Can I replace the drive shaft myself?
First of all, to replace the drive shaft you will need a jack or duct to easily get to the underside of your vehicle. If you don”t have one, you definitely need to take the car to a service center to change the drive shaft. You should also be somewhat familiar with the structure of your vehicle and its individual parts. If this is not the case, it would be better not to get your hands dirty, but leave the work to an authorized service center.
What is a drive shaft or half shaft?
A driveshaft or driveshaft is an elongated round shaft, usually made of steel, that drives from the engine to the gears that turn the vehicle”s wheels. The engine”s pistons transmit their power to a set of gears that turn the drive shaft, creating torque. The torque is then transmitted via the drive shaft to the transmission wheels, making them turn. It”s what essentially drives the car. Although they basically perform the same function, the vehicles rely on different types of drives and need different types of drive shafts. There is usually one type of driveshaft for rear-wheel drive vehicles, another for front-wheel drive vehicles, and a third for all-wheel drive vehicles.
When and why should the drive shaft be replaced?
Replace the drive shaft If the drive shaft is damaged, cracks and crunches loudly on the side of the wheel, especially when turning, it”s time to replace the drive shaft. Wheels can also easily come off or wobble while steering or your steering wheel vibrates while driving. If any or all of these symptoms appear in your vehicle, you should repair the damage as soon as possible, because a broken drive shaft can cause serious damage to the transmission and, above all, an accident if you lose control of the car.
What should be done before replacing the drive shaft?
Before replacing the drive shaft, your vehicle needs to cool down so that, for example, the brake pads are not hot and you cannot burn yourself. Furthermore, you must lift your vehicle with a hydraulic jack or otherwise raise it in order to remove the drive shaft. Take a good look at the extent of damage to the shaft or homokinetic joint, prepare the necessary tools. Replace the drive shaft only after you have insured your car against additional damage during the repair.
What tools do you need to replace the drive shaft?
To replace the drive shaft, you generally only need the tools to remove the bolt: you need a large screwdriver for the wheel, nuts of different sizes (also a lot of nuts) to remove different bolts, extensions to loosen very tight bolts or bolts that are hard to reach, a torque wrench and an allen wrench to remove the brake disc if necessary.
How much does it cost to replace the drive shaft?
An adequate estimate of how much money you need can only be given by an experienced craftsman – what all needs to be replaced. In the service you will receive information about the price of the necessary parts, as well as the service of a master for replacing them.
