Spicer No Secrets: Cardan Installation and Maintenance

With four steps, you perform a service with all the original Spicer quality: 1 - Identify 2 - Lubricate 3 - Evaluate 4 - Replace

Respect the lubrication intervals: if the cardan is immersed in water or mud (when facing floods, crossing streams, working in rice fields, among other similar situations), the ideal is to re-lubricate.

Use the Right Grease: The biggest cause of problems with crossheads and sliding joints is the application of the wrong greases. Do not try to save money by using another type of grease. The damage with the cardan will be much greater.

Cleaning is Fundamental: Before starting the lubrication, it is necessary: 1 - Clean and evaluate the state of conservation of the grease fittings of each crosshead. 2 - Check that the grease gun has no remains of old grease or any other type of grease. 3 - In pneumatic systems, check that the air is not contaminated with water or oil.

Look for the Causes: before doing any maintenance on the cardan, the mechanic must listen to who drives the vehicle. Complaints of vibrations or noise, such as the famous “bell sound”, usually indicate problems.

Next, inspect the entire driveshaft assembly, from the transmission to the differential.

Look for cracks, dents, or loss of balance weights welded to the tubes.

Pay attention to noise, play or breakage in the bearings.

Check for gaps or cracks in the universal joints.

See if there are crosses with mirror caps, fixing problems, lack of tightness or other defects.

Look for gaps in the slip joint.

Are there any adaptations or poorly made repairs? They can change how the gimbal works.

Mark the Parts. If it is necessary to remove the cardan from the vehicle, the ideal is to mark the position of all the parts. Use an industrial marker (or paint and brush) to make marks before disassembly.

You will notice that some parts, such as the slip joint, even have etched marks.

Correct positioning is critical. If there is an error, the gimbal will break at the slightest effort.

Work Correct: After marking the position of the parts, separate the necessary tools and start the disassembly.

Many vehicles use torx screws. Do not attempt to remove them using hex sockets. As they are large and heavy pieces, prefer to work in pairs. If necessary, use a hoist.

When transporting, be careful not to hit the gimbal or let any parts fall to the ground.

Cleaning and Organization: before starting the gimbal repair, it is necessary to clean all the parts and the work area. It is also very important to have the right tools on hand, clean and organized.

Don't Mix: The quality of maintenance starts with the choice and purchase of parts. Never mix products of different brands in the universal joint or the slip joint. Each manufacturer works in a way and the result of this “mixing” never ends well. Components do not fit properly or have gaps different from those indicated.

With the crosshead out of the gimbal, analyze the part. Some defects leave important hints:

Crossheads with burnt tenons suffered from a lack of grease or the wrong grease.

Marked or cracked tenons may indicate warping or over-torque.

Marks on the top of the ear are usually caused by adaptations or warping.

If you notice any of these problems or other abnormal wear (such as misaligned parts or oval holes), inform the vehicle owner and correct the failure before assembling the new crosshead.

After the analysis, throw away (recycle, don't forget) the old cross, screws, rollers, covers, rings. Nothing must be reused. The Spicer cross comes complete with new grease fitting and snap rings.

Also analyze, with the use of templates, the alignment of the eyes. A misaligned component will cause problems with the crossheads and the gimbal itself.

Before handing over the vehicle to the customer, it is always good to do a test drive.

If you notice vibrations in the cardan, remove the crosshead and reassemble it by turning 180 degrees (half a turn).

It will also be necessary to lubricate again, to replace the grease lost in the disassembly.