The power is taken to the wheels through the two axle shafts which have their inner ends fitted with splines to turn the side gears of the differential and at the outer ends are provided with splines to mesh with the axle hubs and are fastened by means of a large nut. The inner ends consist of sliding constant velocity joints that enable angular and also axial movement type; Ball and cage or tripod. The first ones are represented by the ball and cage type, which comprises of balls located between an inner race and an outer cage; they can be dismantled to be cleaned or inspected and cannot be repaired individually, but as a complete unit in case they are damaged. Slightly different, the tripod design is used on later models and these can be dismantled for inspection under the same reason as the replacement of the seat. The outer
CV Joints are of the "Rzeppa" or "Birfield" type This is a joint with ball bearings between an inner race and an outer cage, but with these joints, angular only is possible, and cannot be dismantled. During outer CV joint boot replacement process, they should be cleaned, inspected and then packed, any damage to it requires replacement. It is also important to check the state of the boots and the leakage of the lubricant frequently because, in case of boots' tear, the animals' joints are at risk. Generally, a replacement of the boot entails the detachment of axle shaft; however, "split" type of boots are available whereby a replacement can be made without necessarily pulling out the axle but often, it is suggested that one takes the opportunity to clean the joint. These are signs common with damaged CV joint; you will hear oil splash around the CV joint, noisy sounds produced when turning, and thumping sounds heard when accelerating after decelerating apart from feeling a high frequency of vibration while driving at high speed. Each of these axles should be taken by the CV joint housings and rotated in the opposite directions and it will be seen that there is the play which shows that the splines are worn or joints loose while the axle shaft shafts should be checked with regards to cracks, dents and distortion.