Vitesse second hand drive shafts

[daverclasper]

Hi. A bloke locally has a pair for sale cheap, complete with hubs and wishbones. I'm tempted to buy them as spares. The main concern is the bearing surface of the shafts (if they have been stored in damp shed etc). Can an idea of condition be gained by just turning the hubs to see if they are smooth. (I haven't got the correct Puller).

Any info great please.

Cheers, Dave  

[NonMember]

If they're rotoflex ones, turning the hub by hand and listening carefully for scraping noises will show up really bad surfaces. Check also for end float. You can identify scrappers and do-not-fit-as-is cases. Telling a good one from a will-do-at-a-push is rather harder.

If they're swing axle ones, the inner bearing surface is already shot, that's why they're cheap

[Pete Lewis]

Ome thing aboit used shafts ,  the shaft takes on some torsional memory so ots important you keep left on the left and right on the right

If not a crack can eminate from trying to 'unwind' the shaft and it can fail with a nice clean break...  disaster then follows 

Pete

[daverclasper]

Thanks. I emailed the guy to get a bit more info. Apparently they were off a Vit (non rotoflex), that was broken up in the mid 90's  due to rot and kept in a dry workshop. They included all brake/wish bone stuff and U/V's and he said the hubs turned smoothly. all for £15. Wished I hadn't faffed about, as they had been sold. 

Cheers, Dave  

Edited May 12, 2018 by daverclasper