Front wheel drive: A – control size; 1 – outer hinge housing; 2 – retaining ring; 3 – clip; 4 – ball; 5 – outer clamp; 6 – separator; 7 – thrust ring; 8 – protective cover; 9 – inner clamp; 10 – wheel drive shaft; 11 – inner hinge lock; 12 – inner hinge housing; 13 – inner joint housing retaining ring
The drive of each wheel consists of two constant velocity joints and a shaft 10 (see Fig.), which is made of a rod for the drive of the left wheel and of a pipe for the drive of the right wheel.
The outer joint consists of a housing 1, a separator 6, an inner race 3 and six balls. Grooves for placing the balls are made in the joint housing and in the race. The grooves in the longitudinal plane are made along the radius, which provides an angle of rotation of the outer joint of up to 42°. The splined tip of the joint housing is installed in the hub of the front wheel and attached to it with a nut.
The sleeve 3 of the hinge is mounted on the splines of the shaft 10 between the thrust ring 7 and the locking ring 2. The inner hinge differs from the outer one in that the tracks of the housing and the sleeve are made straight, not radial, which allows the hinge parts to move in the longitudinal direction. This is necessary to compensate for the movements caused by vibrations of the front suspension and the power unit.
The outer and inner hinges are equipped with balls of the same sorting group; if necessary, all six hinge balls are replaced (they must be of the same sorting group). When assembling the inner hinge, a selective method is used. Replacing any one part is not allowed - the inner hinge must be replaced as an assembly.
The hinge parts are lubricated with SHRUS-4 grease, which is placed in the hinge housings during assembly. The hinges are sealed with protective covers, which are secured with clamps.
Useful advice. Drive joints are very durable, their estimated service life is almost equal to the service life of the car. However, they are changed or repaired quite often during operation. Such work is quite expensive and labor-intensive. To save a lot, regularly check the condition of the protective covers of the joints and replace them immediately at the slightest damage. If water or dust gets into the joint through a damaged cover, it will fail after several hundred kilometers. A sealed joint wears out extremely slowly.