Thread: Tom Woods Drive Shaft - how to replace slip spline seal collar

Just push it back into place. And yes the shaft will come apart at the slip joint. If you split it make sure you fit it back together at the same position or balancing issues come into play.

If it did that in service maybe alittle short

AM

Originally Posted by Ancient Mariner

If it did that in service maybe alittle short

AM

X2

Originally Posted by Bearman

Just push it back into place.

It seemed pretty stubborn to move but I also didn't want to force it and cause further damage. Will try again.

Originally Posted by Bearman

And yes the shaft will come apart at the slip joint. If you split it make sure you fit it back together at the same position or balancing issues come into play.

Does it seperate by just pulling the two apart or is there another trick? Does this collar have to be removed first?

Originally Posted by Ancient Mariner

If it did that in service maybe alittle short

Happened a while ago now but I think it was due to being overfilled with grease with a grease gun which pushed that seal away to release the excess grease pressure.

Originally Posted by twr7cx

Happened a while ago now but I think it was due to being overfilled with grease with a grease gun which pushed that seal away to release the excess grease pressure.

Yep that would do it

AM

Originally Posted by twr7cx

It seemed pretty stubborn to move but I also didn't want to force it and cause further damage. Will try again.

Does it seperate by just pulling the two apart or is there another trick? Does this collar have to be removed first?

Something not right there. It should not be bright and shiny on the solid part. The cup is a dust seal rather than a grease seal, but yes, it could be forced off if excessive grease. With the cup slid back the shaft should come apart without too much effort, unless the splines are damaged, it has to slide freely in operation. Do not know about after market shafts, but it should have a "master spline" to ensure alignment, but to be sure it is best to mark it first. Some OIM shafts also have an arrow or such stamped into both sides to match up for alignment. Also, the old Land Rover ones the cup was threaded on, and that one appears to be just pushed on, maybe with and O ring inside it?

Pull it apart, there is no chance of doing any damage unless you hit it with a hammer. Clean it up and inspect the splines for damage. If ok while it is apart temporally mount the two halves back on each end and check that the length is not such that it can bottom out at around its working position.

I e-mailed Tom Woods about it on the weekend and received a reply:

Scott:

Thank you for the photo. It goes a long way in describing your problem. In the photo below, you will see where I am pointing to a groove at the end of the slip yoke. Inside the dust cap (the part that has come loose), there is a land that is supposed to mate with this groove and secure the two parts together. I am not certain why they separated on you in the first place. It is possible that we did not install it completely, where the land and the grove interlocked. it is also possible that you experienced a little too much hydraulic pressure, during operation, that caused this to separate. This would only occur if the grease being used was a bit too thick. In this location, we suggest an EP #1 grease, as anything thicker can cause problems. My suggestion at this point would be the following:

* Mark the orientation of the slip yoke with the rest of the drive shaft. It should be that all the grease fittings line up.
* Separate the slip yoke from the drive shaft and remove the dust cap from the spline stub.
* Clean out the slip yoke to remove any contaminated grease, or any grease that may be too thick.
* Clean out the internal area of the dust cap and then spray a little lubricant on the inside, around the internal land of the dust cap.
* Lay the dust cap on a work bench with the internal side upward.
* Take the slip yoke and push it firmly down into the dust cap. This generally requires a good amount of pressure and you will probably find it easier to give the slip yoke a little rocking motion as you push it into the dust cap. You should be able to feel things snap into place and when the dust cap is properly in place, you will not be able to see any of the reduced diameter on the slip yoke around the area of the groove.
* Slide the slip yoke back on to the drive shaft, preserving the original alignment and re install the drive shaft.
* At this point you should then grease the slip yoke through the grease fitting until you see a small amount of grease come out past the dust cap.

Note his comment about the greases other than the EP #1 grease being too thick and the likely cause of this poping out of place.