The Double Cardan on the 1965 Buick Riviera proved to be more of a workout than I thought! The Double Cardan, or Constant Velocity joint, features 2 U joints and a ball and socket to keep things rotating true. These kinds of joints are used in extreme driveline angle instances, and since this 2 piece drive shaft is a little short on the back half, there is definitely a sharper angle than a longer 1 piece drive shaft.
Disassembly of the Double Cardan started smoothly on the side closest to the carrier bearing. The U Joints pressed out nicely and upon inspection of the chrome ball and socket, there is little wear and nothing that needs to be addressed at this time. I’m fortunate because the ball and socket are not available at the time this is published. The parts are considered obsolete and not being reproduced with no alternative part numbers.
Reassembly of the first side went well as I was able to get things lined up and pressed back into place. The issues arose on the side closest to the differential. The first U joint had 1 cap that cracked and made a mess of things. That was able to be removed with some effort and working carefully to avoid damage to the bores. The second joint also had a cap crack… This time there was a good bit more damage to the bore that needed to be worked out before the U joint was pressed in. Careful work with a round file made it possible to install a new U joint. With some significant effort, the second Double Cardan was rebuilt and able to live another day.
With the C Clips installed it’s a welcome relief to be ready to move onto the next chapter in getting this drive shaft rebuilt.
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