Hi all

This guide attempts to show you how to go about changing a driveshaft on the GTi6. I do the long (offside) shaft and this also shows you all you need to do the other one which is marginally easier!

While I did this I also changed the lower engine mount bush and replaced the speedo drive housing as mine was damaged and I also breifly outline these jobs too.

SAFETY:

Before you start have a think about the risks and work slowly and methodically. The greatest danger is jacking up the car - get this wrong and you could easily wreck your motor and\or kill yourself! This isnt being dramatic.

WARNING:

I accept NO RESPONSIBILITY for anything anyone does apart from myself, this includes what happens to you or your car if you follow this guide.

TOOLS:

You will need hammer, chisels\punches, socket set, breaker bar\extension tube, screwdriver\crowbar and spanner set as well as at least one good trolly jack and 2 axel stands. Other stuff may help you or be needed if things dont go smoothly such as dremel, angle grinder, drill, coil spring compressors etc etc!!

bud_205 has attached the following image:

Now time to jack up the car and support it on axel stands.

*Slide trolly jack under the car from the front and raise the saddle untill it contacts the rear-central part of the subframe.
*Chock the rear wheels.
*Jack the car up slowly and carefully - you must not be under it at all when doing this!
*When it is high enough slip the axel stands under the sill jacking points (one each side - same height).
* lower the car onto the stands.
* remove the trolly jack.

Optional but recomended!
* take the trolly jack round to the side of the car and slide it back under to the same point on the subframe.
* raise the jack till it just makes contact but does not take any weight - this is for safety.

bud_205 has attached the following image:

Loosen the retaining nuts on the bolts on the engine mount housing for the driveshaft intermediate bearing that hold the bearing in the housing. Do not undo them fully, just enough to rotate them 180 degrees then nip them tight to prevent them turning. This allows the IB (and therefore DS) to be removed from the housing.

This is what you are aiming for - obviously this is with the DS removed for clarity.

bud_205 has attached the following image:

This is one of the tricky bits

Seperate the wishbone balljoint from the hub:

* Remove the hub nut.
* Drive a chisel into the back of the clamp to open it up, be very careful not to damage the rubber boot on the WB ball joint!
* using a strong screwdriver or crowbar prize the wishbone down and out of the clamp. Again be very careful not to damage the rubber boot on the WB ball joint!

Note:

This is often easier said than done so here are a few tips:
* Sometimes coil spring compressors help as the wishbone isnt angled down as much.
*wiggle the hub around a lot.
* If all else fails you can remove the three bolts holding the balljoint to the wishbone.

Remove the driveshaft from the car:

In practice the driveshaft will be stuck by the IB into the housing. To free it take a chisel and a (possibly big) hammer (remember eye protection) and whack it on the collar shown in the arrow repeatedly until you get it free.

Bear in mind:
* Make sure the retaining bolts are totally out of the way - if in doubt just take the nuts right off.
*You can hit the drive shaft as hard as you want on the collar, it wont even damage it BUT if you start wacking the chisel into the alloy housing you could easily damage this expensive (£80) part.

bud_205 has attached the following image:

OPTIONAL STEP TO CHANGE LOWER ENGINE MOUNT BUSH

Remove the bolt that passes through the mount and then the 4 bolts that hold the mounting housing to the car.

Finally there are 2 pins on either side holding it on so carefully lever it off these.

Take the mount housing with a new bush to a friendly local garage and get them to press the old one out and the new one in - cost me a tenner - well worth it imo. Make sure you remove the IB securing bolts before you give the garage the mount as they are bound to lose\bend them!!

Once this is done clean the mount up where the IB sits (I use petrol with a paintbrush) and put it back on the car, replace any nuts and bolts you arent happy with the condition of.

Engine mount bush: 180921

bud_205 has attached the following image:

OPTIONAL STEP TO CHANGE SPEEDO DRIVE CASING

* Reassable the sensor complete with 'coggy bit' into the new housing.
* slot large driven plastic cog into the twoslots on the gearbox.
* Using a new rubber seal attach the new housing assembly with the 3 bolts.
*Plug the connector back in.

(306 haynes manual covers this job for some extra pics)

PARTS:
Housing - 222816
Seal - 221223

bud_205 has attached the following image:

Now to put the new driveshaft back in...

* Grease the splines both ends and the IB.
* Slide the gearbox end thru the IB housing and into the GB being careful not to damage the seal.
* locate the IB in the housing
* Tighten the screws to hold the IB in place.
* manipulate the hub\wishbone drivshaft and get the hub end of the driveshaft into the hub.
* get the wishbone back into the hub clamp.
* put the hub nut back on and tighten it with a ratchet until it becomes hard cos the disc is turning - no need to go mad.
* Put the old clamp bolt back in and tighten it ensuring the wishbone is sitting correctly in the clamp (look at the other side if you cant remember) - this pulls the clamp back together which strains the bolt quite a bit.
* Take out the old clamp bolt and put a new one in and tighten.

Drive shaft 32731h
Clamp nut and bolt 692396, 362230