Front Driveshaft

[DiscoDave]

Since I was underneath my 109 checking the gearbox and transfer case oil levels (I'm getting better at this maintenance stuff ;)) I thought I should grease the driveshaft uni joints and shafts. While doing this I discovered the front driveshaft has a fair amount of slop in the shaft - where the boot is covering the sliding section - which would explain the rather amusing out-of-balance-washing-machine type of noise that sometimes occurs when I pull up at the lights. The movement is maybe 20mm from side to side.
How concerned should I be about this? Immediate driveshaft replacement or worry about it when it starts hitting the cross-member?

[tony]

Dave

If its under the boot the spline has worn in the slideing part of the shaft

if its bad 20+ mm of movment is bad I would replace it the last thing you wont is a prop shaft comeing through the floor and belting you in the leg

not nice,

Tony

[Blknight.aus]

since its a series unbolt it quick smart and dont put it back on till you have a replacement.....

just remember no 4x4 without it...

[JDNSW]

As above - if it really is that bad (20mm) I would avoid using it except at low speed. Either remove it or fit free wheeling hubs.

Actually free play on the spline is not as bad as on the U-joints - the spline has to be very badly worn to let got, where the U-joints don't, as once they start to hammer the needle rollers quickly disintegrate, allowing more movement, and only a few hundred more turns will destroy either a cup or an arm and it lets go. But a loose spline that bad will cause sufficient vibration to cause all sorts of strife, from busted U-joints, to loose drive flange bolts to output/pinion shaft bearing failure.

John

[JDNSW]

And the symptoms as you come to a stop suggest you may also have a dragging handbrake!

John

[DiscoDave]

Thanks for the advice - I'll remove the front shaft and have a good look at it. ;)