Front Wheel Drive — Removal and Installation (Opel Zafira A)

The operation is necessary to remove the gearbox, replace the outer or inner drive joint or their protective covers, and replace the drive seal.

To complete the work you will need:

• inspection ditch or overpass (it is more convenient, but you can also do the work on a flat horizontal surface);
• new hub nut (usually supplied complete with the outer CV joint or as part of its repair kit);
• new inner joint tailstock retaining ring (usually supplied complete with the inner CV joint or as part of its repair kit).

Note: Work on the left and right drives is performed similarly.

Removal

1. Prepare the car for work (see "Preparing the car for maintenance and repair").

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2. Remove the decorative wheel cap retainer (see "Wheel - replacement"), tighten the wheel mounting bolts (without tightening them) and lower the car.

3. Straighten the edges of the hub nut cotter pin and remove it.



4. Using a strong 30 mm socket wrench with a ratchet, loosen the wheel hub nut.



5. Place the car on a secure support.



6. Using a 30 mm socket wrench, completely unscrew the wheel hub nut and remove the washer.



7. Remove the front wheel (see "Wheel - replacement").

8. Drain the oil from the gearbox (see "Gearbox - Checking the level and changing the oil").

9. Disconnect the ball joint from the steering knuckle (see "Ball joint - replacement").

10. Remove the outer joint tail from the hub. If necessary, knock it out using a soft metal punch or a wooden spacer.

Note: When removing the left drive, turn the steering wheel all the way to the left; when removing the right drive, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right.

11. Carefully pull the lower part of the strut outward, remove the outer hinge tail from the hub and carefully lower the drive onto the suspension arm.





12. Using a mounting blade as a lever (resting its end against the end face of the inner hinge housing), we move the hinge outward, overcoming the resistance of the retaining ring.



13. While supporting the inner hinge, carefully (being careful not to damage the drive seal with the splines of the hinge tailstock) we remove the joint from the gearbox and remove the drive assembly from the car.

Installation

1. Replace the retaining ring of the splined tailpiece of the inner joint housing with a new one.



2. Apply plastic grease to the splined and smooth surfaces of the shank.

3. Carefully insert the shank into the seal, trying not to damage the working edge of the seal with the shaft splines.

4. Vigorously insert the drive into the gearbox and make sure that the retaining ring of the inner joint tailstock is securely fixed and the drive does not extend out of the gearbox housing.

5. We carry out further work in reverse order.

Warning! When assembling, it is necessary to install a new hub nut and after tightening to the required torque (see "Reference data") align the grooves of the nut with the hole in the tailstock and insert the cotter pin.