Cheap temporary gearbox oil

[oreA]

I’m tackling the near side driveshaft and replacing with a J&R which I’ve already purchased. Because of the ‘horror’ stories I’ve read about them not being fit for purpose I’m worried about having to redo the whole thing and end up losing the oil again. I happen to have some mineral gearbox oil that I picked up from Halfords a while back, could I put that in and run it for a while until I’m happy the driveshaft is ok, then throw some Redline MTL in?

Thanks :up:.

(My offside J&R has been perfect so far, done about 500 miles)

 

[oreA]

It’s this stuff.....

 

[NorthloopCup]

Yeah that'll be fine

 

[oreA]

The response I was after, and by the chap I wanted an answer from :wink: (no disrespect to anyone else 😅).

Many thanks :up:.

 

[imprezaworks]

The j&r n/s shaft on mine has been spot on for the past 12 months or so.

 

[oreA]

The j&r n/s shaft on mine has been spot on for the past 12 months or so.

Yes, which is partly why I went for them. They can’t all be guff :wink:.

 

[oreA]

Top tip: make sure the metal retaining bracket that bolts the boot to the box is fitted the correct way round, otherwise your new gearbox oil will drain out quicker than you can top it up 🙈, and you’ll have to dismantle everything and put it all back together again :laughing:. Glad I didn’t pour £60 worth of quality stuff away!

I incorrectly assumed J&R put the bracket on the correct way :rage:.

And yes, I seem to have a shudder/vibration with the new shaft, more so when accelerating around a gentle right hander and when doing 60-80 leptons 😢.

I’ll ponder my options for a few days, but at least I’ve got this driveshaft swappage down to an art .

 

[Gandi69]

Yeah my clamp ring was on backwards too.
Sorry to hear that you have with a similar vibration story to what I had too

I’ll be interested to see how J&R treat you as they’ve categorically said to me it couldn’t be their “superior quality CNC machined driveshafts” as they test them at 10000rpm and it must be down to my poor fitting procedure or wear on the gearbox.
I’m still waiting for mine to arrive back to me as I delivered it to them personally for testing (which they really didn’t want to perform but had no choice as they don’t do refunds)

I’d be happy to show you the disgusting and barely legible replies by email that I had from them when I was nothing but courteous and simply wanted to exercise my rights under the consumer goods act

 

[oreA]

Thanks for the info @Gandi69, I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. I have another issue because I bought my shafts before Christmas, not sure if that'll have a bearing......

Interesting that your clamp was on backwards too!

 

[oreA]

J&R wants a mechanic’s report or the shaft sent back for analysis. Obviously the mechanic’s report isn’t on the cards, so I’ll send it back to them for them to tell me there’s nowt wrong with it :smile:.

So shall I put new boots on my existing one (they’re torn), and if so can someone advise where I can get suitable ones? The only thing is the rubber has perished on balancing weight on the old shaft too, so that has shifted position and is butted up against the inner boot now 🙈.

 

[Gandi69]

J&R wants a mechanic’s report or the shaft sent back for analysis. Obviously the mechanic’s report isn’t on the cards, so I’ll send it back to them for them to tell me there’s nowt wrong with it :smile:.

So shall I put new boots on my existing one (they’re torn), and if so can someone advise where I can get suitable ones? The only thing is the rubber has perished on balancing weight on the old shaft too, so that has shifted position and is butted up against the inner boot now 🙈.

Was it a Lee Jones you spoke to there?

That’s exactly what they wanted from me mate, the part number and invoice of the replacement part. I’m not going to supply either for obvious reasons, they don’t state that their equipment should be installed by a trained mechanic - I pointed this out and they simply repeated parrot fashion that they’d need a mechanics report to investigate faults.
Just bluff and bluster that they know for the money they cost you won’t take it further

 

[Gandi69]

I’d just fit some new boots (I found a boot from an old standard saxo vtr drive shaft fitted perfectly as it’s the right width to grip the cv) and maybe try and secure that donut if you can though I doubt it’d cause many issues as long as it’s not too loose

 

[oreA]

Thanks again for the heads up. I wonder if there’s any point me sending it back, I’m unlikely to put up a big fight, I don’t have it in me to bother, maybe save the postage and move on.....perhaps a strongly worded email to annoy them :smile:.

 

[imprezaworks]

Will they cover postage probably not.

A shame as mine has been issue free when Carl fitted it.

And I think he’s done quite a few more

@bloke

 

[Gandi69]

No they won’t cover postage to return it, they are on a trading estate by brum airport not far from where BTM used to be

 

[Gandi69]

Thanks again for the heads up. I wonder if there’s any point me sending it back, I’m unlikely to put up a big fight, I don’t have it in me to bother, maybe save the postage and move on.....perhaps a strongly worded email to annoy them :smile:.

That’s the thing isn’t it, it’s just not worth the aggro for the cost of the shaft.
I only took it back as I could knock off work an hour early and drop it to them as I was under 10 miles away.
I bet they blamed “incorrect fitting” didn’t they?

 

[oreA]

I assume they would cover postage if it turns out to be faulty. So no :smile:!

 

[oreA]

That’s the thing isn’t it, it’s just not worth the aggro for the cost of the shaft.
I only took it back as I could knock off work an hour early and drop it to them as I was under 10 miles away.
I bet they blamed “incorrect fitting” didn’t they?

I emailed them first, and Lee replied with a standard spiel. So no discussion on cause as yet.

Actually, could I have fitted it ‘wrong’? I’ve done it twice now!

 

[Gandi69]

Sounds like that’s what they reel off every time to me then, he’s probably got the wording typed up ready! Trading standards really should be involved here they are in breach of the consumer goods act 2015

 

[Gandi69]

I emailed them first, and Lee replied with a standard spiel. So no discussion on cause as yet.

Actually, could I have fitted it ‘wrong’? I’ve done it twice now!

Doubtful mate, after all it only sits in the diff and when torqued to spec on the wheel bearing end what else can be done wrong? When you fitted it and you turn the passenger wheel by hand could you feel some resistance every revolution? When I did so I could see the shock compressing a few mm which I reckon was the cause of the horrible the wobble I got at 40mph+ which felt like I had an unbalanced wheel.
The standard oem shaft I fitted didn’t do this - it span smoothly and still does. I’ve a feeling it’s the inner tripod/spider that doesn’t fit the diff properly but obviously I can’t test this

 

[oreA]

Doubtful mate, after all it only sits in the diff and when torqued to spec on the wheel bearing end what else can be done wrong? When you fitted it and you turn the passenger wheel by hand could you feel some resistance every revolution? When I did so I could see the shock compressing a few mm which I reckon was the cause of the horrible the wobble I got at 40mph+ which felt like I had an unbalanced wheel.
The standard oem shaft I fitted didn’t do this - it span smoothly and still does. I’ve a feeling it’s the inner tripod/spider that doesn’t fit the diff properly but obviously I can’t test this

I did feel resistance at the same place in each revolution, I even removed the brake pads to make sure they weren’t binding.

It didn’t feel like a wheel wobble to me, the car was shaking and shuddering side to side, much worse on a right handed sweeping bend.

 

[Gandi69]

I did feel resistance at the same place in each revolution, I even removed the brake pads to make sure they weren’t binding.

It didn’t feel like a wheel wobble to me, the car was shaking and shuddering side to side, much worse on a right handed sweeping bend.

My vibrations were a little different to yours but that resistance to turning sounds exactly like mine.
I suppose If you are looking for cv boots why not cannibalise the j&r shaft? Although the outer one is rubber so won’t last as long as the proper plastic Renault ones.
That’s what I’ll probably do when mine gets back seeing as I won’t get any money refunded

 

[oreA]

Well, if the boots fit (so they say :smile I’ll wear them! If they last me a couple of years I’ll be happy!

 

[Gandi69]

Is your inner one torn too? If not probably worth keeping the original there

Also if it were torn you’d not have much box oil left [emoji23]

I put a universal rubber boot on the outer cv 6 years ago and it only has just gone through, they rub together on the pleats and degrade but all in 6 years for 10 quid isn’t bad is it

 

[oreA]

Definitely the outer, not checked inner in any detail, but I imagine it’s ok because I had a full compliment of oil because I had to put it all back in after I pi$$ed the new stuff on the drive :laughing:.

 

[STEVE.M]

Definitely the outer, not checked inner in any detail, but I imagine it’s ok because I had a full compliment of oil because I had to put it all back in after I pi$$ed the new stuff on the drive :laughing:.

There are outer boots available:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BORG-BEC...J&clk_rvr_id=1484810037007&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true
The problem with J&R LH shaft would seem to be that it is too long & the actual CV joints are binding.
The proof of this would be loosening the 4 bolts of the top engine mount & moving the engine over to the right if the slots allow.
@Gandi69
I assume both of you are running standard shocks, not GAZ or Spax with slotted top bolt holes for camber adjustment?

 

[oreA]

Just camber bolts on cup shocks....

 

[STEVE.M]

Just camber bolts on cup shocks....

If you still have the J&R shaft on the car, just loosen the 30mm shaft nut & check if the binding stops.

 

[oreA]

If you still have the J&R shaft on the car, just loosen the 30mm shaft nut & check if the binding stops.

Interesting....can the shaft be modified if this is the case though?

 

[STEVE.M]

Interesting....can the shaft be modified if this is the case though?

Not really, but you could tell them what`s wrong with it.
If you ran with the least negative camber & moved the engine over as I suggested, you might be able to run it.

 

[Gandi69]

Just Normal relatively recently changed 182 cup shocks for me

In regards to the binding I tried turning the wheel( by hand only) with the hub nut quite loose, just nipped up tight, and done up properly to spec. It may no noticeable difference
I did lay the j&r shaft next to a standard shaft and couldn’t really see any difference in length by eye but I didn’t measure it

I reckon these two shafts are from the same batch? You could always write this in your “mechanics report” about it being too long [emoji23]

I do wonder though if the outer cvs fit the standard shaft as that would at least give one benefit to buying a j&r shaft even if you don’t use the rest of it

 

[oreA]

Perhaps my vibration seems worse or different to yours @Gandi69 because I’m running Powerflex black series mounts all round, as well as solid top mounts -> the cabin vibration is pretty shocking when just idling 😧:smile:. So the new problem created by the shaft is just being amplified. However, if true, that makes me worry how much abuse the standard mounts would taking unknowingly.

 

[Brigsy]

Total gear8 75/80 is cheap as chips from gsf if you need some temp gear oil

 

[Gandi69]

Perhaps my vibration seems worse or different to yours @Gandi69 because I’m running Powerflex black series mounts all round, as well as solid top mounts -> the cabin vibration is pretty shocking when just idling 😧:smile:. So the new problem created by the shaft is just being amplified. However, if true, that makes me worry how much abuse the standard mounts would taking unknowingly.

Could be mate, I’ve got standard mounts other than a purple powerflex dog bone so it’ll be absorbing some of the vibrations. I didn’t even notice the vibration on the first test drive as I didn’t breach 40mph
Whatever the end result though something is up with these shafts and j&r won’t investigate it . For all the messing about I’ve done I wish I’d spent 100 quid more now and bought a new Ktec shaft

 

[oreA]

Total gear8 75/80 is cheap as chips from gsf if you need some temp gear oil

Can you link, I’m not doing well finding it 🙈!

Thanks!

 

[Brigsy]

Can you link, I’m not doing well finding it 🙈!

Thanks!

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/980aa0680 Stick the code EGG60 in for 60% off. Had it in my dci for ages seems ok.

 

[oreA]

Tidy! Thanks

 

[STEVE.M]

My suggestion was to check with the 30mm nut properly loose, on reflection, try taking the bottom bolt out of the shock so you can pull the hub out a couple of mm.
@oreA

 

[oreA]

Yeah, that makes sense. If the shaft is too long, loosening the nut wont make much difference.

 

[Chris_Beer]

@Dr Jekyll
@imprezaworks

But did you die?