Faults With Both Drive Shafts

[andyjstone 6]

As some of you may know I recently completed a re-build of the front end on the 205 - new wishbones, new 1.9 GKN driveshafts and hubs, GTI6 brake disks and calipers and on it's first trip out to the track one of the drive shafts failed.

 

Finally got to look at it today and the joint at the end of the drive shaft on the drivers side has come clean away:

 

 

This is strange as on the passenger side there is loads of grease that has clearly sprayed out from the joint nearest the gearbox, which is strange as there don't appear to be any splits, I can't see where it has come from and this shaft still seems to be OK. There is grease everywhere (bear in mind this was all brand new and spotless):

 

 

 

 

So now I'm thinking did I do something wrong when I fitted everything (I upgraded from 1.6 shafts to 1.9), but then I can't think of anything I could do that would make this happen, unless there is some other part I should have changed to go from 1.6 to 1.9, but there isn't really anything else.

 

Maybe they were just knackered drive shafts - they were brand new, but I get the impression the guy I bought them from had them on the shelf for some time.

 

Has anyone got any thoughts?

[jord294 91]

were they new 309 wishbones?

[andyjstone 6]

were they new 309 wishbones?

 

No, they are new 205 Motaquip wishbones.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

If they are new or reconditioned, take it back.

 

Looks like a manufacturing defect thats failed in use on the driver shaft, just don't mention the fact you were using it on track or have an engine with approx 40bhp more.

 

Check the passenger boot thoroughly, even the smallest split can spray grease out an a shocking rate but as above, take them back as if they've been stood for a long time the rubber might've perished in the creases.

 

Graham.

[andyjstone 6]

If they are new or reconditioned, take it back.

 

Looks like a manufacturing defect thats failed in use on the driver shaft, just don't mention the fact you were using it on track or have an engine with approx 40bhp more.

 

Check the passenger boot thoroughly, even the smallest split can spray grease out an a shocking rate but as above, take them back as if they've been stood for a long time the rubber might've perished in the creases.

 

Graham.

 

That's what I thought, I've just emailed the supplier now, just wanted to check it wasn't anything silly I had done

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

I;ve just had a 1.9 GKN shaft snap on a customers car, I havn;t seen it yet thou so I cannot comment on whats happened but will keep you posted.

[andyjstone 6]

I;ve just had a 1.9 GKN shaft snap on a customers car, I havn;t seen it yet thou so I cannot comment on whats happened but will keep you posted.

 

Is it worth going for GKN shafts then, if you and I have both had failures, maybe it is best to look for something else?

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

I'm using a pair of GKN's on my 1.6 and haven't had any trouble as of yet.

[welshpug 1,655]

I service for 3 rally cars, allbeit stock engines, but they've had no issues with their GKN shafts.

Edited October 4, 2009 by welshpug

[flipperthebushkangaroo 2]

I put a GKN passengers side drive shaft on when i changed my clutch earlier this year and it started knocking almost straight away. as above i thought it might be something i did but reading this perhaps not

Three cheers for GSF once again they seem to be getting v poor lately round here

Roddie

[Cameron 16]

GKN shafts are just reconditioned standard shafts though aren't they? So if a shaft snaps in half surely that's a Peugeot defect, rather than GKN?

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

I've got driveshaft woes it seems too. Last week I went on the PSOOC South Yorks run out to Glossop, drove the car there with no probs, retired to the pub for a light refreshment, on coming back out, as soon as I set off from the car park (gently I may add) I got a horrendous rhythmic knock-knock-knock noise coming from the drivers side front! Pulled over to investigate thinking the wheel nuts were loose, nothing obvious amiss. So carried on, the noise seemed to get less, got home OK. I've had the car up in the air today and found the inner CV gaiter is split, and there is loads of play in the inner joint. This from a recon shaft bought and fitted in July, and having done approx 3000 miles. Of course I'll be keeping the torque figure to myself, but even so.....

[andyjstone 6]

I've got driveshaft woes it seems too. Last week I went on the PSOOC South Yorks run out to Glossop, drove the car there with no probs, retired to the pub for a light refreshment, on coming back out, as soon as I set off from the car park (gently I may add) I got a horrendous rhythmic knock-knock-knock noise coming from the drivers side front! Pulled over to investigate thinking the wheel nuts were loose, nothing obvious amiss. So carried on, the noise seemed to get less, got home OK. I've had the car up in the air today and found the inner CV gaiter is split, and there is loads of play in the inner joint. This from a recon shaft bought and fitted in July, and having done approx 3000 miles. Of course I'll be keeping the torque figure to myself, but even so.....

 

Certainly looks like this is a common problem, I don't feel so bad about my mechanical abilities now

[andyjstone 6]

BTW, can someone tell me where to buy GKN drive shafts on line?

[wildejon 7]

I get mine from GSF

[andyjstone 6]

I get mine from GSF

 

Do they do GKN shafts?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Only on special order as they don;t make them in the UK anymore, As said I'm not sure on the new GKN's as even the 1.6 one I;ve just fitted doesn;t look as good as the old one's, They seem to machine more of the outside of the Cup I guess to remove the rust and hense making it weaker, OK for 110bhp but not allot more

[andyjstone 6]

Only on special order as they don;t make them in the UK anymore, As said I'm not sure on the new GKN's as even the 1.6 one I;ve just fitted doesn;t look as good as the old one's, They seem to machine more of the outside of the Cup I guess to remove the rust and hense making it weaker, OK for 110bhp but not allot more

 

Well, the company I bought the GKN ones from has offered to replace them FOC, but they now use shafts from a company called Shafttech, which appears to be based in Singapore - guess they can't perform any worse than the GKN ones, so I'll give them a go