Propeller shafts (Description): Description and operation

Description

General

Front and rear propeller shafts transmit the drive from the transfer box to the axles.

On vehicles from 03 model year fitted with the 4.6l V8 engine and 4HP24 transmission, the front propeller shaft is 15 mm (0.6 in) longer and the rear propeller shaft is 15mm (0.6 in) shorter than those used on vehicles with the 4.0l V8 and Td5 engines. This is to accomodate an increase in length of the 4HP24 transmission.

Front propeller shaft

1 Hookes joint 2 Grease nipple 3 Universal joint 4 Gaiter/Sliding spline joint 5 Lubrication point

The front propeller shaft consists of a tube with a universal joint and a sliding spline joint at the front end, and a Hookes joint at the rear end. The universal joint is bolted to the pinion flange of the front axle differential. The Hookes joint is bolted to the front output shaft of the transfer box.

The Hookes joint is lubricated during manufacture and sealed for life. A grease nipple is installed in the universal joint to lubricate the serviceable, sealed needle bearings of the joint. The sliding spline joint is sealed with a gaiter and lubricated through a lubrication point on the tube. Because of the proximity of a chassis crossmember to the front propeller shaft, the lubrication point is normally sealed with a grub screw. During maintenance, the grub screw is temporarily replaced by a slave grease nipple to lubricate the sliding spline joint.