EdupradaThe drive shafts of your car are wearing parts, so you must monitor their condition because in general you will have to change them after 100,000 kilometers. In this article, we describe how to detect if your car’s drive shafts are in poor condition!
What are the symptoms of a cardan shaft that needs changing?
To identify wear on a cardan shaft, certain signs are clear. It is extremely rare for one to break suddenly, but if it does it will result in a loss of steering control and forced immobilization of the vehicle . Although cardan shaft breakage is definitely not common, it is still possible if you neglect the following symptoms.
Clicking noises
Impossible to miss sharp and repeated clicks which indicate a cardan problem. You will hear them when turning, starting off, changing gears, or driving on unstable terrain . They leave no room for doubt: one of your gimbals risks failing you.
Little tip : to understand which side the problem is coming from, first steer fully, then drive in one direction and the other.
Significant cracking and friction
Other noises can alert you to a defective cardan shaft : loud cracks when steering at low speed or friction during a gap. These noises cannot escape you and they indicate a problem with the transmission. If you don’t take care of this, it can cause the transmission to break .
Bellows wear
The gimbal bellows must be checked regularly, especially after 100,000 kilometers . If they are worn or pierced, the entire cardan shaft is threatened. A worn cardan bellows will be noticed if grease escapes from it . If you detect it in time, the damaged universal joint boot can be replaced!
🔧 How to change a car shaft?
It is possible to change a cardan shaft yourself, although it is preferable to have this intervention carried out by a professional. 2 logical steps follow to replace a cardan shaft: dismantling the old one and assembling the new one. But before that, don’t forget to drain the gearbox oil. We explain in detail how to proceed!
Necessary material :
- Jack
- Candles
- Toolbox
- Syringe
- Gear oil
Step 1: Remove the wheel
First remove the wheel in question by unbolting the universal joint mounting nut on the wheel hub. Note that it is sometimes necessary to disassemble the wheel to access this nut. Once it is removed, the car should be placed on jack stands. Then proceed to remove the wheels from the axle in question.
Step 2: Disassemble the gimbal
Once the wheels have been removed, you will be able to remove the cardan shaft. Start by uncoupling the wishbone, spindle and cardan head from the hub. You can then remove the defective cardan shaft.
Step 3: Mount the new gimbal
Before any assembly, check that the old cardan shaft and the new one are identical: their length must be the same and, for the cars concerned, the ABS ring gear must also be the same. You must then change the joint provided which connects the universal joint and the gearbox . Remove the universal joint, bring the fixing nut closer then reassemble the wheel.
Step 4: Inject gear oil
Remember to inject gearbox oil into its filler cap (a syringe may be necessary). Your gimbal is now changed!
How much does it cost to change gimbals?
If you are not mechanically inclined and would prefer to call a professional, be aware that changing the cardan shaft is a costly intervention, just like changing the clutch or the timing belt for example. Plan between 60 euros and 250 euros for a new gimbal and between 100 euros and 1000 euros for the entire intervention.
The price varies depending on your vehicle and the cardan shaft concerned, front or rear or right or left. Please note, however, that you should not change your two or four gimbals at the same time. In most cases only one of them will need to be replaced.
We don’t joke with the good condition of the universal joints: if one of them breaks, transmission to the wheels is no longer possible… and therefore, it is impossible to move the car forward. Worse still, if this happens in a turn, you lose control of the steering! So take care, pay attention to the signs mentioned above and change your gimbals when necessary.