CDD CV Driveshaft query - should I be worried?

[trigolf]

Afternoon all.I have just completed a rotoflex rear wheel bearing replacement. During final checks that all ok, before replacing the wheel, I happened to notice that there is a noticeable 'clonk' when you grip the inner 'Lobro'? joint and rotate the drive shaft. It's definitely in the Lobro coupling and not the diff inner axle or the outer CV joint. There is also no detectable play in the wheel bearing, so it's not that. When I compare the 'play' with the other side there is a noticeable difference in free play and associated  'clonk'. I'm not familiar with Lobro or CV joints. Should there be any detectable play? I don't want to take the whole bloody thing to bits again, unless necessary!

[iani]

I rejected two sets of CDD CV shafts due to their being noisy, I now use CDD uprated standard shafts on my GT6, I used their uprated sliding spline shafts on my TR6 previously.

[Nigel Clark]

Try contacting Alasdair Southall, the founder and boss of CDD. He's a good engineer and very helpful.

Nigel

[trigolf]

On 09/07/2023 at 18:27, iani said:

I rejected two sets of CDD CV shafts due to their being noisy, I now use CDD uprated standard shafts on my GT6, I used their uprated sliding spline shafts on my TR6 previously.

Iani, when you say noisy, what do you mean exactly?

[iani]

5 hours ago, trigolf said:

Iani, when you say noisy, what do you mean exactly?

 

[trigolf]

Thanks Iani, that's exactly the same problem as I have. I have to say I'm not very impressed when my driveshafts have done less than 3k since fitting and they were'nt exactly cheap! I would expect CV's to last 90k+. I will be speaking to CDD!

[Puglet1]

4 minutes ago, trigolf said:

Thanks Iani, that's exactly the same problem as I have. I have to say I'm not very impressed when my driveshafts have done less than 3k since fitting and they were'nt exactly cheap! I would expect CV's to last 90k+. I will be speaking to CDD!

Hmm. This leaves me in a quandary. I was thinking about buying a pair of CV’s in the near future. 
What alternatives are left?

[johny]

Let us know the outcome as the sign of a good company is how they deal with issues....

[iani]

16 hours ago, Puglet1 said:

Hmm. This leaves me in a quandary. I was thinking about buying a pair of CV’s in the near future. 
What alternatives are left?

I went with CDD's uprated standard shafts.

[iani]

16 hours ago, johny said:

Let us know the outcome as the sign of a good company is how they deal with issues....

Alasdair Southall's customer service is exemplary, I had bought my shafts from Rimmers, when I had the issues I contacted Alasdair & Rimmers via email, who do you think responded first?

[Ian Foster]

On 06/07/2023 at 18:17, trigolf said:

there is a noticeable 'clonk' when you grip the inner 'Lobro'

Lobros are a marvel of engineering and should give a long service life as long as the boots have been intact. My axle conversion uses 95mm Lobros off a Volvo 340 and had already had a life before being built into the Jones/Bowler CV axle conversion.

I understand that new ones are often quite stiff and you can pay extra for new 'motorsport spec' units which have been disassembled and polished internally with a Dremel and fine sanding drum.

It will be interesting to hear what CDD say, particularly as yours are OK on one side.

Ian

Edited July 25, 2023 by Ian Foster
spelling

[trigolf]

Coincedently, the discovery of excessive play in the lobro came about during wheel bearing replacement. I initially wondered if I had set the endfloat too tight, as during test drives the rear of the car would ' twitch' momentarily from time to time, which felt like it was coming from the same side (RH). I could find nothing wrong with the bearings after pulling the hub off, or the brakes, which was confusing. I think I was experiencing what TR drivers had suffered - the Triumph Twitch?, when the sliding splines lock up. If not the same mechanical cause, the symptom seems the same. When I get home, I'll pull the shaft out and speak to Alisdair.

[trigolf]

Afternoon all. Just a quick line to report back, as requested. 

I emailed Alasdair(boss man) and described the intermittent 'twitch' symptom and large amount of free play in both inner and outer joints.  Although I bought them from Rimmers in 2018, he did not even quibble and said they would repair or replace at no charge. He was surprised how much play there was in both joints. Today I have recieved a replacement shaft with no discernable play in either joint. Even though I had the problem, I was impressed at his attitude and response to the issue - a refreshing change in todays world!

 

 

[johny]

that is impressive although of course also depends how long the replacements last....