Description & Operation
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 8 other vehicles, including the 1996 Pontiac Bonneville, 1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, 1996 Oldsmobile LSS, 1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight, and 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Power is transferred to drive wheels by 2 axle shafts. Axle shafts have inner and outer Constant Velocity (CV) joints. Inner CV joint is a tripot/free-motion or cross-groove type joint that can slide in and out. Outer joint is a Rzeppa type that is flexible but does not move in and out. Axle shafts, except left inner axle shaft on A/T models, use a male splined end and interlock with transaxle gears by a circlip.
Left inner axle shaft on A/T models uses a female splined end and interlocks with protruding stub shaft. Some models use an intermediate shaft between axle shaft and transaxle. Models with Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) have a toothed exciter ring on outer CV joint housing.
All models use Tripot/Free-Motion type inner joint.