T5...and then it went bang...looks like another costly careless mistake

[LogicprObe]

So what you are saying is the one in the photo was a factory replacement part , I wonder why it is different to the spare parts you buy from the dealer . Maybe they used a non genuine one when yours failed , yes I would put lubricant on the shaft maybe VW could supply some of their grease they use in the clutch throw out bearing as they describe it as ""Sealed for Life grease " LOL

Given their special 'spline grease' ($13.00 for 50gm) looks suspiciously like normal white grease, I'm thinking I should have used something decent, like this!

[aSimpleLife]

Part of me doesn't really want to post here again...after all...how much of a fargon idiot can any one person confess to being.
But here I am, 18 months later, and about to pay for "another" drive shaft replacement...and it's the passenger side which I didn't need replacing in the first place !!!
Oh dear.

When my drivers side went, my then local mechanic told me modified splines were available for both sides, and seeing as I was getting the discs done at the same time, he recommended and I accepted getting both shafts done.
However when I picked it up he then told me that when the parts arrived he noticed the passengers side was not modified - and that it hadn't needed to be replaced - but he had done it because he had the part.
I believe they were genuine vw parts - but didn't get to sight them - because he said he had to exchange the old ones?

As suggested here, I have now moved to a VW specialist mechanic and took the vehicle in for what I thought was a steering knock fault - but he is certain it's the passenger side drive shaft.
So I can only assume the part itself was faulty - maybe it was not genuine - or they didn't use enough grease.

[Sunny43.5]

According to a sarcastic poster over on the UK forum the VW drive splines are made of toffee , when mine was making noises I jacked the van up and would have sworn black and blue the noise was coming from inside the gearbox . Once I removed the lower control arms for some new bushes I found the drivers side spline real loose . That's was done at 250000 km now 303000 and still all good {admits here I did not think to lube the bloody thing } ah well next time he he .Link here to see the worn one scroll down . 2005 2.0 petrol manual T5 drive train spline question .

[Umai Naa!!]

I'm waiting for my stub shaft to fail.

Been clunking since the day I bought the van back at 147K.

It's got 311K on it now, and I'm not exactly gentle on it.

[Sunny43.5]

Yes I sort of agree with you Umai my work van has been bullet proof considering all the bad things I have never learnt to avoid with manual cars . The link between my brain and my left foot is severely severed and it shows with gear changes etc , hmm no wonder the spline got worn all those corners I was able to get the van to drift around . I do a few long drives for work down into northern NSW and there is a highway from the coast to Tenterfield that I have used a few times , Lots of twisty bits and when the van is pushed the front wheel on either side can be made to lift off the ground and some nice slipping has occurred especially when its been wet !!!

[LogicprObe]

I'm waiting for my stub shaft to fail.

Been clunking since the day I bought the van back at 147K.

It's got 311K on it now, and I'm not exactly gentle on it.

It's gonna happen!

[Umai Naa!!]

Shhhh!!

[aSimpleLife]

Been clunking since the day I bought the van back at 147K.

Is it the driver's side?

[aSimpleLife]

Link here to see the worn one

Thankyou for that. I think because I had already done both shafts I didn't think it could possibly be that again. And because I could hear it at low speeds when I turned the wheel I assumed it was the steering column after reading about so many issues with that. But when the mechanic pointed it out as the drivers side shat it seemed obvious.

[Sunny43.5]

I am more concerned for the DMF as it does shudder in reverse badly but forward motion is fine , hmmm hope I haven't jinxed myself . I am sort of waiting until I need to either replace the engine or have it rebuilt before I replace the DMF as this van is a keeper it owes me nothing . Umai what would you recommend second hand donk would a Golf engine fit ??? or rebuild it , it is a 85 kw AXA 2.0 petrol one . I was actually close to doing an engine job middle of last year when it was getting sluggish and heavier on fuel , lucky an annoying rattle in the exhaust lead me a to a friend in the muffler business who found the Cat converter almost fully blocked . The flexi neck above the cat with all that mesh stuff was coming apart and the metal shards had lodged into the ceramic of the cat . He "fixed" the blocked cat and the van got a new leash of life , I can get a small chirp from the front wheels on take off if I push it .