Drama with replacing front driveshafts

[SuperMono]

Last thing I need at the moment is additional dramas, so of course that is what I have got.
I had the R/H front inner CV boot fail and so thought I may as well just replace the shaft with a 'good' second hand one and replace the boots on what would become the spare.

So after 2 dud shafts from a recycler I grabbed what appeared to be a good shaft and put everything back together.
Clunk, clunk, clunk per wheel revolution to match the CV internals.......
Bugger....leave it and look at it tomorrow which I haven't yet done as a contractor is taking up my flat work space right now.

Questions (yes I am asking some of the seemingly dumb, but have a plan).
Are L/H and R/H driveshafts the same length?
Has anyone else had a similar problem?
Any variation in articulation spec between years?
Is a Freelander driveshaft a Freelander driveshaft regardless of year and model?

While I have been fiddling with this I have also concluded that the 50mm lift I have added probably exceeds the capability of the inner CV boot (hence the failure) and will look at either sliding the outer edge of the boot closer to the inner or finding some all purpose boots and gluing the whyole lot back together somehow.

?

[101RRS]

I have a cheap new CV that I bought off ebay for $40 to go in mine as it has been clicking for over 60K but it has not got worse. I haven't put it in so I do not know what they are like.

I have had both my front shafts out - I think they are the same length but I never measured them.

I had similar experiences with my 80 subaru - the quality of aftermarket repaired, reconditioned and new driveshafts varied - they all clicked when put in - some went worse and were returned and some went quiet once they were run in.

In all cases the quality of the boots was crap and never lasted as long as the CVs themselves - the suburu originals were very good though so I assume it would be the same with aftermarket vs original for freelander ones.

Because I never trusted the aftermarket boots I used to wrap the lot up in glad wrap. If you wrap the CV and boot in glad wrap when on the car - not tight and stretched- give it a bit of room to move - it worked really well - also works well when you have split a boot to stop crud getting in. I held the wrap on with cable ties - on one the axle and one around the housing. Surprisingly the wrap lasted as long as a boot in some cases - but is easy to replace. Wrap in the right direction so the wind does not try to unwravel it when the wheel turns.

So
"Questions (yes I am asking some of the seemingly dumb, but have a plan).
Are L/H and R/H driveshafts the same length? Dunno but think so
Has anyone else had a similar problem? Not on a Freelander but yes on a Subaru
Any variation in articulation spec between years? Dunno - but doubt it
Is a Freelander driveshaft a Freelander driveshaft regardless of year and model? Dunno but doubt it"

Has one of the new boots split already?

Why not just put your old shaft back in with new boots and see what happens and keep your new second hand as the spare. Will outer boots (designed for full articulation) fit on the inner? If so - fit outer boots all around.

Sorry - I cannot be more helpful - but some other things to think about.

PS - I hope you are using new hub nuts are they are a one use only item - they have to be something like 320 whatevers in torque.

Good luck

Garry

[Scouse]

Both shafts are the same lengths (same part number) if that helps.

The part number changes for the 01MY but I don't know what the difference is (1.8 FL at least).

[mjm295]

PS - I hope you are using new hub nuts are they are a one use only item - they have to be something like 320 whatevers in torque.

Rave says 400Nm - I'm sure that's the same as 320 whatevers....

[SuperMono]

Update on what I have found out.

The clunk clunk was the CV running out of clearance as there is 3 different front driveshaft lengths.
Longest: (1.8) L/H & R/H same length
Middle: (TD4/V6) L/H
Shortest: (TD4/V6) R/H

So as you may guess I ended up with a 1.8 shaft in the R/H side of my V6.

Being out of work at the moment I was trying to save a few bucks, which normally costs more and you would think I would have learnt my lesson previously.
I haven't found a V6 R/H shaft locally so plan B was to build a complete shaft from the two I have available. Not sure how well this goes in the long run but as a short term measure it will get me going for the moment. I assembled my 'new' shaft using the 1.8 outer CV, V6 shaft and outer CV along with 1.8 outer CV boot. It looks OK but will fit today and know for sure.

Observations.
The outer CVs are the same.
The inner CVs are different between 1.8 (small) and the TD4/V6 (large) in both rolling elements and splines.
The outer CV boots are basically but not completely the same.
The inner CV boots differ in length but not diameter.

I got a rough price of $450 for a complete aftermarket driveshaft and about $1050 for the LR item. So if you can find good recycled shafts they are worth having around.
Haven't priced the genuine boots so far.

[mjm295]

Had a similar isue with my Volvo before I left the UK, Volvo wanted £550 for a complete drive shaft, recon item = $120+tax, AND wait for it... new after market outer CV joint = £37+tax !!!!

Guess which one I fitted.