Driveshafts

For the Mazda, new driveshafts are required because one is longer than standard and the other is shorter. GBS found a new supplier who manufactures new shafts instead of the friction stir welding process performed on the existing ones. Pricey!

The existing CV joints need to be removed from the old shafts and then installed on the new ones. This is fairly straightforward but messy process. Lot's of blue roll required.

The process for the inner CV joint is as follows

Remove the driveshaft retaining clip and retain (or replace). Remove the boot. Carefully remove the large C-clip in the recess of the cup. Slides the cup off the shaft and make sure to catch the 6 ball bearings. Remove the small C-clip in the recess on the shaft. Rotate the cage and remove. Gently tap the 'petal' off the shaft using a rubber mallet. Remember the orientation of all the components for reassembly!

For the outer CV joint it's a bit different. 

Using a soft drift (piece of wood) held against the 'petal' closest to the shaft, tap the entire assembly from the shaft. If you want to clean up for fresh CV grease you can disassemble the assembly. Use the driveshaft to rotate the assembly as far as possible so that one of the ball bearings is nearly exposed. Take out the driveshaft continue to rotate the assembly so one entire ball bearing is exposed. Using a pry, remove the ball bearing. Repeat for the rest of the ball bearings. Then the cup and petal can be separated. Be careful, the direction of the cup and petal is important.

I wiped down all the components and removed the remaining grease from the cups with the intention of completely renewing it. I carefully inspected each part and found that for 20 year old parts they were in really good condition.

CVs disassembled & cleaned ready for re assembly

Orientation of outer CV joint cup - curved bit of hole toward shaft - warning! Petal is not symmetric and orientation is important!

Orientation of cup on inner CV joint - petal is symmetric

Last thing to do before reassembly is to clean of the decades of surface rust, apply some KuRust & then paint. I choose some 'Extreme Chassis Black' for durability & also painted the exposed parts of the driveshafts.

CV Joints in the painting process

Reassembly of the driveshafts is in the opposite order to the disassembly. I found all the C-clips were in good condition so I retained the originals.