I don’t know what’s available in Aus but in the UK you can get a prop shaft shop to fit a new spider in the shaft at considerable reduced cost. Try searching for a workshop specializing in prop/drive shafts. The UJs are staked in and therefore more difficult to replace than on a landrover.
I have found someone who specialises in repairing MB and BMW propsharfts and can repress a uni into the prop sharft
However he has never seen a G, and will have to find a suitable uni to fit and this may take a while
bushbenz - 11/3/2004 6:00 AM
I have found someone who specialises in repairing MB and BMW propsharfts and can repress a uni into the prop sharft. However he has never seen a G, and will have to find a suitable uni to fit and this may take a while. And the good news he charges $110
Just to be clear (and be clear with your shop) does your truck have the "staked in" universal joints that require machining the four spider arms before pressing out the U-joint and then creating some new method to hold the new U-joint in place? I don't think the drive shafts past about 82 had circlips (as teh method of u-joint retention) much at all $110 AU sounds mighty cheap for all the work, especially from some place who specializes in MB/BMW.
The other consideration is whether the GKN U-joint is the right one for the staked in shaft. I was able to get a couple for my circlip-type shafts, so if a part number is listed for "G-wagen", it might only apply to the ones that are designed to be replaceable. Just a thought, I couldn't tell how that GKN site might reference them, since the link didn't work when I tried it.
Most of the time you end up better off in the long run if you either - take the purist route, bite the bullet and buy the whole shaft from MB knowing you only have to do it once every 20 years, or, take your old drive shaft to a custom driveline shop and have them build you a whole new custom shaft that uses circlip-retained U-joints of a size that's commonly available and beefy enough to replace the OEM ones on the G.
Oh yeah, the GKN U-joints I was able to buy for my truck two years ago cost me roughly $110 USD (sourced through a local GKN distributor so I didn't go overseas for them myself) at that time.
I just tried the GKN link from here in the UK and it was ok but you can get to it from http://www.gkndriveline.co.uk The part they have is an External Circlip type, number HS300 for Mercedes G wagon D 31mm L 88.3mm. It is listed as staked so it looks like the later one. They seem to be about 35 UK pounds and though I have not done it myself a number of UK G owners have had success with it. But as to the soundness of replacing a staked UJ, Dave could well be right – but I guess I am really a cheap Brit at heart.
Hi Dave,
I do have the staked in type, and at the moment are looking at GKN replacment, it apparently has a circlip so maybe it is for the older style, I am just waiting on some more information, the web site was very vauge, hopefully I will fit and be held in via circlips.
If this option fails there are some local ones available but will require machining of the shaft.
My other problem is the rear shaft also needs to be replaced as the little rubber seals are so old and cracked as was the front,
A few weeks ago after going through a big mud hole and not washing and greasing the shaft this trouble started, so I need to replace the rears as well in the long term
I have had the universal joints replaced for me in my last two G´s. It is not a problems as long as it is done properly. I have a guy who does it in a lathe. He welds shims outside the universal joint in stead of the circlips. This has never been any problem. This costs here in Iceland about 100$ and Iceland is among the most expensive countries in the world. So you should be able to get at least that price almost everywhere.
I dont think it is wise to buy a new shaft for 5900$. I have also had special shafts made for me that was used when changing gearbox. They were not expensive.
Just make sure that the shaft is put correctly together, with 67° (if my memory is good) between the joints on the ends of the shaft.
Well today I finally put my front prop shaft back together with new Uni's after 2 months, I used the HS 300 Unis from England and made up plates to hold them in as found in some trucks.
We machined up a stepped disc and tapped two 4mm holes in the yoke to hold the disc in.
Hopefully it will will be strong enough, I'll use it for six months then do the rear shaft.
Many thanks for the help in finding the Unis they are very good, German made with double seals.
The disc holds in the uni, it is stepped so to press against the uni, it is held in with 4mm screws, tapped into the yoke about 6mm deep (thats the hard part)
The big question will it be strong enough.
At least it will be easy to replace the unis next time
I ordered direct from GKN the price was £47.57ea and they Fed-ex to me in a week, I was dealing with Jon Whittingham,
j.whittingham@gkndriveline.co.uk
The plates that you machined to center the U joint; were they CNC machined and repeatable or were they made one at a time? Are they available? Do they have O rings inside to seal against the sides of the carrier bores to keep dirt out/grease in? Or are they a tight machine fit? Again, a great repair idea.
The plates were hand machined but there is no reason why they could not be CNC machined it would save a lot of time.
Be aware of the spacing between the front prop shaft and the shaft from the gearbox to tranfer case there is only about 6mm clearance with this set up, and if the plates were larger this might cause a problem.
There are no seals in there everything is solid, the UNis are also Loctited in.
Tool to notch the york after replacing a new joint
Heard that there is a tool available to notch the york to hold the new joint in place but I could not find it over the Internet.
If anyone know or seen one, please let me know.
Thanks.
NPK
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