Are all MK1 TT and S3 driveshafts the same?

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Bad Sir Culation

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Before I pull the trigger on one on ebay!

I need a new gaiter and a new inner CV joint, so seems easier to just buy a complete used driveshaft for now.
 
Not exactly no... the 'shaft' is but the joints aren't... early ones uses a nut to secure the outer CV to the hub, later ones use a bolt... I believe the hubs are different too (not really paid too much attention to one to confirm) as the bolt type have a tapered seat

<tuffty/>
 
Will be fairly obvious...

Here is a pic of mine... I have the bolt type... its identified by the 17mm allen key type end...
20100906_IMAG0105.jpg


The other tyoe has a nut instead so the end has a threaded bit on it

IMG_2732.sized.jpg


<tuffty/>
 
Been outside to have a look and mine look as though the driver side is much thicker than the passenger side. Is that normal?

Right, as far as the ends go, because I have no centre caps on the wheels just now, I can see they are attached to the hub via a large nut and just have a circular indent in the very middle. No big hex fitting.

Which part number would these be?
 
I'm just getting myself wound up and more confused now.

Part number 1J0 407 272 FL doesn't show ont hat catalogue, but it does say:

1J0407452LX drive shaft with constant. drive shaft with constant; velocity joints; to use for:; right; 1J0 407 272 FQ; AJQ,APY,AMK,; AUL

Almost the same part number but FL instead of FQ? Is it possible FQ superseded FL and so they don't mention FL in their text now?

Very close to buying, just scared to make a mistake :(

EDIT: ECP sell this for just £63! Surely it would last at least a year? Or are they utter crap and I'm better off buying used OEM?
ECP part number: 654445201
 
Last edited:
Ahh yes, in that case I don't know :confused: can be a bit of a minefield finding the correct parts sometimes!
 
Personally I would just be buying a new CKN branded or OE inner joint kit from ECP/GSF or Dealer/TPS...

The cheaper joints don't really last and the boots less so... especially when running more than std power

Pattern part longevity will be subjective, OE/decent brand will be predictable

<tuffty/>
 
To be honest, I normally would, but I had a bad experience once trying to change a joint. It just wouldn't come off the shaft, no matter what I did.

That was on an old Impreza.
 
Contacted GSF, the only front inner CV they do is branded GSP??

They do a GKN rear but that's it. I'm not sure about paying 75 notes for some brand I've never heard of....
 
Rang both. TPS asked me if it was a plastic boot or rubber. Their price is £98 plus £12 surcharge as it's an exchange part.

Dealer told me plastic boot superseded rubber and it's £128 after vat and with the exchange part.

Jeez....
 
So the options as I see it are thus:

Q-drive full new driveshaft with two new joints from ECP, £63. - Not really what I'd choose if money weren't tight.

Brand new GSP inner joint from GSF for £75. - Heard bad things about these.

Used driveshaft and joints from EBay, £40. - Might be wrong one. Might last two weeks, but very cheap.

Need to decide which of these is my best way forward.
 
Bad Sir Culation said:
So the options as I see it are thus:

Q-drive full new driveshaft with two new joints from ECP, £63. - Not really what I'd choose if money weren't tight.

Brand new GSP inner joint from GSF for £75. - Heard bad things about these.

Used driveshaft and joints from EBay, £40. - Might be wrong one. Might last two weeks, but very cheap.

Need to decide which of these is my best way forward.
Click to expand...

Appreciate its a tough call dude... guess it depends on future plans for the car and how long you anticipate keeping her... obviously for me I'd go OE or GKN...

Without looking at ETKA to check I believe that the 02M joints are pretty much all the same and the part number differences are more likely for shaft length as I have a feeling 02M equipped 8L's differ depending on if its AWD or FWD (the longer fatter shaft will change here) and if its a cast arm (TT/S3... not sure if the 180 TT FWD got the cast arms) or the pressed steel ones

Worst case is that you can use the inboard joint from the second hand shaft to get you going again...

<tuffty/>
 
Cheers. Leaning towards the new Q-drive at the moment. Not ideal but hey Ho.

Only worry there is whether the driveshafts are sided. They do look different to me, but nothing on ECP says anything about it.
 
Yes 02M denotes the gearbox type, then theirs usually 3 other letters which determine the ratios inside box.
 
My brain is fried, trying to decide this in time to have the parts tomorrow.

EBay guy says his driveshaft will fit so I guess that gives me a leg to stand on if I buy and it doesn't. I'm now thinking buy that, try it, strip back the boots and service the joints, job done.

How long should a CV joint really last?
 
Bad Sir Culation said:
Cheers. Leaning towards the new Q-drive at the moment. Not ideal but hey Ho.

Only worry there is whether the driveshafts are sided. They do look different to me, but nothing on ECP says anything about it.
Click to expand...

I see what you mean... they only list one shaft but don't ellude to which side it is (other than measuring its length)

Found these... they have 100% on than an 80k feedback score so suggests they should be ok as a seller...
AUDI S3 QUATTRO 1.8 TURBO PETROL DRIVESHAFT & CV JOINT NEAR/SIDE 1999 2001 | eBay

AUDI S3 QUATTRO 1.8 TURBO PETROL DRIVESHAFT & CV JOINT OFF/SIDE 1999 2001 | eBay

Brand new and says 2yr warranty

<tuffty/>
 
Sure someone on here said they used then and they weren't great. Might have been a post from JimS3 I saw.... I did see these you see and searched them earlier. Apparently they weren't great but they refunded him no probs.....
 
Screw it, I think I'll try it.

Cheers dude.

Just out of interest, should I be looking to do the other side too? Concerned about some kind of balance being disturbed.
 
Bad Sir Culation said:
Sure someone on here said they used then and they weren't great. Might have been a post from JimS3 I saw.... I did see these you see and searched them earlier. Apparently they weren't great but they refunded him no probs.....
Click to expand...

Well... this brings the discussion full circle I reckon and leaves you (IMO) with the following choices...

Buy a genuine joint from TPS happy knowing its the correct part and won't break

Buy a secondhand shaft on the chance its not too worn, may or may not fit the car and that you may have to return it if no good or strip it down to just use the one joint if its not quite right fitment wise

Buy a pattern shaft hoping it will last more than five mins...

The old adage buy cheap buy twice probably applies here... for what its worth I used a pattern gaiter for the tutorial I linked you too above... it had lasted 6 months before cracking and binning grease everywhere... it was replaced with a used OE one that in itself has been fine but I had to use the metal piece from teh pattern part and it pops off every now and then (as seen in the pic below)
20130909_085847.jpg


This will be replaced with a genuine one before the engine goes back in

<tuffty/>
 
That's a fair point and to be frank, one I believe in very firmly after buying a "cheap S3"!

But there are two things at work here, I'm fitting new shocks and bushes before the end of the month, and don't want to pay for 2 alignments.

I don't have much spare cash with all these parts I need to buy together, and I don't get paid properly until the end of March (don't ask).

Then we have the Mrs... She suffers a chronic joint and muscle pain condition and is currently finding being back in a manual quite difficult on her back and hip at the minute, so despite all my hard work, the car may very well be up for sale once we get a full MOT on it around May.

So it's certainly a balancing act for me here. It's either pattern part with warranty or it's used part and give it a service.
 
audi upgrades
i have had a pair of J&R one on for a few weeks, nothing bad to report yet :)
 
Cheers for that, makes me happier!

I might go ahead and replace the other side too just for my own peace of mind and to make sure it's all matched. Will wait to see what this one is like first.
 
Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and S3 ownership... I have owed a few Audi's in the past... most recent being a 90 Quattro but that was some years ago now.

Anyway, I'm hoping you guys can help me... I've looked at the excellent tutorial by Tuffty and my boots appear to be the same as his.

My car is a 2000 S3 with APY engine and built date 12/99.

I'm just wanting to confirm the part number for the boots... I already bought some from ECP... the outers look ok but the inners are definitely not going to work... the upper diameter is too large. I spoke to them again and they now advise different parts for both inner and outer... the outers seem almost identical to what they already supplied and the inners don't really look like the ones fitted to my car so I don't really have confidence in what they are telling me.

Superkarl and Bazil both posted that they used 1J0 498 201E for their inners... however, this part does not look like my inners nor like Tuffty's.

Mine look most like 8N0-498-201-A as seen here:

2000 Audi TT Quattro Base Coupe - Axles, Bearings & Differential - Page 1

I don't really want to pay for another set and shipping (I'm in Sydney so it's not cheap) if they are not correct if I can avoid it.

The part numbers on my actual axle shafts are:

Driver's side (RHS) is: 8N0 407 272 E
Passenger side (LHS) is: 1J0 407 271 FD

So I'm wondering if Tuffty or somebody may be able to chime in with some advice as to whether 8N0-498-201-A is the correct part... the GKN Loebro catalogue seemed to suggest it is the correct part but it was inconclusive.

Thanks in advance for any help and I look forward to being part of your Forum... I've had a bit of a look around and it looks like you have a very nice Forum with lots of good information.

Kind regards,
Geneqco
 
audi upgrades
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