Failure and repair of drive shaft

The ball cage of the drive shaft (universal joint)
A drive shaft contains two ball cages: the one close to the hub end, we call it a fixed joint, or outer ball cage, which bears most of the steering function of the drive shaft; the one close to the gearbox end is called a movable joint, which is also It is called the inner ball cage, which assumes the function of the drive shaft to compensate the vehicle suspension movement and part of the steering.

SDS’s current ball cage repair kits include four different types of outer cages: RF, AC, UF, and SX. The steering angles are increased sequentially, and the maximum swing angle can reach 52°; the swing angle of the inner cage is relatively small It is divided into two types: ball cage type (VL, DO) and three-pin type (GI, AAR). It has a certain ability to move in the axial direction. This is also the origin of its compensation for suspension motion function. The drive shaft is compressed Or loading the vehicle in a stretched state will damage this function.

Common failures of drive shaft ball cages
Abnormal noise
The most common phenomenon of ball cage failure is abnormal noise, especially if abnormal noise occurs when the car is starting, turning, stepping on the accelerator and releasing the accelerator, check the state of the drive shaft and consider whether to replace the cage.

Dust cover
The state of the dust cover directly affects the ball cage. If the dust cover is damaged, cracked and loose but not treated in time, in the case of impurities invading and accelerating the wear of the internal structure of the ball cage, the ball cage or half shaft needs to be replaced instead of just Replace the dust boot.

Looseness and deformation
In the case of frequent high-grade start-ups or overloading and over-speed driving, the connecting parts of the drive shaft will bear a lot of pressure. Usually, check whether the connecting parts of the ball cage have clearance or deformation.