Halfshaft or CV joint?

Running my missus into work today I just lost drive when it was in any gear. It'll go into gear fine but just won't move unless its in difflock. I'm thinking its a halfshaft or CV joint at the front but is there an easyish way to tell without stripping the whole lot?

Or has anyone got any other ideas as to what it could be?

Thanks in advance.

Anyone?

usual check to see where the issue is.. then...i dunno how to check without stripping

get it up off the deck and play around with the gears with all wheels spinning,probably a shaft.....

more likely to be a shaft than a cv. the cv will tell you long before it fails.

sorry just had another read of your post.
Jack it up and hold the drive shaft and one wheel. have someone turn the opposite wheel and see if it spins on its own or feels different to the rest.
That way what ever wheel can turn free has the stuffed shaft/Joint

I presume he already knows about how to narrow it down, he wants to know how to check if it's the cv/halfshaft without stripping.

Cheers for the replies. I suspected a shaft as there were no tell tale signs of the CV going but I'm a bit clueless when it comes to stripping it etc as I've never done it before. Seen Busters guide which will be brilliant so ill use that

the_wolf said:

Cheers for the replies. I suspected a shaft as there were no tell tale signs of the CV going but I'm a bit clueless when it comes to stripping it etc as I've never done it before. Seen Busters guide which will be brilliant so ill use that

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its not too bad but messy,you will spill oil and get filthy...

i had this problem what a drive member went

you Need a second person.

First take difflock out put it in gear and engage the clutch ask the second person to chedk which Propshaft is spinning front or back.

Which ever is spinning the problem lies within that axle.

Next thing which ever axle is spinning remove rubber end caps from drive members. Repeat selecting gear and check that the shaft is not rotating within the drive members if no shaft spins within a worn drive member you have to start ripping it apart. Hopefully its the rear axle as its nice and easy to pull the shafts and diff in the worse case.

Good luck!

same problem i had last week or so ago.. mine was cv joint .simple fix thanks to james martin

Cheers jai, ill try and have a look at it tommorow

13E41V said:

same problem i had last week or so ago.. mine was cv joint .simple fix thanks to james martin

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What did James suggest? Just incase it is my CV joint

if you find the axle its sometimes possible to "feel" the issue however not always. I did an inner front shaft in Feb and could not feel it at all so had to strip. Hopefully it will be a drivemember or the rear end Good luck J

the_wolf said:

What did James suggest? Just incase it is my CV joint

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same as what jai has said .. but if you get stuck pm james and he will talk you through it . start to end

Right haven't had the chance to strip it yet but I know its definitely the front, most likely drivers side going by what I've read. I wondered if anyone had a list of gaskets and seals that would be required to do the job properly. I know there's quite a few but I can't seem to get a definite list of what's needed. Just gotta drive with it in lock till I can get it sorted which isn't great but got no other choice

Silicone sealant,

Depending where its gone assuming the worst and its the diff inner shaft,
(I did this last week) Doh!

You will need silicone sealant,

Diff gasket,

ep80/90 oil for diff,

Stub axle gaskets x2,

Swivel grease/ep90.


Degreaser to wash the crap out of the axle housing/diff especially if your driving with it for a while,

Lock tabs for the wheel bearings,

But do check the drive members as by the sound of how it just went it could simply be just a drive member in which case a bit of silicone and a new one and your good to go 10 mins.

If its a CV joint then yoi can strip one side assuming your confident the debris is contained then all youneed is swivel grease/ep90 and stub axle gasket

I'm confident in stripping it down to the half shafts, just wasn't sure on the number of gaskets required.

What do you mean by diff inner shafts and drive members? Or are am getting the terminology mixed up. I know that the front is made up of hub, stub axle, swivel, CV joint and then halfshaft. I'm sure its the halfshaft on the drivers side but not certain until I get it apart.

the_wolf said:

I'm confident in stripping it down to the half shafts, just wasn't sure on the number of gaskets required.

What do you mean by diff inner shafts and drive members? Or are am getting the terminology mixed up. I know that the front is made up of hub, stub axle, swivel, CV joint and then halfshaft. I'm sure its the halfshaft on the drivers side but not certain until I get it apart.

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hub drive member/flange (5 bolts) , inner shaft i'm assuming halfshaft. He's saying make sure it's not just spinning in a worn flange. Iirc, they are made of a softer metal. You'd be nice and lucky if it was just that