Driveshafts, also referred to as propeller shafts, are employed in vehicles to transfer rotary motion to the wheels. In general, a driveshaft couples to the vehicle transmission on one end via a power take off unit (PTU), and to a differential gear assembly on the other end. Universal joints generally form couplings at both ends. The resulting arrangement facilitates energy transfer from the engine to the wheels.
In keeping with contemporary engineering practice of reducing weight and thickness of components, the end caps on driveshaft universal joints and the PTU are now fashioned from thinner and lighter gauge materials than formerly. These components are relatively lower in stiffness as well. The newer materials do reduce vehicle weight, but they can also pose difficulties for maintenance personnel in working with these components without damaging them.
Service operations that require removing the driveshaft generally require traditional dis-assembling techniques. One such technique involves the well-known method of separating the yoke ends, typically by prying them. Often, however, this technique irreversibly damages the end caps. Corrosion, which has the effect of requiring increased force to separate the yoke ends, along with the incorporation of lighter gauge material, increases the risk of damage and deformation.
Thus, the art stands in need of improved tools for removing a driveshaft from a vehicle with minimum risk of damage. No current practice addresses this difficulty encountered during service and repairs.