Drive shafts

[lilblue1970]

How much lateral movement do the drive shafts have? 1970 Bay, by the way. And I have developed a 'clack' sound and can't see anything catching underneath. Seems to be when I've turned a corner and stays there when I'm straightened up and obviously increases with speed, but isn't noticeable when driving along.

 

[mattp]

Just sounds like your CV's are worn -simple and relatively inexpensive job to fix

 

[lilblue1970]

Anybody know how much side to side movement a drive shaft has? Mine waggle considerably even though I know they are attached properly.

 

[Trikky2]

The shafts are supposed to have lateral / side to side movement. They have splines on the ends where they go into the CV joints for this reason. This is not unique to VW's, its the way all drive shafts work. Either they slide in the joints or they are made in two parts with a splined section joining the two halves.

If they didnt then they would get rammed into the gearbox when laden and ripped out when unladen. They have to be able to cope with being longer and shorter. Wear on the driveshafts will have no effect on lateral movement.

It is only wear in the rotational direction that matters. This has to be checked by rotation/twisting - not by side to side movement. There should be no discernable free play in the CV joints and splines when you rotate/twist them.

Have a look in a workshop or technical manual to see how CV joints and shafts work.

 

[ZedBed]

Actually Trickky, the joints don't slide on the splines, the lateral movement is in the cv joints themselves.

 

[lilblue1970]

Well I've been under the old girl today and there is no rotational 'play' in the drive shafts but I still have a clacking sound. I do need one of my CV boots replacing as it's got a split in it but I've wound some gaffa tape round it to keep the muck out for the time being. All my CV bolts are tight and I can't see anything catching. I've jacked her up and checked for play in all wheels both at 9&3 and 6&12 o'clock and there's no major play there either. Any ideas what the annoying clack could be?

 

[Trikky2]

Without hearing the noise my guess would agree with your suspicion eg. wear ridges / play on one of the cv joints probably. They need to be under a fair bit of torque to make the noise, which is why your not getting it when trying by hand. The most likely culprit will be the one with the broken boot since its surprising how quickley they wear when the boot is damaged.

 

[ZedBed]

You may just be dry of grease and if you haven't gone too far you might get away with re-packing it. When noise starts, get under waggle drive shaft laterally and if noise stops when you drive again you've tep cured it by spreading out what's left of the grease. I got home 200 miles once doing this every 20 miles. Re-packed and sorted. If you keep driving with the noise though you'll wreck the bearing surfaces in the joint.

 

[lilblue1970]

Thanks for the pointers. Will let you know how I go.