Snapped drive shaft - advice?

[Jeags]

Hi all,

New to the forum and seeking some help if possible. Driving home yesterday and managed to snap the driveshaft when joining a roundabout, lost all gearbox oil and drive. The car is a 2006 c3 1.1l petrol and I'm looking for the correct part, oil and anything else I may need to fix it. I'm surprised it failed in this way so could there be anything else that has caused catastrophic failure?
Thanks,

Joe

[Stickyfinger]

Metal Fatigue or .................it is never the drivers fault

I did one in a SAAB 900Turbo many moons ago, I never knew why......not a common problem these days and endless reason of why.

[CitroJim]

Hi Joe and welcome to the forum

Oh gosh!

What precisely broke on the driveshaft? Was it the shaft itself or one or other of the CV joints? Definitely worth trying to establish what happened and any trauma in the past that may have led to it.

In addition to the new driveshaft, you'll need a new diff oil seal on that side and the correct amount of oil. These gearboxes are fussy about oil and the correct stuff must be used...

Pop your VIN number up (it'll be hidden except from all but forum staff) and we should then be able to advise the correct oil and quantity...

[Jeags]

Thanks for the quick replies! The shaft itself has sheared. I haven't had time to look at the gearbox end but I suppose it must've at least come loose as it dropped all the oil on failure. The car has only done 70k miles and is never driven in anger, I just use it for a commuter. I believe I need 2l of 75w-80 according to Opie oils but happy to be proven wrong. I'll provide the VIN once home tonight.

[Jeags]

I think this is the VIN:
VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

[Jeags]

A call to Citroen gives part number 3273HS for the driveshaft.

[CitroJim]

Yes, 2l of 75w/80 sounds correct

Must have been either metal fatigue as Alasdair suggested or a hidden flaw in the shaft material.

Always a good plan to replace diff oil seals when swapping driveshafts. Also check around the area for damage from the inboard CV joint potentially flailing around...

[wurlycorner]

That's quite incredible, a driveshaft snapping (on anything other than a seriously tuned or race car etc)!
If you're looking for a replacement shaft, I can recommend these guys - used them myself for a replacement shaft on my c5 after having crap experience sourcing through the usual (shafts that failed within short order). Very fast delivery and the shaft was good quality, still going strong!
https://www.jandrcvjoints.co.uk/

[Jeags]

Yes, I was amazed too, 60bhp (from factory) so must've been a bad flaw. I'm in contact with these guys now to source one. Thanks.

[Jeags]

Driveshaft replaced and going well. I was amazed at how thin the walls are in the driveshaft considering what the component does. Just looked like it had sheared.

[MattBLancs]

I'm surprised too, if you get chance to put a picture up would be interesting to see the failed part.

(P.s. J and R have been good in my experience too)

[Jeags]

Unfortunately I threw it before taking a picture. I'd probably say no thicker than 6mm walls from memory. The internal looked like it was cast but I could be wrong again. Seems a strange way to go about things in my experience.

[MattBLancs]

Unfortunately I threw it before taking a picture. I'd probably say no thicker than 6mm walls from memory. The internal looked like it was cast but I could be wrong again. Seems a strange way to go about things in my experience.

No problem,

Quite thick wall to have failed! I'd have guessed thinner than that but equally I have not needed to see a shaft in cross section.

I believe the CV either end might be cast (and then machined as necessary: splines, thread for the hub nut etc) but I'd think the main length was a rolled steel tube of some form.

I wonder if there's a "how it's made" type Discovery channel type clip on CV joint manufacturing waiting for me in YouTube??

[MattBLancs]

I wonder if there's a "how it's made" type Discovery channel type clip on CV joint manufacturing waiting for me in YouTube??

Nice bit of CNC machining for the outside. The interesting profiles needed internally (for the balls to run in) harder to find! Also not found the shaft production as yet.