Discovery 2. Manual — part 579

PROPELLER SHAFTS

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

47-1

PROPELLER SHAFTS

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

Propeller shaft component layout

1 Rear axle and brake discs
2 Transfer box
3 Front axle and brake discs
4 Front propeller shaft
5 Rear propeller shaft

M47 0237B

1

2

3

4

5

PROPELLER SHAFTS

47-2

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

Description

General
Front and rear propeller shafts transmit the drive from the transfer box to the axles.

On vehicles from 03 model year fitted with the 4.6l V8 engine and 4HP24 transmission, the front propeller shaft is 15
mm (0.6 in) longer and the rear propeller shaft is 15mm (0.6 in) shorter than those used on vehicles with the 4.0l V8
and Td5 engines. This is to accomodate an increase in length of the 4HP24 transmission.

Front propeller shaft

1 Hookes joint
2 Grease nipple
3 Universal joint
4 Gaiter/Sliding spline joint
5 Lubrication point

The front propeller shaft consists of a tube with a universal joint and a sliding spline joint at the front end, and a
Hookes joint at the rear end. The universal joint is bolted to the pinion flange of the front axle differential. The Hookes
joint is bolted to the front output shaft of the transfer box.

The Hookes joint is lubricated during manufacture and sealed for life. A grease nipple is installed in the universal joint
to lubricate the serviceable, sealed needle bearings of the joint. The sliding spline joint is sealed with a gaiter and
lubricated through a lubrication point on the tube. Because of the proximity of a chassis crossmember to the front
propeller shaft, the lubrication point is normally sealed with a grub screw. During maintenance, the grub screw is
temporarily replaced by a slave grease nipple to lubricate the sliding spline joint.

PROPELLER SHAFTS

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

47-3

Rear propeller shaft

1 Flexible coupling
2 Grease nipple
3 Universal joint
4 Gaiter/Sliding spline joint
5 Grease nipple

The rear propeller shaft consists of a tube with a universal joint and a sliding spline joint at the front end, and a flexible
coupling bolted to the rear end. The universal joint is bolted to the rear output shaft of the transfer box. The flexible
coupling is bolted to the pinion flange of the rear axle differential.

A grease nipple is installed in the universal joint for lubrication of the serviceable, sealed needle bearings in the joint.
The sliding spline joint is sealed with a gaiter and lubricated through a grease nipple in the tube.

PROPELLER SHAFTS

47-4

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION