1996 Canter 4x4 FG639 front prop shaft

whatcharterboat

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Adriane, keep us posted on the bus you're picking up. You're welcome to crash overnight if you feel like a detour to Noosa...... You could maybe drop into ATW at the same time. About 2 1/2 hours away from Toowoomba though. Kind regards John
 

kanga1

Observer
Adriane, keep us posted on the bus you're picking up. You're welcome to crash overnight if you feel like a detour to Noosa...... You could maybe drop into ATW at the same time. About 2 1/2 hours away from Toowoomba though. Kind regards John

Hi John, It'll be a lightning trip up on the 2/3, the only Ferry we could get the truck onto that fitted with us was Sunday 6/3 for a day sail home. The truck is currently unlicensed and I have a 6 day Permit to get it through 4 States back home to Tassie (on the most direct route the paperwork says). so we are coming down through Dubbo, Parkes etc, SWMBO wants to spend Sat 5 in the Richmond Ikea!!!! :wings:

We'll have to catch up with you another time, I'd like to get into ATW to get a couple of opening windows and a front Locker fitted, sometime in the not too distant future!

The East Coast and top end are in the crosshairs for 2017. Thanks for the offer though. We'll put something up on here when we get the Fuso, it doesn't need too much really doing to it as it appears in the ad pics and others that the current owner has sent to us. So there will be no need for another epic build Blog/storey as far I can see ATM.

All the best to you John. Cheers, Adriane and Gill (Kanga1)........................................
 

pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
In North Carolina we are finding driveshaft rebuilding to be more and more of a lost art, as very few modern vehicle have rebuild-able ones... We have one guy who has a shop out back of his house that can work magic (and does so for us on a fairly regular basis), but if anything ever happened to him not sure what we would do.
 

Amesz00

Adventurer
"In the pics are the 4 spares they always keep at the ready on the bench at work. The shiny one is a brand new replacement. They are slightly longer than stock to cater for the long travel springs."

John, at what point does it require a longer shaft be fitted?
 

whatcharterboat

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Hey Andrew......... Hope all is well on the left side.
.
I didn't mean it like that..... Just that the boys had to have new shafts made anyway so they might as well make them a little longer so there is a little less spline exposed. If the splines didn't chew out from the constant exposure to sand then they would probably still be running the original shafts I guess.
.
Say hi to Carli. Will give you a call to catch up soon. Kind regards John
 

gait

Explorer
that advice on shaft length was similar from Hardy-Spicer workshop. Not essential but might as well while it was being rebuilt given the amount of wear.
 

Aussie Iron

Explorer
With our lifted front springs I run a 25mm spacer on the front of the tail shaft at the diff yoke just bolted in between as I found under articulation the shaft doesn't have enough spline engaged for my liking. It was never a problem but better safe than sorry (It didn't look right to me).

Dan.
 

dietert

New member
I've been away from the internet the last 3 days and wow, heaps of replies and info. I will remove the shaft this week, give it a clean up and have a real good look to see if there are circlips, etc. Thanks for all the advice - priceless.

Whatcharterboat. Spot on with the price. OEM $1550 or so. And that was as 'heavily discounted' they could go. Apparently.
Kanga1. Adrian is really nice bloke. The build seems solid and we had no trouble on returning to Canberra. There are a few 'noises' - whines and the like coming from the gearbox (or transfer case or diff/s) but hey, it's a 20yr old vehicle.
 

westyss

Explorer
With our lifted front springs I run a 25mm spacer on the front of the tail shaft at the diff yoke just bolted in between as I found under articulation the shaft doesn't have enough spline engaged for my liking. It was never a problem but better safe than sorry (It didn't look right to me).

Dan.

is this a common solution? Have never heard anyone do that, seems logical.
 

Decanter

Adventurer
With our lifted front springs I run a 25mm spacer on the front of the tail shaft at the diff yoke just bolted in between as I found under articulation the shaft doesn't have enough spline engaged for my liking. It was never a problem but better safe than sorry (It didn't look right to me).

Dan.

Dan, out of curiosity how much lift?
 

Aussie Iron

Explorer
is this a common solution? Have never heard anyone do that, seems logical.

It is common with us, we have done it to other vehicles and yet to have a problem. I machine them up so that they are located the same as the end yoke and in size with the outer diameter of the yoke. I bore the inner out as well to decrease as much weight as possible and being solid steel balance is not a problem.

Dan, out of curiosity how much lift?

Instead of the standard height between springs and bump stop (usually 25mm/1") we have close to 75mm/3"s. This is accomplished by using modified front springs.

Dan.
 

dietert

New member
Ok - all fixed. Prop shaft was rebuilt by a guy here in Canberra (The Diff Doctor). New uni's all round. He said it was a bit of a job to do the double cardin, but hey, he did it. Thanks to everyone who managed a contribution. Dieter
 

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4x4Truckoverland

New member
your local bearing shop "should" be able to help you out with uni's
the double cardin joint makes it a bit tricky but certainly not impossible
just measure the diameter and width across the cups
the splines on my front prop shaft were worn. Vibration above 20km/hr became obvious with new, raised, parabolics.

My home is Brisbane. Hardy Spicer workshop just a few km away. Rebuilt and lengthened the shaft a bit plus added a rubber boot over the splines. Sounded like they could rebuild just about any shaft - quite relaxed when I mentioned all the joints. I also replaced front oil seal on transfer box as it was weeping. Needed the flange plate also replacing as seal had worn groove in shiny surface. Easy diy. I knew previous owner used 4wd lots.

The workshop asked if I wanted a boot added. I decided yes to keep dust and sand out but was also a bit concerned that if water got in it would be squeezed everywhere and possibly pop the boot.

Hard to find flange bolts and nuts. I used nylok nuts on old bolts.

I was brought up in UK in the era of Minis. The CV joints were known as Hardy-Spicer joints. The power of "brand" meant it was a no-brainer for the Canter once I found the workshop was near.
Hi, I’m in the same situation at the moment with my FG649. too much play in the front prop shaft splines. How much did u lengthen the spline? Did u lengthen because of the super single spring upgrade.
it’s gonna cost a fortune ?
 

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