Cardan gear
1 – a bolt of fastening of an elastic coupling to a flange of a secondary shaft of a transmission; 2 – a flange of a secondary shaft of a transmission; 3 - rubber element of the elastic coupling; 4 - centering sleeve of the flange of the front propeller shaft; 5 - insert of an elastic coupling; 6 – a bolt of fastening of an elastic coupling to a cardan shaft flange; 7 - flange of the front propeller shaft; 8 – stuffing box holder; 9 - stuffing box; 10 – a secondary shaft of a transmission; 11 - mud deflector; 12 – a nut of fastening of a flange on a secondary shaft; 13 – centering ring seal; 14 - front propeller shaft; 15 - centering ring; 16 - retaining ring; 17 - intermediate support; 18 - cork; 19 - rubber bushing; 20 - remote bushing; 21 - rear driveshaft; 22 - flange fork of the cardan joint; 23 - elastic coupling; 24 - safety bracket; 25 - balancing plate; 26 - cross member of the intermediate support; 27 - retaining ring; 28 - fork of the front propeller shaft; 29 - retaining ring; 30 - needle bearing; 31 - stuffing box; 32 - clip of the gland of the cross; 33 - fork cardan joint; 34 - cross; 35 - fork fastening nut; 36 - intermediate support bracket; 37 - elastic pillow; 38 - bearing housing; 39 - bearing; 40 - mud deflector
The cardan gear consists of two tubular shafts interconnected by a cardan joint, an elastic coupling 23 (see fig. cardan gear) and intermediate support 17.
The front cardan shaft 14 is made of a thin-walled pipe, to both ends of which splined tips are welded. A flange 7 is located on the splines of the front tip, which, through a rubber sleeve 23, is connected to the flange 2 of the secondary shaft 10 of the gearbox with six bolts 1 and 6. The alignment of the shafts to be connected is provided by a centering ring 15 pressed onto the end of the secondary shaft and a centering sleeve 4 pressed into the flange 7 cardan shaft. Ring 15 is fixed on the shaft with locking ring 16.
The spline connection is lubricated through a hole closed by a plug 18. The lubricant is retained by a rubber gland 9, which is located in a steel cage 8, and on the other hand by a seal 13, put on the nut 12 and pressed by it.
The rear splined tip of the shaft 14 rests on the ball bearing 39 of the intermediate support. On the splines of the tip, the yoke 28 of the intermediate cardan joint is fixed with a nut 35.
The rear cardan shaft is also made of a thin-walled pipe, at the ends of which the universal joint forks are welded.
The intermediate support absorbs the vibrations of the driveline. It consists of a bracket fixed to the cross member with 26 bolts and nuts. The crossbar, in turn, is fastened with nuts on bolts welded to the body. Steel spacer bushings 20 and rubber insulating bushings 19, pressed by washers, are installed on the bolts of the cross member. The bracket contains a rubber cushion, which is vulcanized to the surfaces of the bracket and bearing housing. In the bearing housing there is a radial ball bearing 39 with seals, which is fixed in the housing with a retaining ring 27. Dust deflectors installed on both sides of the bearing protect the bearing from environmental influences.
The elastic coupling absorbs noise and vibrations of the driveline. It is made of six rubber elements 3, between which there are metal inserts 5 with holes for bolts 1 and 6. The inserts have six protrusions, three of which go into the grooves of the gearbox output shaft flange, and the rest into the grooves of the flexible coupling flange. This ensures that the flexible coupling is centered on the flanges.
The universal joint consists of two yokes 28 and 33 fixed on the shafts, which are interconnected by a crosspiece 34. Needle bearing housings 30 are put on the hollow spikes of the crosspiece. The bearing of the crosspiece is sealed with an oil seal 31 located in a metal cage 32.
Needle bearing assemblies are fixed in the holes of the forks with retaining rings 29, which are divided into five sizes according to the thickness. The selection of the retaining ring ensures the axial clearance of the cross in the range of 0.01–0.04 mm.
Since 1988, vehicles have been equipped with a driveline with high-durability joints. Outwardly, it is distinguished by an increased thickness of the forks at the installation site of the needle bearings, the absence of metal clips under the cross seals and a sharper transition of the front propeller shaft pipe into the splined tip (approximately 90°). The universal joints have improved needle bearing seals. This is achieved by using radial mechanical seals. Needle bearing housings are stamped from sheet steel, as opposed to turned from bar steel in the previously used driveline.
New and previously produced universal joint crosses are interchangeable, but it is undesirable to install VAZ-2105 crosses in the forks of the VAZ-2101 cardan shafts, since the rigidity of the stamped needle bearing housings decreases in these forks.
In connection with the change in the dimensions of the universal joint forks, the technology for disassembly and assembly of new universal joints has been changed.
Therefore, the text describes the technology of both old and new hinges.