Rear Drive Halfshafts
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2010 Mercury Mariner and 2010 Ford Escape. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The rear drive halfshafts have the following features:
- The inner and outer CV joints connect to a splined shaft. A circlip stopper holds the cross groove inner race assembly (inner CV joint) together.
- The RH and LH halfshafts are the same length.
- An axle circlip retains the splined inner CV joint to the differential side gear.
- A rear axle wheel hub nut secures the side shaft assembly (interconnecting shaft and outer CV joint) to the rear hub.
- The rear halfshafts are serviced as assemblies only.
The rear drive halfshafts are driven by the differential side gears in the rear drive axle. The splined inner CV joint housing transfers the torque to the connecting shaft through the flexible joint consisting of caged balls or 3 roller trunnion. This allows the connecting shaft to change both length and angle while the joint housing remains fixed. The CV joints are lubricated with a special high temperature grease that is contained by flexible rubber boots sealed to the joint housing and connecting shafts by clamps. The outer CV joint receives the rotational force from the connecting shaft and in turn, drives the rear wheel hub.