Driveshaft fun!!

Jowettdriver · 2020-08-06 08:50:05

Hi all,

Just thought i'd let you know about the issues I've been having and a word of warning that might be of help.

Ever since I got my Scudo it has had a strange rumbly vibration that was clearly wheel speed related, it tended to be quiet when first driven and then after a few miles the sounds would get slightly worse. It made noises on both acceleration as well as on the overrun. I finally got fed up with it and having noticed a small split in the inner CV boot on the drivers side I decided to have the driveshaft out and take a look while replacing the boot. I had a quick look on Euro Car Parts and found that a complete replacement drive shaft (Q Drive brand) was only £70 after their usual "sale discount" so decided i'd make my life easy and just throw a new one in.

Completed the job and took the van up the road, glorious silence!! I was well happy, all the rumbly vibration and a few other odd noises gone.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I'm towing my small caravan up to Yorkshire and I begin to notice the rumble returning, quite quiet but just audible. Bugger - so back to the drawing board I think. On returning from my break I was busy so didn't have a chance to look any deeper but the sounds got worse and worse until a couple of days ago a distinct clunk between acceleration and deceleration particularly in the lower gears started. This really started to worry me, particularly as I'm off for a weeks holiday this weekend and will be towing the caravan on a 500 mile round trip! So I take a look underneath and can't really identify anything terrible so I hit the internet and decide to see if anyone else has had this problem with ECP Q Drive driveshafts. Oh how I wished I'd done this before, I have yet to find a good review of them, the forums are littered with complaints, professional mechanics won't touch them as they never last more than a few months. One person said theirs had failed within 7 miles!!

So I ordered another driveshaft from J&R in Birmingham, excellent next day service and a two year warranty, fitted it last night and once again I have a quiet van. When I return from my holiday I will be taking the Q Drive drive shaft back to ECP for a refund.

So a word of warning, if you need a driveshaft I wouldn't touch a Q drive one if I were you!!

I will update this thread in a few months time and let you know how the J&R one is holding up!

Cheers Tim.

JohnDragonMan · 2020-08-06 23:47:33

thanks for the heads up! ive fitted J&R many times to different vehicles and never had a comeback about them. often cheaper to buy a new drive shaft from them than the cost of replacing all of the CV boots on the drive shaft!
like you say super fast chipping from them too!

glad you got it sorted!

wonder what part failed.. drivers side.. thats the long one.. hmm mine sometimes has an audible "click" when going from accelerating to decelerating. i can only assume that its in the inner CV joint.
when the boots deteriorate a bit worse i may just get completely new shafts for it.

woodbine · 2020-08-07 16:59:57

Hmm. Euro Car Parts. Got a mate who runs an independent motor factors and he says they're to be avoided. They almost put him out of business because they stole all his trade customers by offering parts at giveaway prices. Done deliberately so he couldn't compete. Anyway, before long all his customers are coming back because the ECP parts are crap and the garage's customers are having the work done again under warranty. As with everything - cheapest isn't always best.

Whenever I take my van into the garage for work I always tell them "NO ECP PARTS!!!"

kenbw2 · 2020-08-08 12:49:12

woodbine wrote:

Hmm. Euro Car Parts. Got a mate who runs an independent motor factors and he says they're to be avoided.

+1 on that

Jowettdriver · 2021-07-20 16:48:06

Hi all,

Its been more than a few months but a quick update as promised.

The J&R driveshaft has been no trouble at all. The old Scudo has done another 10000 miles since it was replaced and is still quite and smooth.
Quite a few of those miles have been towing my caravan backwards and forwards from Norwich to Wales so its given the driveshafts a work out. I have to say the Scudo is probably the best towcar I've ever owned, it effortlessly tows my caravan that weighs just over a tonne and returns between 32 and 34 mpg while doing it!!

Cheers Tim.

kenbw2 · 2021-07-20 18:34:21

Jowettdriver wrote:

Quite a few of those miles have been towing my caravan backwards and forwards

Hopefully most of those miles have been driving the caravan forwards big_smile

cliffo · 2021-07-20 19:09:54

kenbw2 wrote:

Jowettdriver wrote:
Quite a few of those miles have been towing my caravan backwards and forwards
Hopefully most of those miles have been driving the caravan forwards

That's what I was thinking! :-D

Pathfinder100 · 2021-07-20 20:33:20

A mechanic I use said they bought Lucas and now they make Lucas starter motors, even though Lucas hasnt made starter motors since 2001. The only thing to use ECP for is filters and lubricants. Actual car parts, not a chance and especially nothing that is core to the van, like driveshafts, timing belts, etc.

The same mechanic says all the ebay parts are made of chocolate, but i've been fitting them to my cars and bikes for years and not had any issues. Just do your research thoroughly before getting them.

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#1 2020-08-06 08:50:05

Driveshaft fun!!

#2 2020-08-06 23:47:33

Re: Driveshaft fun!!

#3 2020-08-07 16:59:57

Re: Driveshaft fun!!

#4 2020-08-08 12:49:12

Re: Driveshaft fun!!

#5 2021-07-20 16:48:06

Re: Driveshaft fun!!

#6 2021-07-20 18:34:21

Re: Driveshaft fun!!

#7 2021-07-20 19:09:54

Re: Driveshaft fun!!

#8 2021-07-20 20:33:20

Re: Driveshaft fun!!

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