Drive Shaft

[Michael Potter]

Add me to the list of screwed drive shafts. 4000kms and it’s done. Have to order new shaft tomorrow. I will be ordering shaft lock for break side from Barn of Parts. So that side is covered. I also noticed that on the gear case side the bearing also has some play. What are you guys doing for that side? Are you just assembling and leaving or are you adding bearing retaining compound? Also i am trying to get the complete shaft assembly but in case it’s on back order and I can only get shaft is it hard to get the drives off? Are they pressed fit? How do you get them in the correct location?

Thanks
Mike.

 

[stevewithOCD]

My chain case side was snug.
Not pressed on, but snug enough. I don't know of anyone who had a problem on this side.

 

[Turboflash]

Add me to the list of screwed drive shafts. 4000kms and it’s done. Have to order new shaft tomorrow. I will be ordering shaft lock for break side from Barn of Parts. So that side is covered. I also noticed that on the gear case side the bearing also has some play. What are you guys doing for that side? Are you just assembling and leaving or are you adding bearing retaining compound? Also i am trying to get the complete shaft assembly but in case it’s on back order and I can only get shaft is it hard to get the drives off? Are they pressed fit? How do you get them in the correct location?

Thanks
Mike.

Some guys have reported evidence that the track shaft has also spun inside gear case side bearing, although not nearly as bad as brake side. I am one of them. I repaired 3 Tcats with warranty brand new track shafts, seals, bearings, etc. I cleaned the track shaft carefully (acetone) where both bearing journals are. Lubricated the new seals (both sides). Moments before inserting the new track shaft, I applied blue loctite to both bearing journals. Inserted track shaft, quickly installed the 2 gears on chain case side and snap ring. Pushed/tapped shaft as far to brake side as possible (2 gears on chain case side will be tight, no play between gears and snap ring). Then applied ultra-black gasket maker to tunnel side of the 3-hole flange (to make sure no water can enter) that holds the seal on the brake side, and bolted the caliper housing with new bearing onto the outside of the tunnel. Tightened 3 bolts. Installed BOP wedge into end of track shaft so only a tiny bit of flats were visible, and torqued to 35 ft.lbs. Done deal. Track shaft will no longer spin in either bearing. In case anyone is wondering why I didn't use green bearing retainer, it's because I did that on an earlier Tcat shaft and it was very very very difficult to get the track shaft back out of it. The green bearing retainer "welded" the shaft and bearing together so bad that I had to cut the bearing off the shaft to get it off! I applied so much heat to try and loosen the loctite that it started to melt/destroy the inner seal on the chain case side and still the green loctite would not release. I ended up having to heat the chain case housing around the track shaft bearing so I could push that bearing out of the chain case while still on the shaft, and then cut the bearing off the shaft! I kid you not, that high-temp green loctite is like welding the two together. I don't recommend you do that. Since the amount of spinning in the bearing on the chain case side is very minimal, blue loctite is sufficient. If you want, you can use green on the brake side because Travis from BOP published the template for a puller that uses the same 3 holes used to mount the caliper to pull that housing off, even if you used green on it. IMO, no point in using loctite on brake side if you have BOP wedge to lock it.

 

[Michael Potter]

Some guys have reported evidence that the track shaft has also spun inside gear case side bearing, although not nearly as bad as brake side. I am one of them. I repaired 3 Tcats with warranty brand new track shafts, seals, bearings, etc. I cleaned the track shaft carefully (acetone) where both bearing journals are. Lubricated the new seals (both sides). Moments before inserting the new track shaft, I applied blue loctite to both bearing journals. Inserted track shaft, quickly installed the 2 gears on chain case side and snap ring. Pushed/tapped shaft as far to brake side as possible (2 gears on chain case side will be tight, no play between gears and snap ring). Then applied ultra-black gasket maker to tunnel side of the 3-hole flange (to make sure no water can enter) that holds the seal on the brake side, and bolted the caliper housing with new bearing onto the outside of the tunnel. Tightened 3 bolts. Installed BOP wedge into end of track shaft so only a tiny bit of flats were visible, and torqued to 35 ft.lbs. Done deal. Track shaft will no longer spin in either bearing. In case anyone is wondering why I didn't use green bearing retainer, it's because I did that on an earlier Tcat shaft and it was very very very difficult to get the track shaft back out of it. The green bearing retainer "welded" the shaft and bearing together so bad that I had to cut the bearing off the shaft to get it off! I applied so much heat to try and loosen the loctite that it started to melt/destroy the inner seal on the chain case side and still the green loctite would not release. I ended up having to heat the chain case housing around the track shaft bearing so I could push that bearing out of the chain case while still on the shaft, and then cut the bearing off the shaft! I kid you not, that high-temp green loctite is like welding the two together. I don't recommend you do that. Since the amount of spinning in the bearing on the chain case side is very minimal, blue loctite is sufficient. If you want, you can use green on the brake side because Travis from BOP published the template for a puller that uses the same 3 holes used to mount the caliper to pull that housing off, even if you used green on it. IMO, no point in using loctite on brake side if you have BOP wedge to lock it.

Just a question. If you lubricated the seals how did you keep that oil off shaft while inserting into new bearing with blue locktite?

 

[NYTurbo]

Drivers need to be pressed on and off. Also need to be carefully postioned so take good measurements. Not sure where your located but Hurricane Performance usually (have a order coming in early this week ) has shafts in stock and can re install your drivers.

 

[Turboflash]

Just a question. If you lubricated the seals how did you keep that oil off shaft while inserting into new bearing with blue locktite?

Excellent question - answer is VERY carefully. Fortunately, there were 2 of us doing this. On chain case side, the bearing journal is smaller than seal journal so we could carefully guide that end of the shaft (while the other guy holds the brake end) into the bearing without the seal touching on the bearing journal. Of course on brake side, the seal is mounted into that 3-hole flange which is kept over near the plastic drive wheel until shaft is in and caliper housing with bearing is installed on outside of tunnel. Then slide the 3-hole flange over to tunnel (up onto the seal journal), install bolts and tighten them up.

 

[twyztid]

As long as the parts are not assembled, you can put Loctite on the parts and leave it there almost indefinitely. It is anaerobic and will not cure when exposed to air. It will only cure once assembled and there is no longer any air in contact with the Loctite. The newer formulations are also tolerant of a little oil on the mating surfaces.

Permatex also has thread lockers like the Loctite Blue and Red but also now has an Orange type that is supposed to hold like Red but can be disassembled like Blue. I am guessing this just means it can be disassembled with hand tools. The Red is really supposed to be heated up before removal as well (like the Green, just not as high of a temperature required).

https://www.permatex.com/products/t...-high-strength-removable-orange-threadlocker/