Nissan Pathfinder. Manual - part 972

RAX-10

< REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION >

REAR DRIVE SHAFT

7. Using a piece of wood and a hammer, tap on the wheel hub lock

nut to disengage the drive shaft from the wheel hub and bearing.

CAUTION:

• Do not place the drive shaft joint at an extreme angle. Be

careful not to overextend the slide joint.

• Do not allow the drive shaft to hang without support.

NOTE:

Use a suitable puller if the drive shaft cannot be separated from

the wheel hub and bearing.

8. Remove the wheel hub lock nut.
9. Remove wheel hub and bearing. Refer to 

RAX-7, "Exploded View"

.

10. Remove the hub cap.
11. Remove the rear drive shaft from the final drive assembly.
12. Remove the side oil seal. Refer to 

DLN-119, "Removal and Installation"

.

INSPECTION AFTER REMOVAL

• Move joint up/down, left/right and in axial direction. Check for any rough movement or significant looseness.

• Check boots for cracks, grease leakage or other damage.

• If damaged, disassemble drive shaft to verify damage and repair or

replace as necessary.

INSTALLATION

Installation is in the reverse order of removal.

CAUTION:

• Do not reuse the side oil seal.

• Do not reuse the cotter pin.

• Do not use a power tool to tighten the wheel hub lock nut.

• Install the side oil seal. Refer to 

DLN-119, "Removal and Installation"

.

• In order to prevent damage to the side oil seal, place Tool (A) onto

oil seal, as shown, before inserting the drive shaft. 

• Slide rear drive shaft into the slide joint and tap with a hammer to install securely.

• Clean the mating surface of the wheel hub lock nut and the wheel hub and bearing.

• Clean the mating surface of the drive shaft and the wheel hub and bearing.

• Align the marks on the disc brake rotor and on the wheel hub and bearing.

JPDIG0070ZZ

WDIA0369E

Tool number : KV38107900 ( — )

ALDIA0296ZZ

REAR DRIVE SHAFT

RAX-11

< UNIT DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

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UNIT DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY

REAR DRIVE SHAFT

Disassembly and Assembly

INFOID:0000000009177869

DISASSEMBLY

Wheel Side

1. Mount the drive shaft in a vise.

CAUTION:

When mounting shaft in a vise, always use aluminum or copper plates between vise and drive

shaft.

2. Remove and discard boot bands and slide boot back.
3. Screw the drive shaft puller (A) 30 mm (1.18 in) or more into the

thread of joint sub-assembly. Pull joint sub-assembly (B) from

shaft.

CAUTION:

• Align sliding hammer or suitable tool and drive shaft, then

remove joint sub-assembly by pulling directly.

• If joint sub-assembly cannot be removed after five or

more unsuccessful attempts, replace shaft and joint sub

assembly as a set.

4. Remove and discard circular clip from shaft.

CAUTION:

Do not reuse circular clip.

5. Remove boot from shaft.
6. While rotating ball cage, clean old grease from joint sub-assembly.

Final Drive Side

1. Mount drive shaft in a vise.

CAUTION:

When mounting front drive shaft in a vise, always use copper or aluminum plates between vise

and shaft.

2. Remove and discard boot bands and slide boot back.
3. Put matching marks on slide joint housing and shaft before separating joint assembly.

CAUTION:

Use paint or an equivalent for matching marks. Do not scratch the surface.

4. Put matching marks (A) on the spider assembly and shaft.

CAUTION:

Use paint or an equivalent for matching marks. Do not

scratch the surface.

JPDIF0015ZZ

JPDIF0006ZZ

RAX-12

< UNIT DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

REAR DRIVE SHAFT

5. Remove and discard snap ring (1) using a suitable tool.

6. Remove spider assembly from shaft.
7. Disassemble the shaft as follows:

1. Remove boot from shaft.

2. Remove and discard circular clip from housing.

3. Remove and discard dust shield.

4. Clean all old grease off of the slide joint assembly.

INSPECTION AFTER DISASSEMBLY

Shaft

• Replace shaft if there is any bending, cracking, or other damage.

Joint Sub-assembly

• Make sure there is no rough rotation or unusual axial looseness.

• Make sure there is no foreign material inside joint sub-assembly.

• Check joint sub-assembly for compression scars, cracks or fractures.

CAUTION:

If there are any irregular conditions of joint sub-assembly components, replace the entire joint sub-

assembly.

Sliding Joint Housing and Spider Assembly

• If roller surface of spider assembly has scratches or wear, replace housing and spider assembly.

NOTE:

Housing and spider assembly are components which are used as a set.

ASSEMBLY

Wheel Side

1. Insert the amount of grease (Genuine NISSAN Grease or equiv-

alent) into joint sub-assembly until grease begins to ooze from

ball groove and serration hole. After inserting grease, use a

shop cloth to wipe off old grease that has oozed out.

JPDIF0014ZZ

SDIA1127E

REAR DRIVE SHAFT

RAX-13

< UNIT DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY >

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2. Cover serrated part of shaft with tape, then install a new boot

and boot band onto shaft.

CAUTION:

• Do not reuse boot and boot bands.

3. Remove protective tape wrapped around the serration part on shaft.
4. Attach new circlip to shaft. The circlip must fit securely into shaft groove. Attach nut to joint sub-assembly.

Use a suitable tool to press-fit.

CAUTION:

Do not reuse circular clip.

5. Install joint sub-assembly to shaft using plastic hammer.

CAUTION:

Confirm that joint sub-assembly is correctly engaged while

rotating drive shaft.

6. Insert the specified amount of grease (Genuine NISSAN Grease or equivalent) listed below into housing

from large diameter side of boot.

7. Install the boot securely into grooves (indicated by “*” marks)

shown.

CAUTION:

If there is grease on the boot mounting surface (indicated

by “*” mark) of the shaft or joint sub-assembly, boot may

come off. Remove all grease from the boot mounting sur-

face.

• To prevent the deformation of the boot, adjust the boot installation length (L) to the specified value indi-

cated below. Insert a suitable tool into the large end of boot. Bleed air from boot to prevent boot defor-

mation.

CAUTION:

• Boot may be damaged if the installation length exceeds or is less then standard value.

• Be careful that suitable tool does not contact inside surface of boot.

SFA800

RAC0049D

Grease quantity

: Refer to 

RAX-17, "Drive 

Shaft"

.

JPDIF0222ZZ

Boot installation length (L)

: Refer to 

RAX-17, "Drive Shaft"

.