Driveshaft question
 

basically had the car up on the ramp to see what was goin on underneath, turns out it needs steering rack bushes. whilst under there tho, i noticed each driveshaft on the front has a bit of play it, ie. you can put your arm around it about halfway down and it will, for want of a better word, wiggle and move a bit.

should these have a some play in them, what would be deemed excesssive ?? they prob move a few mm at the mo.

anybody ?

Same problem here. I've been searching for the cause of the loud single knock I get every time I turn right and it turns out that the left hand front driveshaft seems very loose - there is in and out play of 3 or 4 mm at least and it also can be wiggled up and down about the same amount. There is less play in the right hand driveshaft but it still does it to a certain extent. The rear ones have nothing like the same amount of play.

Surely there should be no play at all?

I thrash an RA for sprinting, my shafts have what sounds like the same amount of movement though no noise, possibly when they spin they might centre themselves.

Check the wheel bearings, could be the problem?

The Play is called End Float, It can be adjusted by a large nut within the casing of the diff, But is there by design, A worn driveshaft normally clicks sort of a Tickety, Tick Tick Tick whilst turning more noticeable at low speed, i would say a defined clunk , would be something more like a track rod end, Ball joint or wishbone/suspension bush Etc

Dean

Bollocks. Well in that case I'm stuck! There doesn't seem to be anything else obvious that's moving around under there, even when prying at it with a crowbar. All I've got is this play in the driveshaft and the ARB drop links look off-centre kind of -like they're not quite sitting right, but that's probably cos the wheels were on full droop.

Anything else it could be?

play in shaft is normal.

slide gaitors back off track rods where they are fastened to the rack. have somebody gently move steering wheel left to right while you hold the joint. check for any play/movement.

outer race of wheel bearing can sometimes move inside hub carrier causing symptoms you describe giving an uncertain feel to steering often more pronounced on roundabouts.

also check subframe bolts are tight.

OK I'll do some more checking. Cheers

I also had a knock whilst turning, Turned out to be a loose engine mount & 1 engine mount bolt missing !!!!

Dean

Sounds like there's so many possibilities I need an expert to look it over!