Problem With Wishbone With 306 Driveshaft?

[sam-barker 2]

Hi.

 

I have a 309 which was a 1.3 and is now a 1.9 td. I have fitted a 205 gti subframe and arb, and I am using 309 bottom arms and 205 1.9 gti hubs.

 

I am using the 306 1.9 td gearbox which means I have an issue with the 309 driveshaft not fitting flush into the gearbox due to the 306 diff. For the last 6 months I have been using the 309 driveshaft with no issues and somehow it has just sealed so lost no oil.

 

I now have knackered cv boots so decided to try and make a 306/309 hybrid driveshaft using the 306 inner cv.

 

Someone local was selling a cheap n/s 306 driveshaft from a HDi so I bought it to try. I split the inner cv and tried to fit it to the 309 shaft. However the 306 cv was just slightly too small to fit on the end of the 309 driveshaft so I gave up and put the 306 shaft back together.

 

I looked on the Internet and noticed the 306 driveshaft had the same number of splines on either end and was only 10mm longer than a 309 shaft so I tried fitting it. It went into the box and the hub fine but when I try and bolt the wishbone back up the hub is too far out for the ball joint to slot in. It's more than 10mm away so it can't be the driveshaft that is too long, and the fact that it fits further into the gearbox would probably mean its the same length as the 309 one.

 

Could it be the fact it's a hdi driveshaft with abs etc and its not fitting far enough into the hub? There seems to be plenty of thread through on the hub though?

 

Thinking about getting an early non abs 306 shaft and trying that.

 

Any ideas? Much appreciated!

[Anthony 1,002]

I think you've got the figures wrong - quick search for a 309 GTi against a 306 XSi (ABS) suggests it's 20mm NS and 30mm OS longer for the 306 shaft.

 

The actual figures are:

 

205 N/S = 600mm

309 N/S = 610mm

306 N/S = 630mm

 

205 O/S = 840mm

309 O/S = 850mm

306 O/S = 880mm

 

I've not personally measured and verified those lengths, merely that's what the figures from a driveshaft supplier.

[sam-barker 2]

Hmm maybe that's why. Can't understand why the inner cvs weren't interchangeable i thought it was a common swap.

[Anthony 1,002]

It is on the 1.9 GTi type driveshafts, but lesser spec ones (and indeed aftermarket GTi) can have different inner CV's

 

Personally, I'm of the opinion that swapping the diff for a 205/309 type one is a much better option, and gets around the sort of driveshaft mixing headache that you're experiencing (not to mention that it's hardly ideal using mis-matched bits)

[sam-barker 2]

Thanks for the information, it's very helpful. I was just looking at various lengths of ones for sale on eBay but the information varied a lot from seller to seller

[sam-barker 2]

Well I am using a 1.9 diesel driveshaft so that might explain it. I am hopefully getting a second hand 309 gti driveshaft so can have another go at the swap.

[Anthony 1,002]

Best treating most information on eBay with a healthy pinch of salt, as many sellers on there are utterly clueless...

[sam-barker 2]

I am planning on running a gti6 box with 205 diff/205 lsd in the future so this is just a temporary measure

 

Thanks again for your help. Been getting some good advice on here lately, it's dead over on the 309 forum!