ZX Driveshaft Change

The RH one has an intermediate support bearing which has to be released.

11mm nuts, just undo them most of the way and push the studs back and turn them 90 degrees to release bearing. Sometimes you might need a little heat on the alloy bearing carrier to release it. You will of course have to drain the gearbox oil. And look at the driveshaft seal on the box for signs of leaking as it is sensible to replace this while the shaft is out. Apart from that, you will have to release the bottom swivel ball joint in order to pull the hub off the shaft. The most difficult part is undoing the d/s nut, which is normally quite tight. However, I always use a large ring spanner and club hammer, works every time for me. Haven't actually done a ZX, but have done several 306s which are the same I think.

Thanks, I'm doing it this weekend. 32 mm nut on the end of the drive shaft yes?

Yes, and you will probably need to replace it with a *new* nut, most are use-once, metal-lock / nylock nuts might be reusable but penned nuts (those with a tube like extension) MUST be replaced.

I would add though, if you don't have the tools to undo the above nut without difficulty you probably don't have the tools to tighten the nut correctly, if it's not correctly tightened you could be talking about a failed wheel bearing very quickly and at worse a wheel and hub coming adrift....

I've got the tools, just not the right size socket, but i know a man who does.

-- Malc

Together with the 'breaker' bar to go with it?

Yup. He did the shafts on his 205 a year or two back. Please Sir, I've got a big torque wrench too!

What's one of them then?! :~)

I use a standard ring spanner of the right size, with a 4lb hammer. I have removed and replaced many drive shafts, and to date, never had a problem since.

You have been very lucky then!...

Job Done. Only took 3 hours mainly due to lack of 35mm socket (not 32mm) necessary to remove the drive shaft nut and fiddling around with those blessed turny nut things on the intermediate bearing. I can see why they say to grease the intermediate bearing when you replace the shaft. Some swine hadn't and it was a right pig to beat out. The daft thing was though, all the splines and wheel nuts were coated with copper slip, so why forget the intermediate bearing?