Fitting issues with 309 wishbones and shafts on 205

[wicked 103 3 Cars]

I know this item has been discussed many times and I thought I followed the common advise; use 309 shafts if using 309 wishbones. But I've an issue with short drive shaft.

 

I'm building a track day car and want to have 309 wishbones for the extra camber. 

The car has Bilstein B6 with Eibach springs and  BE3 1.6 gearbox.

I ordered new 309 shafts (SKF VKJC 3861 and VKJC 4553).

The long shaft fits nicely. However the short one on the gearbox side seems to be to long. If I compress the shaft at max (feel a hard stop) I cannot put the wishbone joint in the hub. It's only about some mm's.

With brute force I maybe can get it in, but I think there should be some play be in the shaft.

 

If I fit a 205 shaft (SKF VKJC 3868) without the nut fitted, I can create a gap of about 1cm between bearing and the shaft by pushing the shaft towards the gearbox. No wheels fitted. If I jack the wishbone to normal position it may be 1,5cm or so. 

To my knowledge, the 309 wishbones are only 1cm longer than 205 wishbones, so I assume that 0.5 cm gap is appropriate. The long shaft has about 0.5 cm play (@ uncompressed spring). 

 

The funny thing is that if search on the peugeot number 3272.91, I get 2 options for SKF shafts. I also get VKJC 8570. On the exact lengths of the shafts I find different numbers on the sites of suppliers... 
I ordered the shafts at mister-auto. The VKJC 3861 was listed to be the shortest of both. On others sites I see VKJC 8570 being listed as the shortest 309 shaft. 

 

Anyone using SKF 309 shafts on 205? Should I order the other shaft?

 

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by wicked

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Check the shape of the cone on the CV joint, I have had a couple supplied wrong from SKF/Mister Auto. The cone doesn't fit the wheel bearing properly, it won't help with your length, but if you drive the car the flange will move out of the bearing and give a lot of play after 2 or 3 miles. They've also supplied the lengths wrong. All in all a bit of a minefield.

[SweetBadger 91]

Same here, ruined a brand new wheel bearing thanks to an incorrrect outer cv cone shape on the shaft I bought from Mr Auto.

 

I also had a problem running a 309 length shaft with a 3J LSD - the diff doesn’t allow the shaft to go as far into the gearbox.

 

You want a minimum of 5mm of plunge available (ideally 10mm) when the shaft is in and suspension is compressed. Any less and the shaft will run out of travel on left hand corners, and create an awful vibration. 

[wicked 103 3 Cars]

I'm aware of the cone issue. This cv cone seems to be fine. A friend is running exact same shaft with wider ball joint wishbones and has no issue with them. 

Meanwhile I ordered the VKJC 8570 and will also check with an OEM shaft that I have on the shelf elsewhere, intended for a different car.  

[wicked 103 3 Cars]

The OEM shaft fits perfectly; 0,5cm play with uncompressed spring, just like the long shaft.

Now waiting for the VKJC 8570....

[wicked 103 3 Cars]

The VKJC 8570 does fit, seems to be 1 or 2 mm longer than the oem. 

The  VKJC 3861 has been returned.

Case closed..

[joris_andriesse 8]

On 8/29/2018 at 11:25 PM, Tom Fenton said:

Check the shape of the cone on the CV joint, I have had a couple supplied wrong from SKF/Mister Auto. The cone doesn't fit the wheel bearing properly, 

 

On 8/30/2018 at 8:33 AM, SweetBadger said:

Same here, ruined a brand new wheel bearing thanks to an incorrrect outer cv cone shape on the shaft I bought from Mr Auto.

 

Today I recieved a set of 309 SKF driveshafts. Not having my car by hand, so can't check, but looking at the cone's I'm afraid I have got delivered 1 wrong one (the one on the right side).
What do you guy's think?
 

[SRDT 146]

Peugeot had three different grades of 309 driveshafts that could fit with a BE gearbox and big hubs.

Low grade for the XUD9/XU5, medium for >105-115hp/XUD7T and the strong ones for the GTI/GTI16. In the end they only used the strong ones so part numbers can be a bit confusing.

Maybe both can fit on your car but that doesn't mean they are the right ones for a GTI.

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

The issue is that cone. That contacts the wheel bearing. Not sure what you are looking at.

[joris_andriesse 8]

1 minute ago, Tom Fenton said:

The issue is that cone. That contacts the wheel bearing. 

 

Check. Those seem to be the same, the rest is of both 'heads' is different.
The amount of splines is also oke, 25 on wheel side and 24 on gearbox side.

Any idea what the lenght of both shafts should be and how to measure that (whole shaft, or for example not the thread which goes true the wheel hub)?
 

 

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

FWIW, from my records 309 shafts are 850/610mm long/short, versus 840/600mm

Plunge needs to be between 6 and 20mm when fitted and shafts somewhat-level - any more than 20 and they're too short and likely to pop out on full extension/twist (so I was always told!)