Passenger side drive shaft change

[Jay_G]

Hi guys

Basically, got a CV joint knocking, so going to crack on with replacing it.

From what I can see, here's what I have to do.

Loosen drive shaft nut while car is on floor.

Jack up, axle stand etc, remove wheel.

Undo 2x bolts for ball joint

Undo 3x bolts bolting gator to the box

Drain gearbox oil.

Give it a little tap to free the hub, pull out shaft then replace in reverse?

Also, can you reuse the oil? Or is it worth just replacing it?

Cheers

 

[Fred@BTM]

drain the oil before you undo those 3 bolts on the gaitor

turn the steering full lock right aswell, makes it easier getting the shaft out

 

[Jay_G]

drain the oil before you undo those 3 bolts on the gaitor

turn the steering full lock right aswell, makes it easier getting the shaft out

Haha yeah, I realised after I typed it! Perfect, thanks alot. Does the drive shaft nut HAVE to be torqued back up or anything? Don't have a torque wrench any more

Cheers

 

[Jay_G]

Also... Does the copper washer need replacing (on the drain plug) if so, where from? Preferably at short notice as I wana do it today!

 

[Budgie]

Washer should be replaced but not the end of the world if you don't. Just check it doesn't leak.

I don't undo the ball joint bolts. I undo the two bolts that bolt the hub to the shock and angle it out.

 

[Jay_G]

Washer should be replaced but not the end of the world if you don't. Just check it doesn't leak.

I don't undo the ball joint bolts. I undo the two bolts that bolt the hub to the shock and angle it out.

Cool mate cheers. Is undoing the shock the easier option then?

Iv read the hub but DOES have to be torqued up, correct?

 

[MartinR]

You can also undo both shock but leave the bottom bolt in and pivot the hub towards you

 

[Carbonraider]

I'd rather just take ball joint out of hub..

Simples

 

[Dan519]

I'd rather just take ball joint out of hub..

Simples

Much much easier to unbolt the balljoint from the arm. similarly, undoing the shock to hub bolts can cause issues with camber adjusters if fitted. Unbolting the balljoint from the arm is foolproof

 

[Chip-mk1]

I'd rather just take ball joint out of hub..

Simples

Not so simple when you will probably knacker the rubber cover on it when you do so TBH.

 

[Jay_G]

Much much easier to unbolt the balljoint from the arm. similarly, undoing the shock to hub bolts can cause issues with camber adjusters if fitted. Unbolting the balljoint from the arm is foolproof

Thats what we did in the end, was but difficult getting the bolts in/out, did it anyway. Just filling the oil back up

 

[Jay_G]

Right can anyone help, I replaced the drive shaft as before, under left turns at speed, i got a fast knocking/clicking, and could feel it in the car. I also had a whining/groaning coming fromthe same wheel.

Iv replaced the shaft with a second hand one with a new cv on it , and it's doing exactly the same, still clicking and whining. What should be next? I'm
Going to replace the hub to rule out wheel bearing. Would that also cause the clicking?

Cheers

 

[DannyR]

Genuine driveshaft?

 

[Jay_G]

Genuine driveshaft?

Not sure, presume so. Was off someone on here. Strange the symptoms haven't gone though

 

[Chip-mk1]

You sure it's coming from that side?

Noise at speed on left bends is normally problem on right of the car.

 

[DannyR]

Same side with driveshafts as my drivers side was shot and could only feel letting off around roundabouts turning right.

Weight is always on opposite side.

 

[Dan519]

Right can anyone help, I replaced the drive shaft as before, under left turns at speed, i got a fast knocking/clicking, and could feel it in the car. I also had a whining/groaning coming fromthe same wheel.

Iv replaced the shaft with a second hand one with a new cv on it , and it's doing exactly the same, still clicking and whining. What should be next? I'm
Going to replace the hub to rule out wheel bearing. Would that also cause the clicking?

Cheers

What spec is your car, and is the shaft from the EXACT same spec vehicle?

 

[Jay_G]

What spec is your car, and is the shaft from the EXACT same spec vehicle?

When you say spec mate, what do you mean? It's just a normal 172, standard non cup. 51 plate.

The guy said it was the same yeah, it was the same length, and there has been no change from before and after

Chip and Danny-
Well, the clicking happens under sharp left turns, can really feel it. I also felt it earlier when turned quickly on a hill, so when the weight was off the left hand side.

Is there a good way of checking for shafts?

 

[Dan519]

did the shaft come from a ph1 or a ph2? they're quite different

 

[DannyR]

Wiggle wheel side to side you can usually tell but you'd need to know what it felt like first.

Where are you based Jay?

You should only feel when letting off if a driveshaft unless going 40mph+.

You can take drivers side shaft out in ten mins to see if it ha a clicking in the joints.

As Dan said, every model clio has a different sized driveshaft, needs to be same model.

 

[Jay_G]

did the shaft come from a ph1 or a ph2? they're quite different

He did say a ph2 bud. I did make sure of this, and I had them both side by side and they looked identical. Unless its something less obvious.

 

[Jay_G]

Wiggle wheel side to side you can usually tell but you'd need to know what it felt like first.

Where are you based Jay?

You should only feel when letting off if a driveshaft unless going 40mph+.

You can take drivers side shaft out in ten mins to see if it ha a clicking in the joints.

As Dan said, every model clio has a different sized driveshaft, needs to be same model.

I'll try that it in the morning, will spinning the wheels show any sign?

I'm in Kent mate. How could I tell if the joint was clicking

Thanks again

 

[DannyR]

Take shaft out completely.

Hold the threaded part and the shaft either side of outer cv joint and try to wiggle them and make them click. If its all smooth it's fine.

Then do the same on the inner joint. These are prone to going on very low cars on the inner one.

 

[Dan519]

He did say a ph2 bud. I did make sure of this, and I had them both side by side and they looked identical. Unless its something less obvious.

it could just be shot then. the peril of used parts.

to check the joints, grab the shaft and pull it around, look for play in any direction.

 

[Jay_G]

it could just be shot then. the peril of used parts.

to check the joints, grab the shaft and pull it around, look for play in any direction.

I hope not mate. It's strange, I have exactly the same symptoms as before, it doesn't click on full lock going left or right, say out of junctions etc, just on fast left hand bends.

I forgot to mention it before, just before I decided to change it, going around a round about, I'd hear a very light knocking, well it was more of a rhymatic whining, almost like dur dur dur like 3-4 times a second
(haha!) and I could feel it through the steering. It did it when I was turning left or right, quarter to half turn on the steering wheel is enough to do it, in either way.

Thanks again for the help boys, you've been invaluable

 

[Jay_G]

Take shaft out completely.

Hold the threaded part and the shaft either side of outer cv joint and try to wiggle them and make them click. If its all smooth it's fine.

Then do the same on the inner joint. These are prone to going on very low cars on the inner one.

Cheers pal! I'll try this with the one I took out yesterday. And try get the drivers side off and do the same.

Also, you mentioned lift off mate, but mine happens even if I'm accelerating.

Is there nothing else that can cause knocking on left hand bends? It just sounds like something's catching and springing backwards and forwards

 

[Jay_G]

Lads Iv just had a though. One of my engine mounts has had it, and i get a clock from around the pass side of the gearbox low down when rocking the engine by hand. Couldn't be related could it?

Failing that, top mounts?

When on left hand bends, it feels a lot like violent rumble strips

Cheers

 

[Dan519]

yes, mount is worth checking. could even be loose brackets. the nut under the mount can easily come loose

 

[Chip-mk1]

It's bottoming out the drivers side shaft IMHO.
Thats why it is happening on fast left handers

Are you running camber bolts? If so take some neg out and I bet it stops.

 

[Jay_G]

I'll check top mount today then, thanks boys. Sorry Dan did you mean top mount or engine?

Chip-

Car is completely standard mate

 

[Chip-mk1]

There is very little room before the shaft bottoms out on a phase 2, basically they are too long from the factory really, so if you have excess engine movement (or if you have reduced room due to less camber) it can bottom the shaft out.

 

[Jay_G]

There is very little room before the shaft bottoms out on a phase 2, basically they are too long from the factory really, so if you have excess engine movement (or if you have reduced room due to less camber) it can bottom the shaft out.

Could make a lot of sense. I take it being able to rock the engine by leaning on it (I.e not a lot of effort involved) then thats probably a shot mount?

Where abouts do they bottom out on mate?

And another, unrelated question. How can I tell which mount is knackered? Drivers side upper one, seems to move around alot inside the actual mount.

 

[Chip-mk1]

They bottom out internally, ie the actual CV on the shaft runs out of travel and it overlaods the bearings in the CV, which is what gives the rumble.

TBH with regards to mounts, if they are original they tend to both fail at the same time as they are both old and perished and when one goes it puts more strain on the other and then knackers that one as well.

 

[Jay_G]

They bottom out internally, ie the actual CV on the shaft runs out of travel and it overlaods the bearings in the CV, which is what gives the rumble.

TBH with regards to mounts, if they are original they tend to both fail at the same time as they are both old and perished and when one goes it puts more strain on the other and then knackers that one as well.

Ohhhhh got you. So that wouldn't be causing the knocking on the left handers? Where is the other mount, sorry I'm a noob. Only because a mechanic mentioned one of them has been powerflexed, looking under the car it's in the middle, towards the back of the bay, right at the bottom.

Thanks a lot mate really appreciate this

 

[Chip-mk1]

There are 4 mounts.

Dogbone mount at the back is the one you have powerflexed, this controls the engine rocking backwards and forwards.
There is one under the gearbox that takes weight but does very little to control movement.
There is one on each side (one on engine and one on gearbox) that control the side to side movement of the engine and take weight, if those are knackered then you can end up with the shaft bottoming out as a result as when you go round a lefthand bend the engine and gearbox physically move to the right, which removes travel for the shaft.

 

[Jay_G]

There are 4 mounts.

Dogbone mount at the back is the one you have powerflexed, this controls the engine rocking backwards and forwards.
There is one under the gearbox that takes weight but does very little to control movement.
There is one on each side (one on engine and one on gearbox) that control the side to side movement of the engine and take weight, if those are knackered then you can end up with the shaft bottoming out as a result as when you go round a lefthand bend the engine and gearbox physically move to the right, which removes travel for the shaft.

Well the engine rocks backwards and forwards with ease (haven't tried side to side), what would be the best method of attack?

And just to make sure, the mount couldn't be causing the cv to knock/rub, could it?

 

[Rob]

Also, why did the shaft you sourced have a new CV gaitor kit on it?

To me, that sounds like it's split before, so has possibly ran dry.

It's possible you've replaced the shaft with one that's got the exact same problem....

Are you bringing this to the unit Saturday?

If it's left handers that's it's knocking on, surely it's going to be the drivers side that's at fault? Turn left, pressure is on the right hand side of the car?

 

[Jay_G]

Also, why did the shaft you sourced have a new CV gaitor kit on it?

To me, that sounds like it's split before, so has possibly ran dry.

It's possible you've replaced the shaft with one that's got the exact same problem....

Are you bringing this to the unit Saturday?

Sorry, it didn't have a "new" cv on it, it was just a different one to what was fitted to my car originally (I.e I
Couldn't be bothered swapping CV's so replaced a shaft with a CV on it)
I'm sort of hoping the new shaft has had it too, would stop a lot of headache.

I plan to mate yeah, if I can get the wheel bearing done before then. Might just wing it, dont know yet.

And, I might be wrong, but I was always told, it's when you take the weight off the cv joint it starts knocking and clanking around, that's why I investigated that side first.

So as you turn left, weight is taking off that wheel/CV, knock knock knock. Could be wrong!

 

[Rob]

When I've had outer joints go on Clio's (twice) it's been when putting shed loads of pressure on that it noticed.

 

[Jay_G]

Cheers Rob. I'll get the drivers side off, and fingers crossed its had it.