Snapped O/s Driveshaft

[Pete C 0]

Broke my o/s shaft today, was just pulling out of a petrol station, not particularly quickly either, just bang and then no drive - shaft has snapped right at the end of the outer CV joint.

 

Car has a GTI-6 engine swap but with an Mi16 BE1 gearbox. It was a 1.9 originally so 1.9 hubs/driveshafts.

 

Any reason why this might have happened other than the obvious (metal fatigue I guess?). Shafts were reconditioned in '07 from the stickers on them but I guess they'd only clean up, not replace, the bit that snapped.

 

Bit of a bugger really as I was on my way to a trackday...

[welshpug 1,657]

did it snap inboard of the cv or the cv itself snapped?

[Pete C 0]

From a very quick inspection it looked like the CV itself had snapped. Only the splined bit was still in the hub.

 

The AA guy who recovered me said he'd never seen one snap there before - just my luck!

Edited July 16, 2012 by Pete C

[welshpug 1,657]

That used to be quite common on Remanufactured TU shafts, but have heard of a few BE shafts (larger splines+nut) going recently.

 

you can replace the CV on its own if the rest of the shaft is ok.

[Pete C 0]

That used to be quite common on Remanufactured TU shafts, but have heard of a few BE shafts (larger splines+nut) going recently.

 

you can replace the CV on its own if the rest of the shaft is ok.

 

Cool, thought that might be the case. I do have a split inner boot on the other side so was considering just replacing both shafts for good measure... but I guess if I'm removing one CV joint then I can remove the other too to replace the boot while I'm at it...

 

I've only ever replaced whole shafts on these before, is it easy to split the CV joints from the shaft?

Edited July 16, 2012 by Pete C

[welshpug 1,657]

yep, a good thump from a copper or hide hammer will knock the CV off the end of the shaft over the snap ring as long as its the removable type, which original type 1.9 shafts are,

 

Though some aftermarket seem to be the weaker tripod type which cannot be separated.

[Pete C 0]

I'll take a look and see which type I have (knowing my luck it'll be the awkward type).

 

Thanks very much for your help

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Is the engine tilted? this has a effect these days,

[Pete C 0]

You did the engine swap, Miles, so you tell me!

 

In jan this year I think, Miami blue, reg F*** GWR, prev. owner who had the work done was a guy named Martin.

[Pete C 0]

I take it this is the type that can't be separated?

 

[welshpug 1,657]

bummer, tis indeed!

[Pete C 0]

And just for your amusement:

 

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Never seen one snap there before, Engine is normal thou but the tilting effects the CV's and not the spline'd bit

 

Trying to recall now as I do so many, It looks like a 1.6 shaft

[welshpug 1,657]

one of my 1.9 shafts looks like that one, and dan had a 309 shaft like it too.

[Pete C 0]

Judging by some of the other random bodges I've found on this car I wouldn't be surprised if they'd used 1.6 shafts (though the car does look like it was a 1.9 originally) - how do I tell?

Edited July 18, 2012 by Pete C

[welshpug 1,657]

size of the driveshaft nut, 35 or 36 is 1.9/309, 30mm is 1.6

Edited July 18, 2012 by welshpug

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

Better way is to measure basic diameter of cv joint shaft. 20mm is 1.6, 24mm is 1.9.

 

Hard to tell from a picture but it does look more like a 1.6 shaft to me.

[Pete C 0]

The nut was either 29 or 30mm. Assuming it is a 1.6 shaft (which I will check), does that mean I have 1.6 hubs as well? Or are the shafts/hubs interchangeable?

[Anthony 1,003]

If it's a 1.6 shaft (which it does look like, and the hub nut size backs it up) then you'll have either 1.6 or base model hubs. They're the same fitment, but differing offsets. 1.9 hubs have a larger spline fitment.

[Pete C 0]

The car had 306 calipers fitted, but with a spacer between the carrier and the hub to bring the caliper inboard... I assume you'd only need these with 1.6 hubs but not base model or 1.9 ones?

[Anthony 1,003]

They're offset the other way - 1.6 hubs give wider track.

 

Thus if fitting 306 disks and calipers, you'd need to space the caliper out towards the wheel, not away from the wheel.

 

A picture paints a thousand words if you've got one of the current hubs/disks/calipers.

[Pete C 0]

Actually, no, I'm confused now. I think I'm thinking in the wrong direction.

 

You can see the spacers in the below pic. Yes, I'm aware that the disc is wrong, I have no idea what it's from. 266mm from a 306 S16/XSi maybe?

 

[welshpug 1,657]

have you got a picture of the caliper itself?

 

could be a hash up of 406 calipers on a 306 disc on base model hubs.

 

probably an idea to measure the disc to confirm.

Edited July 18, 2012 by welshpug

[Pete C 0]

Best picture I have at the mo showing the caliper itself, I'd identified it as a 306 GTI-6 caliper, but I could be wrong. The discs are aftermarket jobs with removable alloy bells, so they could be anything TBH.

 

[welshpug 1,657]

if its a disc smaller than 283mm then its likely to be a 406 caliper, they look much the same, many have the same 57mm piston as a 306.