Violent steering wheel shaking now drive has gone.

[JB]

Was on my way home from work last night when the steering wheel on my 172 started shaking quite violently a couple of centimetres left and right, it decreased as the speed dropped. My ABS light came on not-so-long ago and on closer inspection both CV boots are shredded. Continued driving (as I was in a layby on a B road) the short distance home. Now the drive has completely gone, I can put it in gear but when I add some accelerator and release the clutch it just makes a grinding sound.

I had to push my car home with the help of a friend through the centre of town (I imagine the CCTV operators that night had a good chuckle) and managed to get the car parked outside my house, there was a rythmic clunking noise as the car was being pushed.

I'm presuming the drive shaft on both N/S and O/S needs replacing. Is there anything else it could be? There has been intermittent shaking of the steering wheel over the past couple of weeks, similar to what I have already described although not nearly as severe.

The 'splines' where the driveshaft is connected to the wheels are exposed and look worn. I've searched around but can't get any definate prices on parts and labour.

Looking back maybe I shouldn't of been driving the car at all as I had the CV boots on order from Renault and was thinking of replacing them myself as they wanted £200+ to replace some £11.50 parts...

Sorry if I've turned a simple explanation into an essay. Any help much appreciated. If photgraphs are needed I can provide some.

 

[Henry]

sounds as though it's either going to be the driveshaft(s) or the diff - hopefully former. does it still steer? if the CVs have broken up, you wouldn't expect to be able to steer it. sounds as though strippage/inspection is in order

 

[JB]

It does steer, however when the steering wheel was shaking the handling went from Clio-like to super tanker. As in nearly non-existant. Does that sound like the driveshaft?

I rang Renault, £260 for both the driveshafts however it will be around £200 in labour. Is the job feasible to DIY? I have technically minded friends :|

 

[Jonny1*2]

if the car is in gear and you try starting it does it do anything?

There is a guy breaking a 182 on her. If the drive shafts are the same see if he'll take them off for you. Unless he has already sold them that is.

 

[Henry]

think i need at least one d/shaft at the moment and have been quoted 185+VAT (Renault) for just one - so £260 for two from yours seems good. any garage should be able to swap shafts for much less than Renault; not going to be a particularly difficult DIY job either

need to have a good look underneath (and poke around inside the d/shaft boots) first to see what's likely happened

 

[JB]

jonathenelwell, I'm wary about buying 2nd hand drive components. By 'doing anything' when it's in gear, I can hear what sounds like the driveshaft turning but it isn't connecting to the wheels, there is a grinding sound.


Sorry for what may be an idiotic question but are the the driveshaft boots on the engine side and CVs at the wheel end?

The prices at my local garage seem to fluctuate, one time they wanted £65 to fit the 2 CV boots then when I rang up again it had gone up to £200.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[Nomad]

I had the exact same problem, only one cv joint done mind, £180 for parts and fitted with driveshaft, apprently can't get cv joints seprately, local garage, new parts no idea where they sourced them from. Tricky job apprently as it was difficult to get shaft to sit tight.