Driveshafts: Replacement Strategies and Brand Choice

The driveshaft is the steel tube (sometimes hollow, sometimes solid) connecting gearbox to wheel hub, with CV joints at each end. When wear is severe — inner-joint vibration plus outer-joint clicking, or a damaged shaft from underbody impact — complete driveshaft replacement is the practical answer.

When to replace whole shaft

Multiple worn CV joints. Damaged shaft from a stone strike, pothole impact or gear oil contamination from a long-failed outer boot. Replacement shaft availability is good and the cost is often comparable to rebuilding the joints individually.

Replacement procedure

Remove the wheel. Loosen the hub nut (often very tight — needs an impact wrench or a six-foot bar). Disconnect the ball joint or strut to swing the hub clear. The shaft pulls out of the gearbox at the splined end. The new shaft fits in reverse — torque the hub nut to spec, refit the steering or suspension component.

Brand

OE-equivalent driveshafts: SPIDAN, Lobro (GKN), Cifam, GSP, NTY. SPIDAN and Lobro carry strong OE pedigree across European applications.

Find driveshafts for your car on the Driveshaft collection.