CV joints or driveshaft replacement ?

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holidaychicken

Well-Known Member
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Location
Kent
Not posted for a while so here goes, 2004 4.4 petrol- 115K miles.

i have a knocking / ticking noise when i accelerate around a bend or off of a roundabout and i think its my outer front CV joints that need changing, why not, everything else has been.

Question is, has anyone changed their outer CV joints as they range in price from £40 each (shaftec) to £140 each and wondered what the difference in quality is or whether its worth changing the complete drive shafts including the inner joints which is something i cannot afford to do at the moment (in all honesty can't afford to do any of it but don't want a cv joint to let go) with both complete shafts running towards the usual £500 mark.

i have an occasional knock from the front suspension so i am guessing some of the parts i would need to remove to access the joints could also be replaced while its apart so if i can replace the outer cv joints and lower arms etc that would be my preferred course but don't want to be stripping it down again any time soon to replace something i should have changed while i was there.

Any advice much appreciated as always
 
Suspension arms are common causes for the knocking

Depending on the age of the car, they most likely all need doing.

Mine is also developing the obvious noise whilst accelerating turned full lock right which also suggests like yours I need a new CV joint

Pretty sure it's failed because one of the rubber boots has split thus starving the joint of lubrication !

Don't know whether to go for OEM or the aftermarket brands like you've been looking at ?
Cheers
 
i changed the rear upper and lower hub bushes and track rods last year and yes i would imagine the front lot need doing at some point.
i only get an occasional knock from the front but the cv joint gets on my wick as you can almost hear the engine fighting with them.

its due an MOT in november so might wait and see what that turns up.

island 4x4 have the complete shafts from GKN and there are also remanufactured shafts with new cv joints from shaftec but its the sort of thing that if they go could take out a lot more than just the shafts and possibly flip the car which is not ideal
 
most likely the front will deffo need doing

i changed the complete arms, easier than trying to extract the bushes.

just awkward to loosen off the rusted up bolts that haven't moved for years !


doubt you need the whole shaft, just the outer CV joint. going to order mine soon. the noise is getting louder plus like you said, i don't want it failing on me !!
(not a pretty thought)
 
They look ok, there are a few types on ebay and also europarts list some that can be ordered in. the shaftec site seems fairly convincing.
if the listing below is correct, the price shown is for 2 cv joints

BRAND NEW REPLACEMENT Shaftec C.V Joint | eBay

This one is from Ribble valley 4x4, there are a few listings that look identical but at big difference in price.

RANGE ROVER L322 FRONT OUTER CV JOINT CONSTANT VELOCITY DRIVE SHAFT LR032577 | eBay

As far as the suspension arms are concerned, i would guess the complete arm is not a great deal different to the individual bushes, although i do have a nice bush pressing kit i bought to do the rear but the arms themselves look pretty crap and rusty.

Decisions :confused:
 
Well as a bit of an experiment, i am going against all my instincts of buying OEM quality where I can afford it to trying these out at £25 each.

EDIT : I'VE LEFT THE LINK IN SO THE SUPPLIER CAN BE SEEN BUT THIS IS THE WRONG PART I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD AND THEY ARE GOING TO SUPPLY THE CORRECT PART THAT ISN'T LISTED FOR THE SAME PRICE I HOPE

1 x Front Right CV Joint LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER 4.4 01/03/2002 01/08/2012 | eBay

I am doing it without changing any of the suspension arms to see if it cures my problem, even if it's short term.

I have tracked the Chinese manufacturer down, although the seller says they are made in Europe, and thought they are so cheap I may as well give them a go and then I can see what else needs changing while I am in there regarding the suspension.

It was that or throw another £400, which I don't have, at it and change the front CV joints for 'better' ones along with the all the front suspension parts as well.

Hopefully I will live to tell the tale....
 
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thats very cheap.... maybe too cheap !


got mine from euro car parts for £75, thats for the kit.


im still to get round to changing it ! lol
 
That's sort of what i thought but I work in automotive engineering so i can give them a good look over before I put them in the car, that's not to say they are made from decent material.

My thought is the Shaftec are made in Europe and most of the others i find are made in china unless you go over £100 so possibly all the same with different amounts of mark up??

We shall see, stay tuned :)
 
I wish you the best of luck with them, however;

With all the agro and hassle I've had with buying "cheaper" parts for mine recently, I can safely say I won't be cutting corners in the future for the sake of saving a few quid.
It's not worth the Argo/hassle/time.

"Buy cheap buy twice"
 
Cheers Ant, I think the phrase is, you have two chances, slim and f........

Rob, I totally agree and I normally only ever buy OEM quality but I am not really sure what I am going to find when I get in there and if they look poorly made I'll send them back, they have a 2 year guarantee which only applies if I survive I suppose
 
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Hi landy lovers.... im in rhe same boat... my front near side boot has split and is slowly spitting grease out... ill be very interested in how you all get on... i'm presuming this is a diy gig ?????
 
I have seen the stretchy ones for sale.
This is the reply I got back after ordering my top quality £25 cv joints

"Thanks for your order and registration,
there is a choice of 2 for your vehicle can you confirm
if your joint has 29 or 30 external splines."

Any ideas anyone??

They also asked if I wanted them made from milk or dark chocolate 😁
 
not without buying split boots which you glue together !

they are crappy ! :eek:

I managed to do it on my Renault, stretchy boot and I do have the funnel shaped tube to slide the boot over the cv joint. You slide it onto the funnel, inside out and lubed, over the joint then fold it back.:D You can also get a compressed air operated tool to stretch the boot so it passes over the cv.
 
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