Inspection and Verification

Inspection and Verification
Certain axle and driveline trouble symptoms are also common to the engine, transaxle, wheel bearings, tires, and other parts of the vehicle. For this reason, be sure that the cause of the trouble is in the axle before adjusting, repairing, or installing any new parts. Refer to NOISE, VIBRATION AND HARSHNESS (NVH).

Driveshaft Center Universal Joint (U-Joint) Constant Velocity (CV) Joint and Inspection
Place the vehicle on a frame hoist and rotate the driveshaft by hand. Check for rough operation or seizure of U-joint and CV joint. Install a new driveshaft if it shows signs of seizure, excessive wear, or incorrect seating.

Driveshaft Center Bearing
Rotate the driveshaft by hand. If the bearing shows signs of roughness or is noisy, install a new driveshaft assembly.

Noise Acceptability
A gear-driven unit will produce a certain amount of noise. Some noise is acceptable and audible at certain speeds or under various driving conditions such as a newly paved blacktop road. Slight noise is not detrimental to the operation of the axle and is considered normal.