:
a. Fold band back by pulling on end with pliers. All bands should be folded in direction opposite to forward revolving direction of driveshaft.
b. Lock end of band by bending locking clip.
3. After fitting new boot band (the part with smaller diameter) to shaft, attach differential side boot.
4. Attach clip to clip groove in shaft.
5. Assemble tripod joint bearing and fit snap ring into snap ring groove in shaft.
6. Fill inside of outer race with grease supplied in kit.
7. Connect tripod joint bearing assembly.
8. Fit differential side boot onto outer race.
9. Secure boot for differential side with a new boot band.
10. Fold boot band back by pulling on end with pliers.
11. Lock end of boot band by bending locking clip, then attach new clip.