Scirocco Register

Alright fellas, i need to know if anyone has had to carry out any other modification to their running gear after lowering their Scirocco. I've lowered mine on coilovers and i'm sure its only gone down by about 40mm. How ever its started making a noise when driving which got louder and quicker the faster you go. Sent it up on the MOT/4 post ramp at work and one of the lads noticed the driveshafts were at a ridiculous angle to what they should be. In stead of the coming down from gearbox the hub they were either straight to the ground (OS) or going in and upwards direction (NS). The NS drive shaft had travelled so far the CV joint was pushed all the way in and had no free play at all as the other one still did. so it had crushed the driveshaft to its shortest possible length.

So basically I would like to know if anyone had done anything to stop this happeneing? Either change for different shorter driveshaft or just kept changing for originals and lived with just because you love your scirocco that much.

cheer Sam

is it possible that warn bushings and other warn parts causing it?

Lowering will always upset the geometry and the driveshaft angle. However, I've had cars lowered 100mm and haven't had that particular issue - I think you're problem may have been already there and the lowering exacerbated it.

The only way to maintain the driveshaft angle when lowering is to fit a balljoint spacer - not cheap though - anything from 100 to 200 GBP if you can find them.

check wheel bearings & driveshaft joints

check brakes not worn out

smallan wrote:the driveshafts were at a ridiculous angle to what they should be. In stead of the coming down from gearbox the hub they were either straight to the ground (OS) or going in and upwards direction (NS).

Umm that difference between O/S and N/S would have me worried.
Whilst I cannot offer any concrete advice, I can say I had mine lowered by 40mm at the front (not coil overs though) and my shafts look equal and OK angle wise.

Sorry to state the obvious but summat ain't right and if it was my car I would get it checked and sorted ASAP !
Who fitted the Coil Overs ? = Get them to look at it ( unless you fitted them )

Sounds obvious, but I'm wondering whether the coilovers are a match for the car actually. What make/model did you fit?

smallan wrote:the driveshafts were at a ridiculous angle to what they should be. In stead of the coming down from gearbox the hub they were either straight to the ground (OS) or going in and upwards direction (NS).

just re-read this. if i've read it right this time then the one driveshaft slopes up from the 'box to the hub, and the other slopes down from the box to the hub?

if so, this is going to be one of several things:

1] when fitted, the 2 sides weren't adjusted the same, and the car is leaning like an italian cruise ship. i'm assuming you would have noticed this though

2] broken spring

3] topmount collapsed

4] wishbone bush fallen out, knackered, whatever, or the bolt at the front has come out

5] wishbone badly bent

6] camber bolt loose or missing

7] some other horrific mechanical failure.

if you look at the front of the car from a way off, is it sat properly on the road, or does it look drunk? are both front wheels looking more or less upright?

i would suggest that it probably isn't safe to drive until sorted

ghost123uk wrote: Umm that difference between O/S and N/S would have me worried. Sorry to state the obvious but summat ain't right and if it was my car I would get it checked and sorted ASAP !
)

Nate wrote: i would suggest that it probably isn't safe to drive until sorted

Agreed !

any news on this one? if not, and chance of some photos? might help us figure out what's wrong

Sorry guys had a busy weekend and haven't had a chance to look at the car.

Id previously checked all wheel bearing and there were nothing coming from them, noises or feel.
The difference in angles of the drive shafts isn't massive but enough to be seen by eye. I'll try and get pics before I adjust it.

I'm gunna raise the ride height up abit this week to ease the stress on the drive shaft until I can source one for a decent price. To be honest I think Mr.brown might be right as I've changed lots of parts on this car since I've had and think that lowering has just finished the driveshaft off for good.

As for other suggestions. I'd set the camber right, checked the height of each corner after I'd fitted the coilovers making sure they were all about the same give or take a couple of mm.

Only other thing o could think of is that I've fitted a new gearbox as I messed mine up and the one I put it was out of a Mk2 Golf with same engine. Could that be a cause of the problem.

Sam

smallan wrote: Only other thing o could think of is that I've fitted a new gearbox as I messed mine up and the one I put it was out of a Mk2 Golf with same engine. Could that be a cause of the problem.
Sam

In a word, no. My engine and box were both from a mk2 golf and went in a treat.

Cool, well that ruled that one out.

Only way I'm gunna be able to tell is if I get another drive shaft and see if it is actually causing the noise. Anyone got a NS driveshaft lying about I could buy or have to try if I was to be Cheeky.

smallan wrote:Only other thing o could think of is that I've fitted a new gearbox as I messed mine up and the one I put it was out of a Mk2 Golf with same engine. Could that be a cause of the problem.

Sam

Have you double checked the drive shaft flange bolts are done up to the right torque setting? Could be making a noise?

Aren't Mk2 Golf driveshafts about 10mm longer than Mk2 Scirocco? Could one of those have been fitted along with a gearbox? (the engine and gearboxes being interchangeable with the correct mounts)

I used the same driveshafts mate. I might have found a set of driveshafts on here from someone who its breaking the same model and year as mine. So hopefully we'll find out if the driveshafts are the problem.

All work done is either by myself or other lads who i work with that i trust and know what they are doing.