Installation and Maintenance

Maintenance
Maintenance work on cardan shafts used in vehicles and industrial equipment must be done at regular intervals.

The scope and the intervals of maintenance work depend on the individual operating conditions of the vehicle or the equipment.

Maintenance intervals for cardan shafts in commercial vehicles
Depending on the type of vehicle, the mileage or the service life and the operating conditions two different scopes and intervals of maintenance are required. These are the "minor inspection" and the "major inspection".

Use of vehicle	Inspection intervals
Use of vehicle	Minor inspection	Major inspection
Commercial vehicles in long-distance traffic or similarly used vehicles	Every 100.000 km or after 1 year max.	Every 500.000 km or after 5 years max.
Commercial vehicles used on road and off road and in city traffic and similar	Every 50.000 km or after 1 year max.	Every 300.000 km or after 5 years max.
Buses in long-distance traffic	Every 100.000 km or after 1 year max.	Every 300.000 km or after 3 years max.
Buses in city traffic	Every 50.000 km or after 6 months max.	Every 200.000 km or after 2 years max.
Commercial vehicles used on sites, communal vehicles, construction machines, cranes, vehicles used in agriculture and forestry, tractors, military vehicles and similar	Every 25.000 km or after 6 months max.	Every 100.000 km or after 2 years max.

After a change of the vehicle owner or in case of an accident we recommend a "major inspection" of the cardan shaft.

Scope of maintenance

Minor inspection
The "minor inspection" includes checking the cardan shaft installed in a vehicle or in an industrial plant.

	Check the bolts of the flanges and of the centre bearing bracket for tightness (e.g. undamaged paint coat). If necessary, retighten the bolts with a suitable torque wrench and the torques prescribed by the manufacturer of the vehicle or equipment.
	Check whether there are snap rings on all bearing bushes.
	Check whether balance weights are loose or missing.
	Check the bottoms of the bearing bushes for change of colour or form due to excessive heat.
	Visual inspection of the seals of bearing bushes and the length compensation. Defective seals may result in excessive grease loss and breakdown of the cardan shaft.
	Check whether there are grease nipples on the journal crosses and whether they are in good condition (exception: maintenance-free joints).
	Check whether the rilsan coat on the sleeve is damaged or shows abrasion.
	Visual inspection of the centre bearings of drive lines with regard to: - correct position of the rubber cushion in the centre bearing bracket - correct position of the flange shaft If the distance between the rubber cushion and the outer flinger is too large, the centre bolt may work loose. In this case a check should be made as a part of a major inspection.
	Carry out a visual inspection for possible damage, e.g.: - damaged paint coat - deformed tubes - eccentricity of the length compensation cover tube - cracks on components and tube
	Check the joints and the length compensation for visible or tangible backlash.

If the inspection shows that the cardan shaft is damaged, it must be removed at once and sent to a repair shop that is authorized either by us or by the manufacturer of the vehicle or the equipment.

Furthermore, the vehicle or the equipment must be immediately taken out of operation in the case of any extraordinary noise, vibration or otherwise abnormal behaviour. Before recommissioning the cardan shaft it must be checked within the scope of a "minor inspection".

Major inspection
Each "major inspection" includes the scope of checking prescribed for a minor inspection. In addition, the cardan shaft must be removed from the vehicle or the equipment for the "major inspection".
The following checking or work must be carried out on the cardan shaft:

Checking the joint bearings

-	Check the two flange yokes for tangible backlash or resistance (e.g. hooking) by deflecting them by hand into vertical and horizontal positions (swing them to and fro).
-	Grease the cross assemblies through the grease nipples and check whether the grease escapes from the seals. If no grease escapes from one or more bearing bushes of a cross assembly or if grease escapes together with water, rust or dirt, the cardan shaft must be sent to an authorized shop for repair.

If the joints are in proper condition, regrease them through the grease nipples until the grease escapes from the seals.

Checking the length compensation components
The involute spline is centred and guided on the spline outer dia. This design allows a maximum backlash of 0,2 mm. The radial backlash need not be checked.

-	Extend the cardan shaft by approx. 45 mm and place the lugs of the inner yokes at points A and B on a solid support (see illustration). Fix the dial gauge holder at point C next to the weld on the tube and place the dial gauge directly next to the weld of the protective sleeve (cover tube). Lift the cardan shaft at its center of gravity so that the supports at points A and B become free. Read axial backlash on the dial gauge. The max. permissible value is 0,17 mm.
-	Visual checking of the parts: Extend the cardan shaft completely and check the length compensation for damage to the inside and outside areas of the spline muff and the teeth of the yoke shaft.
-	Check the seal of the cover tube for damage.
If the length compensation is undamaged:
-	regrease the parts of the length compensation in the sealing area (for grease see Lubrication) and bring the length compensation together to its original length.
Attention: Make sure that the marking arrows are opposite one another!

Check the centre bearing of drive lines with regard to:
- damage to the rubber cushion
- firm seat of the ball bearing in the rubber cushion

Retighten the central bolt with a torque of 350 Nm.

Attention:
Centre bearings of older designs with a central nut or holding plate and two bolts (not shown) must not be retightened because the bonding may become damaged and the securing function of the bolting is no longer guaranted. After checking (by retightening) or loosening the bolting a completely new bonding is required.

If a major or minor inspection reveals any damage to the shaft, It must be sent to a repair shop that is authorized by either DANA or the manufacturer of the vehicle or equipment.

Attention:
After each repair the cardan shaft must be rebalanced dynamically.

When reinstalling the cardan shaft, please observe the relevant installation instructions (see Installation/disassembly).

If the cardan shaft is obviously twisted due to over-loading (plastic deformation), it can no longer be used or repaired.

Lubrication
Cardan shafts of the series COMPACT 2000 are lubricated ready for operation.

The length compensation of the Standard designs is maintenance-free.
This does not apply to special designs with an extra large length compensation and a large deflection angle (e.g. cardan shafts between tandem axles). Such a length compensation requires regreasing through a grease nipple in the sealing sleeve of the spline protection until the grease escapes at the scraper seal of the sealing sleeve.
The centre bearing is protected by a cover and, filled with grease, is service-free.

Cross assemblies must be regreased.
The grease reservoir in the cross assemblies can be replenished through a grease nipple. Regreasing must be carried out until the grease escapes out from the seals of the bearings.

If it is not possible to grease all four bearings of a cross assembly (i.e. no grease escapes out from the seals), the bearings must be assumed to be damaged.
In this case the cardan shaft must be removed and the cross assembly must be replaced in an authorized repair shop. We recommend replacing the other cross assemblies at the same time.

	For the lubrication of cardan shafts only that grease may be used, which is defined in our standards 4006-005 corresponding to the different application temperatures. Do not use lubricants with MoS2 additives.
	Clean grease nipples before lubricating.
	Do not lubricate at high pressure or with pressure surges.
	Cardan shafts that have been stored for more than 6 months must be regreased before use.
	The cardan shaft must not be cleaned with pressurized water or a steam jet. In case of doubt the shaft must be regreased until the grease escapes from the seals of the bearings.

Recommended regreasing intervals for cardan shafts in commercial vehicles

Unless otherwise prescribed by the manufacturer of the vehicle, we recommend the following regreasing intervals. The data in the table refer to European and similar conditions. Operating conditions other than those shown here may require shorter regreasing intervals.

- Regreasing intervals for joints
(applicable only in conjunction with approved greases)

Use of vehicle	Regreasing intervals
Commercial vehicles in long-distance traffic or similarly used vehicles	Every or after	50.000 km 1 year max.
Commercial vehicles used on road and off road and in city traffic and similar	Every or after	25.000 km 1/2 year max.
Buses in long-distance traffic	Every or after	50.000 km 1/2 year max.
Buses in city traffic	Every or after	25.000 km 1/4 year max.
Commercial vehicles used on sites, communal vehicles, construction machines, cranes, vehicles used in agriculture and forestry, military vehicles* and similar	Every or after	12.500 km 1/4 year max. (250 h)
	* if driven through water shorter greasing intervals are recommended

- Greasing intervals for length compensation and centre bearing
As standard the length compensation and the centre bearing are service-free. The lubricating intervals for types designed for periodic relubrication are the same as for joints.