Freightliner Century Class. Manual — part 25

MOP Number

Driveline Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41–01

Driveline Lubrication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41–02

Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41–00

Driveline

41

Index, Alphabetical

41–00 Safety Precautions

Safety Precautions in this section apply to all
procedures within this group.

DANGER

When working on the vehicle, shut down the en-
gine, set the parking brake, and chock the tires.
Before working under the vehicle, always place
jack stands under the frame rails to ensure the
vehicle can not drop. Failure to follow these steps
could result in serious personal injury or death.

41–01 Driveline Inspection

1.

Park the vehicle on a flat, level surface, apply
the parking brakes, and chock the tires.

CAUTION

Due to the extreme load occurring at high-speed
rotation, a loose or broken capscrew at any point
in the driveline will weaken the driveline connec-
tion, which could eventually result in serious ve-
hicle damage. Do not over-tighten bearing-cap
capscrews or yoke-strap capscrews.

2.

For driveline universal joints with bearing caps,
tighten bearing-cap capscrews 43 lbf·ft (49 N·m).
See

Fig. 1

, Ref. 1.

For RPL series universal joints, tighten bearing-
cap capscrews 125 lbf·ft (169 N·m). See

Fig. 2

.

For driveline universal joints with yoke straps,
tighten yoke-strap capscrews 125 lbf·ft (169
N·m). See

Fig. 3

.

3.

Check the driveline yokes for cracks, and check
end-yokes for looseness. See

Fig. 3

.

Replace cracked yokes.

If any end-yoke can be moved in or out on its
shaft, or can be rocked on its shaft, disconnect
the driveshaft and U-joint from the yoke, then
check the drive component’s shaft seal for leak-
age or other visible damage that may have been
caused by the loose yoke. Replace the seal if
needed, then tighten the yoke nut. See Group
41 of the Century Class Trucks Workshop
Manual for torque specifications. If the yoke is

still loose after tightening the yoke nut, replace
the end-yoke and yoke nut.

Replace the prevailing torque locknut (end-yoke
nut) if it was removed for yoke replacement, seal
replacement, or any other reason.

4.

Check U-joint assemblies for wear by moving the
driveshaft up and down, and from side to side. If
any movement of the U-joint cross in the bear-
ings can be felt or seen, replace the U-joint as-
sembly.

f410155a

04/13/98

1

1

1

2

ME

R I TOR

1.

Self-Locking
Capscrew

2.

Adhesive Band

Fig. 1, Meritor U-Joint Fasteners for Bearing Caps

f410182

12/09/97

Fig. 2, Meritor RPL Series U-Joint

Driveline

41

41/1

5.

Check if the midship bearing and mounting are
loose or have deteriorated, by attempting to
move the driveshaft up and down, and from side
to side. If the bearing is loose on its shaft, or
rattles, replace it. If the bearing mount is loose
on the frame, tighten the mounting fasteners to
the proper torque value. See Group 41 of the
Century Class Trucks Workshop Manual for
torque specifications. Replace the midship bear-
ing assembly if the rubber cushion is deteriorated
or oil-soaked.

6.

Check slip joints for spline wear by moving the
sleeve-yoke and splined shaft back and forth.

See

Fig. 4

. If the slip joint can be twisted in a

clockwise, or counterclockwise movement
greater than 0.007 inch (0.18 mm), replace both
the sleeve-yoke and the splined shaft.

7.

Visually examine the driveshaft tubes for dents,
bends, twists, or other damage. If any tube ap-
pears to be damaged, see Group 41 of the
Century Class Trucks Workshop Manual for re-
pair and replacement instructions.

8.

Examine the driveshaft for evidence of missing
balance weights, and for build-up of foreign ma-
terial. Remove any foreign material. If there is

f410067b

1

2

3

3

05/01/95

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

NOTE: Not all fasteners are shown.

1.

Transmission

2.

Transmission Output-Shaft
End-Yoke (yoke-strap type)

3.

U-Joint Assembly

4.

Bearing Cap Self-Locking
Capscrew

5.

Bearing Cap

6.

U-Joint Cross

7.

Bearing Cup (for yoke strap)

8.

Yoke Strap and Capscrew

9.

Slip-Joint Assembly

10. Sleeve-Yoke (bearing-cap type)
11. Dust Cap

12. Splined Stub Shaft
13. Driveshaft Tube
14. Tube-Yoke (bearing-cap type)
15. Axle Input-Shaft End-Yoke

(yoke-strap type)

16. Rear Axle

Fig. 3, Components of a Basic Driveline

Driveline

41

41/2

any evidence that balance weights are missing,
remove the driveshaft and have it balanced.

9.

For driveshafts with slip joints, check to be sure
the yoke plug is not loose or missing. See

Fig. 5

,

Ref. 2. Repair or replace the yoke plug as
needed. If the yoke plug is missing, the splined
shaft may be hitting the plug and knocking it out;
contact your Regional Service Office for assis-
tance in determining the correct driveshaft
length.

41–02 Driveline Lubrication

Universal Joint Lubrication

NOTE: Vehicles equipped with Meritor RPL Se-
ries drivelines do not require periodic lubrication.

1.

Park the vehicle on a flat surface, apply the park-
ing brakes, and chock the tires.

2.

Wipe all old grease and dirt from each U-joint
grease fitting. See

Fig. 5

, Ref. 8.

3.

Use a hand-type grease gun, or a high-pressure
gun with a low-pressure adapter, to lubricate
U-joints. If a low-pressure adapter is not used,
U-joints may not receive enough grease.

Using lithium 12-Hydroxy stearate grease (NLGI
Grade 1 or Grade 2, with EP additives), lubricate
until new grease can be seen at all four U-joint
seals. Fresh grease must be seen escaping from
all four bearing-cap seals of each U-joint. On
yokes equipped with a yoke-bearing cap, if most
of the grease being added to a U-joint can be

seen escaping from just one of the U-joint seals,
check the torque on the capscrews at that seal.

4.

Tighten the bearing-cap capscrews 43 lbf·ft (49
N·m). If the capscrews were already tight, or all
of the U-joint seals still do not purge, remove the
bearing cap at that seal, and examine the seal
for damage. If the seal is damaged, replace the
complete U-joint.

5.

If grease does not appear at one seal, use a pry-
ing tool to pry the U-joint trunnion away from the
non-purging seal, or tap the driveshaft or yoke
with a plastic or rawhide mallet on the side oppo-
site the dry seal, while continuing to lubricate. If
grease still does not appear, loosen the cap-
screws at the bearing with the dry seal, to relieve
seal tension. Lubricate the U-joint until new
grease is seen at the seal, then tighten the cap-

f410012a

05/27/93

Attempt to move the sleeve-yoke and splined shaft back
and forth.

Fig. 4, Slip Joint Spline Wear Checking

f410050a

10/20/93

1

1

2

3

3

3

4

5

6

7

8

A

A. After grease appears, cover the pressure-relief hole

while continuing to lubricate.

1.

Slip Joint Grease Fitting (with grease gun attached)

2.

Yoke Plug

3.

Grease

4.

Half-Round Yoke

5.

Yoke Plug Pressure-Relief Hole

6.

Slip Joint Seal

7.

Full-Round Yoke

8.

U-Joint Grease Fitting

Fig. 5, Slip Joint and U-Joint Lubrication

Driveline

41

41/3