“New” driveshaft - Not happy

Ed Hodson · Sep 11, 2018

I bought a driver’s side driveshaft from K-Tec racing a few weeks ago (for my 182 FF). Received it, genuine Renault item, brand new, totally happy.

I decided to order a passenger side shaft over the weekend. It arrived today, but i’m not happy. It appears to be remanufactured, which wouldn’t normally be a problem, but:
- Their website indicates that it’s a new driveshaft
- When I move the outer joint, it’s very stiff and movement feels rough and not lubricated.

The second point is the biggest concern that i’ve got. I doubt that it should feel like this? Can anyone confirm that i’m not being OTT?

Looking at the shaft, you can see pitting and that it’s all been painted (all Looks professional, but shows that it’s not brand new)

Quality of clips and rubber boots doesn’t look to be up to the standard of the brand new genuine Renault driveshaft thatbi received for the other side.

Any advice on what I should do from here?

Usr117063 · Sep 11, 2018

Dont think Id trust that. Get a refund and get a j&r less than half the price

imprezaworks · Sep 11, 2018

Send it back. As above.

I have a j&r passanger shaft fitted, about 12 months old with zero issues. 50 ish delivered

MonkeyKnifeFight · Sep 11, 2018

Don't forget to charge them £12 for postage ?

Ed Hodson · Sep 11, 2018

Thanks very much guys. Email sent to them - also asking that they cover the return postage.

I'll look into ordering a J&R shaft asap.

Do you know if they'll send me an appropriate shaft for a 182 Cup with me just entering my reg? Fitment details don't provide length.

Thank you,

Ed

imprezaworks · Sep 11, 2018

Ring them mate

Usr117063 · Sep 11, 2018

Mine is cup fitment with increased camber wishbone bushes so even more track width and the shaft is holding up

Ed Hodson · Sep 11, 2018

ZachB said:
Mine is cup fitment with increased camber wishbone bushes so even more track width and the shaft is holding up

That's reassuring to hear. Thanks!

STEVE.M · Sep 11, 2018

Ed Hodson said:
Fitment details don't provide length.

Ed

All PH2 left hand shafts are the same length and the width of the ABS ring is the only variation.

Opinions on the quality of J&R shafts is roughly split the same as those on Brexit.

Louis · Sep 12, 2018

If you're happy paying genuine stick with genuine imho.

bloke · Sep 12, 2018

Genuine have been an exchange from Renault did years fwir. Even racks are on an exchange.

Darren S · Sep 12, 2018

bloke said:
Genuine have been an exchange from Renault did years fwir. Even racks are on an exchange.

Yep - I even got £80+ refund back on my old shafts if I handed them back to Renault within 10 working days, iirc?

The splines on one of mine removed were corroded to hell and the entire driveshaft looked well past its best. They must do a fair amount of work on them to refurb them. I wouldn't bat an eyelid at the example posted above.

Ed Hodson · Sep 12, 2018

Darren S said:
Yep - I even got £80+ refund back on my old shafts if I handed them back to Renault within 10 working days, iirc?

The splines on one of mine removed were corroded to hell and the entire driveshaft looked well past its best. They must do a fair amount of work on them to refurb them. I wouldn't bat an eyelid at the example posted above.

For me, the biggest problem is the movement in the outer joint. There's significant resistance and when it does move, the movement feels particularly rough. Just like a shaft where the boot split and someone has been driving around for a while with it like that - grease gone with dirt and grit in there instead. I'm suspecting that insufficient work has been done to that joint to get it up to standard.

Currently in contact with K-Tec. I'll let you know how it goes.

flebay · Sep 12, 2018

Darren S said:
Yep - I even got £80+ refund back on my old shafts if I handed them back to Renault within 10 working days, iirc?

That will be £10.00 +vat they wouldn't make any money if it was £80

PhillipM · Sep 12, 2018

Why would you send a refurbed shaft back because it's not as good quality and then buy a J&R anyway?

imprezaworks · Sep 12, 2018

No issues with my driveshaft

flebay · Sep 12, 2018

Ed Hodson said:
Looking at the shaft, you can see pitting and that it’s all been painted

GKN reuse the outer cv if there serviceable there re ground see the video @50

flebay · Sep 12, 2018

Ed Hodson said:
Their website indicates that it’s a new driveshaft

New driveshaft 8200372167 £290.64 inc vat you got yourself a bargain.

Ed Hodson · Sep 12, 2018

This is the response from K-Tec:

Being exchange units, the finish will vary on all of them.

Click to expand...

Generally the new joints tend to be a lot stiffer, so I would be relatively normal to have this sort of resistance. I have check this with our technicians and they have confirmed this for me.

We are happy to accept a return if you do not want the driveshaft, but the return must be done at your cost as there is no fault with the item.

We do note on our website that all shafts are purchased on an exchange basis, and we have not had any issues over the years these have been listed.

I have a neighbour that was a mechanic for 40+ years. I'll take the shaft to him to get his opinion on whether or not he'd be happy to fit a shaft with an outer CV feeling as rough as this one.

flebay · Sep 12, 2018

Ed Hodson said:
- Their website indicates that it’s a new driveshaft

Just look on the website and at no point does it state the word new but does say
Driveshafts are supplied on an exchange basis at a cost of £45.00+VAT GBP which will be charged when your order is being processed.
This additional cost will be charged and refunded once we receive your old driveshaft unit back in exchange.

What do you think they do with your old driveshaft?

bloke · Sep 12, 2018

flebay said:
What do you think they do with your old driveshaft?

toothpicks for giants??

PhillipM · Sep 12, 2018

I'd take a tight CV joint over a loose one any day of the week.

bloke · Sep 13, 2018

PhillipM said:
I'd take a tight CV joint over a loose one any day of the week.

Had an interesting conversation with one of the guys from sadev about stripping and lapping new joints in etc, made sense what he was saying about not wanting them on the tight side, expansion, forcing grease out etc...

Raceface_13 · Sep 13, 2018

ZachB said:
Dont think Id trust that. Get a refund and get a j&r less than half the price

imprezaworks said:
Send it back. As above.

I have a j&r passanger shaft fitted, about 12 months old with zero issues. 50 ish delivered

I ordered from k tec, same problem, sent it back, got a j&r. Happy boy again

imprezaworks · Sep 13, 2018

Was your experience with j&r ok?

Raceface_13 · Sep 13, 2018

Sound mate. Fair priced, good service, fit well. No grumbles bud

PhillipM · Sep 13, 2018

bloke said:
Had an interesting conversation with one of the guys from sadev about stripping and lapping new joints in etc, made sense what he was saying about not wanting them on the tight side, expansion, forcing grease out etc...

Heat generally increases clearances in a CV joint, so not really that much of an issue, any slop at all however will result in a slide hammer effect pushing grease away from the services and brinelling the surfaces, much more so than a tight joint where it's at least trying to maintain a mixed lubrication layer as the balls create a wedge as they roll (It should be noted extra clearance actually increases the load on the contact point as well, forcing lubrication away from critical areas, not reduces it).
We deliberately run with 0.02mm undersized balls and ported windows in some CV joints to give a little extra travel at the extremes of articulation, and it will halve the lifespan of the joint, or worse, compared to one built up tight with the right sizes. If you're not very careful when grinding the raceways as well any clearance will mean you may only actually have half the balls taking initial loads because of the high stiffness of the tracks and star, which is recipe for a lot of galling until things wear in.
They also click like hell at certain frequencies.

Darren S · Sep 13, 2018

flebay said:
That will be £10.00 +vat they wouldn't make any money if it was £80

Not sure what you're saying there? That I didn't get £80 back from handing them in?

flebay · Sep 13, 2018

Darren S said:
Not sure what you're saying there? That I didn't get £80 back from handing them in?

I didn't know the ktec surcharge was so much @ £45 per shaft but it you go to Renault direct its £10+VAT.
So yea 108 back from ktec or 24 from Renault.

Simon998 · Sep 13, 2018

imprezaworks said:
Was your experience with j&r ok?

Ran j&r’s on all my 106’s and they generally got death from the minute the key was turned. Never any issues.

Usr117063 · Sep 13, 2018

One thing though I ordered the n/s from their site and a o/s turned up, spoke over the phone and told what happened and she said 'Its the right part it will fit' and was 100% sure it was, I was trying to say otherwise but 'Ive been in the business for 10 years' was boasted so I would have had to put in a ticket to the technical team, a refund take 2 weeks apparently. Decided to keep it and buy from their ebay site where the correct one came. Apart from the womens experience reading a pc screen I have had no faults. If you do order from their site which is cheaper Id perhaps give them call and maybe tell them about the ebay listing and the part numbers they give, just to make sure!

imprezaworks · Sep 13, 2018

Allways ring them. I specified exactly what I was after.

Darren S · Sep 14, 2018

flebay said:
I didn't know the ktec surcharge was so much @ £45 per shaft but it you go to Renault direct its £10+VAT.
So yea 108 back from ktec or 24 from Renault.

I got mine from Renault directly due to the whole bizarre confusion that seems to crop up with driveshafts on these cars.

At the time, there was one O/S shaft available, but the N/S one was on back-order from France. I paid WAAAAY over the odds for the pair - pretty sure it was up around the £300+ mark. But I wanted the guarantee that these were the correct items - especially as I wasn't going to fit them myself.

Usr117063 · Sep 14, 2018

@Ed Hodson Where are you based?

Ed Hodson · Sep 14, 2018

ZachB said:
@Ed Hodson Where are you based?

Hi Zach,

I’m in Newmarket, Suffolk. I’m hoping to see my dad’s neighbor, who was a mechanic for +40 years to get his opinion on the outer CV joint before I decide what to do.

Usr117063 · Sep 14, 2018

@Ed Hodson Okay good idea. I was gonna say as I have a spare o/s from j&r that I could do for less than rrp if you want?

Ed Hodson · Sep 14, 2018

ZachB said:
@Ed Hodson Okay good idea. I was gonna say as I have a spare o/s from j&r that I could do for less than rrp if you want?

Sounds good. I’ll let you know what happens tomorrow.

Are you based anywhere near me?

Usr117063 · Sep 14, 2018

In hastings so a bit too far! I could post

Ed Hodson · Oct 4, 2018

So, I returned the shaft to K-Tec and have bought a shaft from J&R.

Communication with J&R before and during purchase wasn't great, but I tried to make it as clear as possible that I need a 182 Cup shaft, instead of a regular 182 shaft.

Now that I've received it, what can I measure in order to check that I have the right shaft?

I'd like to know that I have the right shaft for sure, before I take my car to bits.

I've read through other posts, but haven't found what I need in order to check.

Thank you,

Ed

Usr117063 · Oct 4, 2018

Arnt the n/s the same? I also have a n/s from j&r and its all good

“New” driveshaft - Not happy

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