J & R Drive shafts are they any good?

[Silvermetis 6]

J&R sell a pair of new replacement drive shafts for £73.98 which seems too good to be true.

Has anyone any experience of their products?

The company has been trading for 20 years and does not have a single bad review.

IS a pair of new drive shafts at less than £75 a bargain!!

[Tom Fenton 1,562]

You get what you pay for, I fitted a pair of J&R shafts on a standard road car, one inner joint displayed wear and started a knock on and off the power after about 7000 miles. For £40 I fitted another one. The "SKF" ones available are made in China and are trading on the good name of SKF, I don't think they are any better than anything else.

[Silvermetis 6]

Hi Tom,

 

Thanks for your prompt reply.

 

I have a 205GTi 1.6 which I have owned since 1991 it is a 1989 model with the drive shafts that require special tools to dismantle unlike many other 205's.

The car has been in dry storage for the last 20 years and I am getting it back on the road. The cars done 90,000 miles the drive shafts are both original and both have had boots replaced with original parts. The offside was damaged and I replaced it with one of the "stretchy boots" but this failed after about a year. Hence my concern about the "stretchy boots"

I have written to J and R to ask whether their drive shafts require special tools to dismantle as I would much prefer using the authentic shaped originals.

 

I will let you know their response.

[welshpug 1,679]

1.6 shafts dont need any tools specifically tailored, you would use exactly the same tools as you would with a 1.9 or a base model.

 

infact the outer joint is the same as every base model, a non removable tripod style, which neccesitates removal of the inner joint to slip on a new outer boot, nothing special or tricky.

 

I would get a fresh good quality boot and refresh the original shafts, unless it has been run dry they do last a very long time.

 

I've fitted a couple of SKF shafts on vw's recently, the inner boot did not last on one and it was impossible to separate the outer joint, fitted a Complete shaft instead frustratingly.

[Silvermetis 6]

Hi,

 

When I originally replaced the drive shaft outer boots I had two pug 205's and replaced the drive shaft boots at the same time.  On one the the job was straight forward as you stated and no special tools were required just a bit of patience rolling back the drive shaft cover peen and taking the unit apart but on the other one I could not separate the joint, so I took it to local specialist who did the job for me.

 

The Hayes manual states " on GTi models special tools are required" from other posts it appears this is not entirely true as some GTi's apparently have dismantlable drive shafts.  

 

I have owned the car since virtually new so the drive shafts are original equipment. 

[welshpug 1,679]

1.9 has a more common 6 ball outer joint which can be removed easily.

[Silvermetis 6]

Hi,

 

Thanks Mei and Tony for all your help it was most appreciated.

I contacted J&R they claim their driveshafts are dismantleable so you could replace the "stretchy boot" with a standard unit for authencity or if it fails.

As a long shot I looked at part suppliers, Eurocarparts are selling the right hand drive shaft assembly discounted to £21.49 (80% discount) the part number is 654545161

The shafts have ABS 90 teeth - Bendix system rings which apparently is little used. As I do not have ABS it is not an issue.

 

Needless to say I ordered one. - Problem solved!

 

 

[welshpug 1,679]

abs shafts will not fit a 1.6, abs cars all used 1.9 hubs.

[petert 616]

If I owned a 1.6 again, I would upgrade to 1.9 shafts. So much better.

[Tom Fenton 1,562]

3 minutes ago, petert said:

If I owned a 1.6 again, I would upgrade to 1.9 shafts. So much better.

I agree the 1900 shafts are better, but the 1600 stuff is fine on a standard 1600 car. The bigger issue trying to change to 1900 stuff is the availability of the uprights now, they are getting thin on the ground. The car also wouldn't be quite right with the different offset from the 1900 stuff compared to 1600. For a rally car yes I'd look to change without question. For a road car, not worth it.

[Silvermetis 6]

Hi,

I wonder if one of you could enlighten me regarding the differences between 1.6 and 1.9 drive shafts?

I have looked at the drawings of each and both are exactly the same length and have exactly the same splines at each end.

I understand the 1.9's are slightly larger diameter and could well have different CVJ under the boots, the original peugeot 1.9 shafts had 2 etched rings part way down the shaft for identification.

I am sure the hubs are different as the uprights differ. Hubs for cars fitted ABS have provision for the sensor, which was mostly late 1.9's as it would appear very 1.6's were fitted with ABS.

I was originally told the all 1.6 GTi CVJ were easily dismantleable but this is definitely not the case, so I am beginning to doubt what I read and an told.

Can some tell me the diameter of the 1.9 shafts as that seems to be the easiest way of identifying them - the shaft diameter of my LHS shaft is 25.2 mm.

All parts are original spec I can be sure of that as I have owned the car since 1991.

[SRDT 199]

1 hour ago, Silvermetis said:

I have looked at the drawings of each and both are exactly the same length and have exactly the same splines at each end.

The "1.9" is bigger on the wheel side, Ø82mm bearings vs Ø72mm for other 205.

[welshpug 1,679]

the spline in the drive flange is the main difference, the hub nut a dead giveaway.

 

base model, rallye,  diesel and 1.6 gti all have an M20 staked nut, 30mm, 21 splined

 

1.9 gti and any abs model have an M24 threaded 35mm nut, with a castellated cover and an R clip, the spline diameter is larger and has 25 splines.

 

though some aftermarket shafts were a staked nut.

 

1.9 cti and 1.9 auto used 1.6 shafts and hubs.

[petert 616]

The biggest gain is that replacement 1.9 CV joints are readily available and easily replaceable, as they're shared with 405's, 306's etc.

[Silvermetis 6]

Hi everyone,

 

Picked up the bargain RH driveshaft from euro car parts It is definitely the 1.6 version its got 21 splines, M20x1.5 thread and 30mm nut, it has been has been machined near the wheel side boot to accept an ABS ring but it is not fitted other than that it is identical to a standard 1.6 driveshaft. At £21.49 with a 2 year warranty it was cheaper than buying all the parts to refurbish the existing one.

The shaft is Q driveshaft would I was told was Euro car parts premier part range.

I have got them looking for a clearance LH shaft failing that I will buy one from GSF at £74.