Author Topic: Breaking cv joints  (Read 1564 times)

Offline Ratty Pete

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Breaking cv joints
« on: March 31, 2010, 10:10:47 pm »
Hello, i have just got myself a 'L' reg polo with a g40 engine fitted... The car wasn't running when i got it as the conversion wasn't finished, so i'm not 100% whats been done/changed... the gearbox is a five speed and the car has been lowered. Anyway the problem is that i have broken 2 cv's in the 4 days its been on the road!!!! Its been the inner cv on the longer drive shaft both times! Any ideas anyone? I was wondering if the the drive shaft is two short causing the cv to be streched? are there different ones on the standard car? oh yeah the first time i was excelerating hard the second time i was just taking it steady going around a round about..

I've been into aircooled vw's for the last 10 years, this is my first water cooled so this is all new to me. Thanks for your help.

Offline cheys03

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Re: Breaking cv joints
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2010, 10:35:26 pm »
I was wondering if the the drive shaft is two short causing the cv to be streched?

Sounds exactly the case. You've probably got an early gearbox (ATV?) with late (L reg) offside drive shaft which is shorter than early (H-K reg?) driveshafts.
There are two options - source the longer early driveshaft (preferably a G40 or uprated item) or change the offside output flange on the gearbox to one from a late gearbox (it's longer).

I've no direct experience of this though, I'm only going on what I've read here on the forum.

Offline Nick_S

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Re: Breaking cv joints
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2010, 11:42:31 pm »
Yep. If your just putting new CV's on the original L-reg polo driveshaft it won't cure the problem, as the late ones are about 10mm shorter. Easiest thing to do is get a complete offside driveshaft assembly off a H or J-reg mk3 polo.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2010, 11:46:12 pm by Nick_S »

Offline Ratty Pete

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Re: Breaking cv joints
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2010, 07:34:51 pm »
Thanks for your reply's... I know you will all probably cringe but i got a mrk 2 golf shaft and cut and welded it to make it 10-13mm longer than the one on the car... i've taken the car out and down the motorway, seems ok and no vibrations.. but i'll prob source one that fits properly... i love the car and just want to get some confidents back in it... thanks again!!