Ranger Rover L322 Propeller Shaft Removal
This is a guide to the L322 propeller shaft removal and installation. If you need a more in-depth tutorial consider downloading our official Range Rover L322 Repair Manual from the link below. Thousands of photo’s, illustrations and pages of text to help the L322 owner tackle any problem.
- Front RH drive shaft
- Mounting bracket
- Engine sump
- Transfer box
- Rear propeller shaft assembly
- Rear RH drive shaft
- Rear differential
- Rear LH drive shaft
- Support bearing
- Front propeller shaft
- Front LH drive shaft
- Front differential
General information
The front drive shafts are handed components with the RH drive shaft being longer than the LH drive shaft. Both shafts are of similar construction with constant velocity (CV) joints at each end to allow for steering and suspension movement. The rear drive shafts are identical with a CV joint at each end to allow for suspension movement. Propeller shafts are used to transmit drive from the transfer box to the front and rear differentials. The front propeller shaft is a one piece unit, connected to the transfer box by a flexible rubber coupling and mating with the front differential unit via a splined shaft.
The rear propeller shaft is a two piece unit, supported on a central bearing due to its increased length. The propeller shaft is connected to the transfer box and the rear differential with CV joints. A universal joint allows for the angular deviations of the propeller shaft due to acceleration and braking.
Front Drive Shafts
The front drive shafts are similar in their construction. The only difference is the lengths of each shaft. The LH drive shaft has a total length of 677 mm. The RH drive shaft is a longer shaft which passes through a housing and the engine sump to the differential and has a total length of 1024 mm.
- Snap ring (3 off)
- Drive shaft
- Outer CV joint
- Stake nut
- Inner CV joint.
The outer CV joint has a target on the outer diameter. This is used by the ABS wheel speed sensor for vehicle and wheel speed calculations. Each drive shaft comprises two CV joints and gaiters, an outer tube, a solid shaft and a ball cage assembly.
- Outer CV joint
- Clamp
- Outer tube
- Sealing plug
- Ball cage
- Shaft
- Inner CV joint
- Snap ring – differential
- Snap ring
- Gaiter
- ABS sensor target ring.
The CV joint
The CV joints are of the Birfield design. This design uses longitudinal, elliptical grooves which retain six steel balls. The balls are further retained by a cage. The constant velocity is achieved by the position of the steel balls. If a centre line is drawn through the balls and the driven hub or differential shaft, the two centre lines always bisect each other at the angle of drive. This condition allows the rotational speed of the driven shaft to be passed to the driven hub or differential shaft with no loss of rotational speed regardless of the shaft angle.
The CV joints are packed with grease which is retained in the joint by a synthetic rubber gaiter. The gaiter is retained at each end by a metal clamp which provides a water tight seal to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture. The CV joints are retained on their respective shaft or tube by an internal snap ring. The snap rings are located in a groove on each shaft or tube end and locate in a mating groove in the CV joint. The CV joints can be removed by a sharp tap with a soft mallet on the CV joint housing which releases the snap ring from the groove.
The shaft is a sliding fit inside the outer tube which allows for the small length changes which occur with articulation of the suspension. The shaft is located in a ball cage which is retained inside the outer tube. The ball cage ensures that the shaft is held rigidly in the outer tube whilst allowing it to freely move in and out of the tube as necessary. A sealing plug is pressed into the outer tube and retains grease around the balls in the cage. The inner CV joint shaft is splined and mates with splines in the front differential. A snap ring is located around the inner shaft and, when fitted in the differential, locates in a mating groove in the differential splined bore. The CV joint shaft is removed from the differential in a similar manner as removing a CV joint.
LINK : Range Rover L322 Repair Manual
- Drive shaft
- Outer CV joint
- Stake nut
- Snap ring (2 off)
- Bolt M12 (6 off)
- Shim (3 off)
- Inner CV joint.
The rear drive shafts are identical in their construction. Each drive shaft has a total length of 687 mm. The inner CV joint has six holes for attachment with bolts to the differential output flange. Each pair of bolts is fitted with shim which secures the bolts after tightening. The outer CV joint has a target on the outer diameter. This is used by the ABS wheel speed sensor for vehicle and
wheel speed calculations. Each drive shaft comprises two CV joints and gaiters and a tubular shaft.
- End cap
- Inner CV joint
- Circlip
- Gaiter
- Tube
- Outer CV joint
- ABS Sensor target ring
- Snap ring
- Clamp
- Circlip.
The CV joints used on the rear drive shafts are of the Birfield design. Refer to the Front Drive Shafts for a description of the CV joints. The outer CV joint is retained on the tube by an internal snap ring. The CV joint can be removed by a sharp tap with a soft mallet on the CV joint housing which releases the snap ring from the groove.
The inner CV joint is retained on the shaft by two circlips. This CV joint is different in design to the outer CV joint but the operating principle is the same. An end cap is pressed over the inner end of the CV joint to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture. Both CV joints are fitted with gaiters which are secured with metal clamps.
Front Propeller Shaft
- Front propeller shaft
- Nut M12 (6 off)
- Coupling adapter
- Coupling
- Bolt M12 (6 off)
- Seal.
The front propeller shaft is constructed from 2.1 mm wall tubular steel. A three arm coupling is welded at one end. The opposite end has a splined shaft welded to the tube. The shaft has an overall length of 752 mm. The three arm coupling has three holes which allow for attachment to the coupling and the coupling adapter. The coupling adapter and the coupling are secured to the shaft with three bolts and nuts.
The flexible coupling attaches to the front output shaft of the transfer box and is secured with bolts in the three remaining holes in the coupling. The coupling is a rubber molding. The coupling is designed to transfer rotational drive from the transfer box to the front propeller shaft without wind-up, but simultaneously compensating for small amounts of misalignment and absorbing torque and vibrational loading. Each of the six attachment holes is lined with a metal bush.
The bush is required to prevent compression of the coupling by the attachment bolts and nuts. The splined shaft has 42 splines which mate with corresponding splines in the input shaft of the front differential. A shroud is pressed over the splined shaft. The shroud seals against an O-ring seal on the front differential input shaft, preventing the ingress of dirt and moisture. The splines allow for movement of the propeller shaft caused by small movements in the transmission and transfer box mountings.
Rear Propeller Shaft
- Washer
- Bolt M12
- Propeller shaft – Front
- Stud (6 off)
- Shim (3 off)
- Nut (6 off)
- Nut (2 off)
- Shaft bearing assembly
- Propeller shaft – Rear
- Bolt M12 (6 off)
- Shim (3 off).
The rear propeller shaft assembly comprises front and rear shaft assemblies and a centrally mounted shaft bearing. The rear propeller shaft assembly has an overall length of 1280 mm.
Front Shaft Assembly
The front shaft assembly comprises a CV joint at the front and a splined shaft at the rear. The front shaft comprises a tube with welded, splined shafts at each end. The forward splined shaft accepts the CV joint which is secured with a circlip. The CV joint is packed with grease and sealed on both sides with metal shrouds to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture. The CV joint has six radial holes which provide for the attachment to the transfer box rear output flange.
The joint is secured to the output flange with six bolts, which screw into threaded holes in the flange. Three shims are fitted under each pair of bolts. The shims have tabs which are bent to secure the bolts. The CV joint is not a serviceable item and failure will require replacement of the rear propeller shaft assembly. The rear splined shaft mates with splines in the rear shaft universal joint. A threaded hole is provided in the splined shaft to secure the front and rear propeller shaft sections together. A machined surface on the shaft accepts the shaft bearing, which is a press fit.
Shaft Bearing Assembly
The shaft bearing assembly comprises a pressed steel housing, a rubber bush and a ball bearing. The rubber bush is bonded into the housing. An internal metal ring, bonded to the bush, allows for the bearing to be press fitted into it. The rubber bush allows for small deviations in alignment and also absorbs vibrational forces. The shaft bearing assembly is located on studs, which are integral with the body, and secured with flanged nuts.
Rear Shaft Assembly
The rear shaft assembly comprises a universal joint at the front and a CV joint at the rear. The rear shaft comprises a tube with the welded universal joint at one end and a welded splined shaft at the opposite end. The universal joint is welded to the rear shaft tube. The opposite end of the universal joint has a splined bore which mates with the splined shaft on the rear of the front shaft assembly.
A bolt and washer is fitted through the splined bore and screws into the splined shaft on the front shaft assembly, securing the front and rear shaft assemblies together. The splined shaft accepts the CV joint which is secured with a circlip. The CV joint is packed with grease and sealed on both sides with metal shrouds to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture. The CV joint has six radial holes into which, six knurled bolts are pressed. The knurled shanks of the bolts provide a secure mounting for each bolt, preventing them from rotating.
Three shims are fitted under each pair of bolts. The shims have tabs which are bent to further secure the bolts. The CV joint is secured to the input shaft of the rear differential with six flanged nuts. The CV joint is not a serviceable item and failure will require replacement of the rear propeller assembly.
LINK : Range Rover L322 Repair Manual
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