driveshafts axial play

[web]

Hi,

Does anyone know if some driveshaft manufacturers use sliding joints on both ends of the shaft, or do all have a non-sliding joint on the hub side?

My diesel might have a problem, since I can move my right hand driveshaft in and out of the wheel side CV joint at least an inch or so... by hand. Didnt dare try further for fear of pulling it apart.

Drivers side has 1mm play at most - a non-sliding joint. But the passenger side shaft itself is much fatter than the drivers side too, clearly a different make, so it could be anything as far as I know.

Marcel

PS - there is *something* wrong, as late yesterday evening I had a wobbly steering wheel. Getting worse quickly, and knocking on sharp turns. After pulling over to check the wheels and some pushing/pulling to verify the suspension was still attached to the car, the problem was suddenly gone completely, even tight figure 8's couldn't bring it back. Still don't trust it, but I can't find a problem I can't reproduce...

Later I checked the driveshafts and found this free play.

[fspGTD]

Although I'm not 100% certain, I suspect there is something wrong with that outer joint that had a sliding movement.  Like you say, all the VW driveshaft designs I have seen before have a fixed outet CV joint and the inners do the sliding.  One driveshaft (it should be the longer one) is fatter by design to make it more rigid so the torsional stiffness of the two shafts are balanced so torque steer is eliminated.  The fat, long shaft is also hollow which makes it lightweight at the same time.

[web]

I took a chance and waited for the problem to come back. So far so good.

Now almost 3 weeks down the road it still seems to behave well... only once I experienced a single big bump that (I think) wasn't in the road, during a right turn.

I don't pay attention to it anymore, just don't have time to replace that shaft yet - it would have to break before it moves far enough up my priority list

[chrissev]

Hi,

Does anyone know if some driveshaft manufacturers use sliding joints on both ends of the shaft, or do all have a non-sliding joint on the hub side?

My diesel might have a problem, since I can move my right hand driveshaft in and out of the wheel side CV joint at least an inch or so... by hand. Didnt dare try further for fear of pulling it apart.

Drivers side has 1mm play at most - a non-sliding joint. But the passenger side shaft itself is much fatter than the drivers side too, clearly a different make, so it could be anything as far as I know.

Marcel


PS - there is *something* wrong, as late yesterday evening I had a wobbly steering wheel. Getting worse quickly, and knocking on sharp turns. After pulling over to check the wheels and some pushing/pulling to verify the suspension was still attached to the car, the problem was suddenly gone completely, even tight figure 8's couldn't bring it back. Still don't trust it, but I can't find a problem I can't reproduce...

Later I checked the driveshafts and found this free play.

The drive shafts are different because they are designed to be the same weight.  The passenger side one, which extends farther from the differential, is hollow and fat.  The driver's side one, which is closer to the dif, is solid and thin.  They both weigh the exact same.  As for movement, perhaps the circlip has come off of the shaft.  Either than or the big bolt on the outside of the wheel has come loose.  The CV joints are pretty simple and usually don't come apart like you are describing.