C5 drive shaft woes

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Paul-R
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C5 drive shaft woes

Post by Paul-R »

I made an abortive attempt to change the right hand drive shaft this morning. Abortive because despite me telling the scrapyard that the 90bhp C5 had a different gearbox they thought they knew better.

Anyway, enough of my moan. I got my money back and then found another scrappy who had the correct shaft.

At times like that, working in the rain makes paying for a new part a reasonable proposition.

Ah well, I think it'll be too wet tomorrow to do the job so it looks like next weekend to fit the replacement to my car.
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Clogzz
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Post by Clogzz »

How’s the shaft misbehaving ?
My turn may not be far behind.
There’s sometimes a wobble from the left at about 70 mph, and more so on overrun.
A new shaft will cost £600, and I can’t replace it from a wreck by myself.
It may have to stay as it is.
2002 C5 2.0i AL4 230,000 km 76372389
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Paul-R
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Post by Paul-R »

The shaft was (note: past tense) giving a vibration when under load. It was worst at 50mph and you could drive through it to cruise reasonably at 65 - 70mph so once under way cruising on the motorway was acceptable. The very worst was if I had to accelerate uphill from 40mph. There was also some wheel squirm at parking speeds when on lock.

The wear was not on the outside CV joint but on the inner tripod. I'm just guessing that one of the cups on the yoke has broken up or become misplaced. Mine was the RH side so it had the support bearing which helped but if yours is the LH side then you need to be careful that you don't damage the gearbox.

As I said: past tense. The rain that was falling on me yesyerday as I removed the drive shaft at the scrappy's, was missing this morning. However, the wind, which had abated yesterday, had started up again. I decided to go for it and change the shaft.

I had trouble separating the bottom ball joint and damaged the rubber gaiter. So... I either have to change the gaiter PDQ of be prepared to change the whole joint very soon.

After I had put everything back the rain was just starting so I took it for a test run. Only got a few yard because of a terrible clack, clack, clack with each revolution of the wheel.. Turned out it was the bracket routing the handbrake cable was catching a balance weight. It must have been bent when I pushed the hub to one side but a quick tweek with my largest screwdriver sorted it out. Worth watching if you do the job yourself.

When I finally got to take the test run the difference was huge. Being able to actually accelerate without backing off was great!
As I get older I think a lot about the hereafter - I go into a room and then wonder what I'm here after.

Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.

"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson​
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Clogzz
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Post by Clogzz »

Thanks Paul, and you’re courageous to work under cars in the rain at scrap yards ! :)
I’ve never understood how a load-dependent vibration is worst at a given speed and improves above that speed.

Somehow, I don’t have the vibration when veering slightly to the right at 70 mph, but it vibrates when veering to the left, and I hope it’s the outer joint.
It doesn’t vibrate when straight-ahead under load, but does on overrun.

I won’t get far with hard work like separating ball joints. :roll:
I’ll just have to stay at 60 mph, Image and 80 mph doesn’t exist here.
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Post by dnsey »

I had trouble separating the bottom ball joint and damaged the rubber gaiter. So... I either have to change the gaiter PDQ of be prepared to change the whole joint very soon.
Careful degrease followed by a blob of silicone sealant?
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Paul-R
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Post by Paul-R »

Clogzz wrote:It doesn’t vibrate when straight-ahead under load, but does on overrun.
Interestingly mine only vibrated under load and backing off would reduce the problem. That might be because mine was the inner joint and you think yours is the outer perhaps?
dnsey wrote:Careful degrease followed by a blob of silicone sealant?
Thant's not a bad idea! I'm hoping to get hold of just the gaiter first but I'll certainly keep that in mind.
As I get older I think a lot about the hereafter - I go into a room and then wonder what I'm here after.

Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.

"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson​
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Clogzz
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Post by Clogzz »

Round trip of over 200 km with three passengers today.
The kerbside rear passenger said it wobbled from under where she sat, both under load and when backing off.
Looks like two faults now, and I still suspect the outer joint because the inner one shouldn’t know about slight veering at speed.
2002 C5 2.0i AL4 230,000 km 76372389
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