Going rate for a CV Joint/Drive shaft

[KENHAYES247]

Hello one and all,

So on a different thread i originally asked a question about a chronic vibration through the car at speeds of 30mph upwards after recently changing the shocks/springs and top mount assembly.

Further investigation has revealed that the drive shaft on the drivers side has excessive play in the joint where the first boot cover is.

Question 1 - On average how much would a UK garage charge to do the work?

Question 2 - Should i have both sides done?

I ask because in Germany its pretty expensive for parts and labour, i would do the work myself but having just done the suspension etc i really don't want to spend more time under the car.

[EastPete]

Swapping the OS driveshaft is about 1-2 hours work, so should not cost more than 50-100 pounds labour. New shafts are available from Rimmers, but cost more than 300 pounds - it is worth trying a secondhand one first (available off e-bay for less than 50 pounds) to see if that cures the vibration. There is no need to change both shafts if the problem seems to have been isolated to the OS shaft. When you say there is play at the first joint, do you mean the inner joint next to support bracket on the back of the engine ? - this is usually where the OS driveshafts wear, particularly if the shaft has been handled clumsily during front suspension work or during a clutch change. Another option is to buy a CV repair kit for the affected joint (these can be very cheap - 20 pounds or so), and rebuild the affected joint, but this needs performing by someone who knows what they are doing to prevent further damage/problems.

Let us know how you get on.

Pete

[EastPete]

I just realised that you are living in Germany, so is your car LHD or RHD ? Obviously, if LHD, then the left hand driveshaft needs changing, based on your diagnosis, and this is slightly easier than the right hand one. The other comments I made above still apply though.

Pete

[KENHAYES247]

RHD exported in 2007

[EastPete]

Originally Posted by KENHAYES247

RHD exported in 2007

Thanks - this makes a bit more sense now ! The inner joint/support bracket on the OS shaft is susceptible to damage. Try a secondhand shaft and see if that cures the vibration. Firstly, check the support bracket is not loose - this could cause the noise/vibration.

Cheers

Pete

[KENHAYES247]

Thanks Pete - I actually supported the whole wheel assy on blocks of wood so they wouldn't move outwards or downwards away from gearbox. Better (or in this case not) than the bit of string around the brake caliper as shown/described in the "How To" section of these Forums.

Never mind - the car is of to a local garage (Deals a lot with Rovers and 75s in particular) to confirm the issue and give me a cost. With my luck at the moment all I will do is cause another problem and incur more costs!

[KENHAYES247]

Pete - Hi,

From what i can tell its the inner joint, there must be 2 - 3mm or movement and a metal to metal sound. Same on the other side but with less movement.

I am extremely meticulous and careful when carrying out work on my car and even more so when i did the work on the suspension, obviously not careful enough!

[EastPete]

Originally Posted by KENHAYES247

Pete - Hi,

From what i can tell its the inner joint, there must be 2 - 3mm or movement and a metal to metal sound. Same on the other sound but with less movement.

I am extremely meticulous and careful when carrying out work on my car and even more so when i did the work on the suspension, obviously not careful enough!

Is this on the LH or RH side ?- I am a little confused as I am not sure if your car is LHD or RHD.

I am sure you have been very careful during your work, but I recently saw in some manuals for other Rover models that is not advisable to leave drive shafts hanging loose after removal from the hubs when doing suspension work- this can stress and damage the inner joint - either support the shaft or remove it completely (which requires draining the gearbox oil, which is a bit of a pain). This is not usually a problem for the shorter LH shaft, but can be an issue for the longer RH shaft, so I have heard.

Pete

[Best_of_British]

6 sided will not fit, 14mm ring spanner will do the job or the 12 pointed sockets that tend to round bolts more. They should come off without issue using spanner done a few and never had access problems.

Got thinking it may be 15mm now, trying to recall, 14 or 15.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

[EastPete]

Originally Posted by Best_of_British

6 sided will not fit, 14mm ring spanner will do the job or the 12 pointed sockets that tend to round bolts more. They should come off without issue using spanner done a few and never had access problems.

Got thinking it may be 15mm now, trying to recall, 14 or 15.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

Mine were 14mm when I did the clutch change - they should come off with a 14mm ring spanner or 12-sided socket. They are not meant to be that tight - only 25Nm I think, but some folks put a drop of Loctite on the threads when replacing them to make sure they do not come undone.

I have only undone these bolts on diesels, not on a V6, so cannot advise on your access issue, I am afraid.

Let us know if the drive shaft swap solves your problem.

Pete