new GKN driveshaft looks used? confused.. OEM?

I apologize for also posting elsewhere, but I am in desperate need of help. I don't know of any VW experts in my area.

Today I received what I thought would be new GKN drive shafts for both left and right DSG on my 2006 Jetta BRM MKV. However when I examine the splines, the drivers side spline looks new, and the passenger side spline looks worn.


https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gdlVjePSgxYHCYUFAOTmMF9wRFlQ1tH-
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1atA_rMQVHOvJweYIB_Fe2ihG_HNclozl
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Vn1HlGG0UHANOe97XaFoCh79J1lDnnMw
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EdFFas05DgTVY54AcwQMfknifcGgCUe2


I really am at a loss - I understand there is a business of re-manufacturing axles, but I thought GKN did not do this? Are all axles re-manufactured from GKN for this particular model car and it's just luck of the draw as to how worn the splines will be when you get it? I paid a lot for these - double the price of OE complete axle assembly. Can anyone help me understand? I was even able to rub off some of the paint on the boot on drivers side axle, which is really weird, in my opinion. You can see the little bald spot in the picture. Another weird thing is that one axle is stamped GKN at the base plate and the other just looks like it's been painted over a couple times - there is no marking on it.



Please help me understand what is going on.

thank you!

Was there a core charge? i.e, are they expecting an axle from you?
Who was the vendor?

That is how they look, I've put hundreds of those in, no problems.

JETaah said:

Was there a core charge? i.e, are they expecting an axle from you?
Who was the vendor?

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These are sold as new without any need for sending in my old cores. I checked some big suppliers of these in Europe and they all say GKN axles are not re-manufactured - they are new. Nothing is re-used. They are not re-built using old cores.


Really tough for me to believe GKN would make one spline look so nice and another look like it was ripped off an existing wheel bearing. I'm not a professional mechanic but I've worked fine metals with a file by hand and I can tell you I can file a spline that looks better than the one in my pic. From my limited experience, one of the splines to me looks worn and used. Closer inspection shows that the unit may had landed hard on it's spline, denting it. I have no idea.


And considering there is a 20% restocking fee involved, this is going to hurt my pocket. Nobody called me back when they said they would. Nobody responded to my emails with attached pictures. Thinking of heading over today and just return them.

oilhammer said:

That is how they look, I've put hundreds of those in, no problems.

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When I look at the bad spline head on, it's actually out of round to me. Thicker in some places than other. Almost looks as if the whole unit was dropped right onto the spline. End of box shows some real deep indents too.


Again, I compare the splines.... one looks perfectly round, well made. Other looks out of round and dented on edges.


I give up. I don't have enough experience with these parts myself. But if you say they all look like that, then maybe they do.


What I don't understand is why GKN would put a driveaxle in a box with absolutely no protection at the spline end. My box was dropped on end for sure based on the imprints the spline made on the box end. Makes no sense. This could just be a shipping issue and not an issue of the parts supplier. They told me all the GKN axles are shipped like that, just loose in the box.

I have had a lot of stuff damaged from shipping, but never one of those... although I have had some rough looking boxes.

If there is an issue with the splines engaging, then ask the seller for a new one.

oilhammer said:

I have had a lot of stuff damaged from shipping, but never one of those... although I have had some rough looking boxes.

If there is an issue with the splines engaging, then ask the seller for a new one.

Click to expand...

not round... thicker and thinner in some places... like the hole is not centered, rough drilling like it was by hand or a dull tool.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pb4ylQTfWnxU8ENSYvWuFHh1GF_4ojIu


round... as I expect a machined part to look
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1y_58vUAaNyDtSgNKfKAMRTxXsf0UaesG


Thanks for your input

So they replaced the unit with another one today... spine on this one looks great, no sign of being used. However now when I flex the boot I feel the bearings inside grinding. Looks like either not enough grease or something wrong with the bearings inside.


I can't win.


It's the same grinding you get when you over tighten bicycle bearings, so I'm very familiar with that "feeling" and sound.


Nice splines on this one, but noisy CV joint



https://drive.google.com/open?id=112l97X7z3E405WskxC87jUo5IalC153N

I recently replaced my axles by sending mine to http://www.cvaxles.com for repair. They replaced worn parts on my axles and sent them back to me. These seemed very stiff to me, and although I would not call the stiffness a grind, they did not move as freely as I would have expected, so I called them for an explanation. The explanation was that new joints have a small break in period, and what I was observing in the new joints was normal.

sptsailing said:

I recently replaced my axles by sending mine to http://www.cvaxles.com for repair. They replaced worn parts on my axles and sent them back to me. These seemed very stiff to me, and although I would not call the stiffness a grind, they did not move as freely as I would have expected, so I called them for an explanation. The explanation was that new joints have a small break in period, and what I was observing in the new joints was normal.

Click to expand...

thanks for the info... but I am certain I can feel the ball bearings grinding against each other.... not stiff at all.... like there is no grease in it.... something is definately wrong..... from the GKN website troubeshooting section they say there should be absolutely no binding or grinding of the joint. I can hear it AND feel it.



The one I returned did not have this grinding in the joint. That one felt like it was properly put together with plenty of grease and was reasonably stiff as I moved it about.

I suggest sending your old axles to http://www.cvaxles.com for rebuilding, as I have found the rebuilt axles to be performing well with no problems.

Seems like the vendor should be making this right....again. Is the vendor reputable?

mnbrown25 said:

Seems like the vendor should be making this right....again. Is the vendor reputable?

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I'm going to try and contact GKN in the UK or Europe and see what they say. I sent an email already but not sure if it was the right person. They should know their own product.



Around here at least, the shops just put in whatever arrives at their door and you wonder why they only provide 90 days warranty on their work. Nobody really cares anymore about good work. Even VW doesn't stand by their customers, and the dealerships are no better. It's a ping pong match between the two when you have issues. Really completely useless because you spend so much of your time going back and forth and on the phone *****ing and complaining that you waste your life away trying to get them to fix anything properly... and they know that... hence their policy and the runaround between customer service and the dealers. Das Auto. Yeah right. I just want to fix the car properly and to do that I have to do it myself. There is no other way. I can't count how many times I brought the car in to fix one thing and 3 months later something else goes wrong. They fix what needs fixing now, and let everything else go.... of course you will come back and waste your life away at the dealership waiting in the waiting room. Drives me nuts. I really had enough of local mechanics. I don't blame them. Time is money... to replace everything that "might" go bad, would cost thousands of dollars in labor. Nobody does that. The real blame goes to VW for touting such an amazing car, yet not telling us about the over engineering and poor engineering of the DMF, and the camshaft, to name but a few major issues. It's ridiculous.. of course it's not just VW.... when Ford redesigned their engines and air intake with their Eco Boost garbage, all their early trucks would just lose power in high humidity environments. I don't think the problem has been fixed. It requires a trip the dealer and they take everything apart and clean the whole shebang.... a nice $600 to $800 repair. Then 2 years later you come back for the same issue. Ask me how I know.



I question something as small as a brand new CV joint making grinding noises before its even been installed and driven. I don't believe for one minute that there is a "break in" period for a CV axle and the noise will somehow magically go away on it's own. Yeah right. I think it will get louder under load.



The vendor seems pretty good so far, I just don't think they are aware or care very much about parts that may not be up to proper standards sitting in their stock. They sells 1000's of parts, so I am just a spit in the bucket. I really think the issue is with GKN and their quality control and letting some assemblies slide by without testing. Who knows. It's a huge market. Maybe I just have no luck or there is a bad batch of them in the local warehouse.


I thought GKN was supposed to be the best and closest thing to original. So far I am not that impressed. Looks as if I would have to literally drive to the warehouse, go up on a step ladder and go through 3 or 4 boxes until I find one that doesn't have a damaged spline or a grind in the CV bearings. I should not have to do that. A bearing is either smooth or it's not. Not greased enough will damage them and they will grind. Ball bearings not up to spec, same problem. Over tightening or under tightening with too much play also a problem. There are too many ways it can go wrong. Should not be my job to check for this.



I don't have a lot of choices because practically every vendor has a strict RMA policy and 20% restocking fee. It's not like going to Walmart or Bestbuy and saying this thing doesn't work when I plug it in.



That's why I think getting in touch with GKN will help more than trying to keep doing RMA's with the vendor. Such a colossal waste of time.


I wish sometimes all cars would just go away on this planet and we rode horse and buggy again. I'd rather deal with horse manure all over the streets than deal with this.

Admiral Nelson rum is a pretty good brand that might be helpful in this case. I mix it with water to make grog. British sailors' pay included a pint of rum per day.

sptsailing said:

Admiral Nelson rum is a pretty good brand that might be helpful in this case. I mix it with water to make grog. British sailors' pay included a pint of rum per day.

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Yeah, did that already. Many times.



Doesn't help. Only postpones reality.



World just doesn't measure up to my standards. Everything revolves around money, and that's the sad part.



Can you tell I'm a pessimist.

I just did my drivers side DSG axle and FAG wheel bearing quieted car down and smoothed steering while turning. The box I got from IDparts.com was still intact not damaged and the axle looked great. There was a plastic protector cap stuck in the bolt hole. The CV boots are the difference as well, the clamps were better design as well. The biggest difference between the GNK and the Chinese is I twisted the axle and held the other end..the GNK had NO twisting movement at all, the Chinese had slop in it and actually twisted a good bit before going rigid. Well worth the money..