XC70 rattly driveshaft?
 

Morning People,

After investigating a front suspension knock / rattle on my ’54 2.5T auto I seem to have traced it back to the driver side drive shaft, it has maybe 3mm of lengthways travel with a sharp knock when it reaches either end of the said travel, I checked the passenger side, this had the same travel but no knock, it seems to have a springy pull towards the gearbox.

I have checked the drive shaft bolt by removing the wheel centre cap and this is tight, there is no axle ping, no knocking then at full lock (I have to do a u turn every day driving to work and can hear nothing). The noise sounds like something loose and doesn’t relate to suspension movement ie when hitting a bump or rebounding, it sounds like something loose and jiggling the drive shaft in and out seems to replicate this noise, it sounds very much like the brake pads would if they had no anti rattle springs. If I open the window I can’t hear the noise from outside, it can only be heard inside and is fairly loud unlike rattly pads that can be heard outside but not in.

Coincidently this noise started shortly after changing the front springs, the car was mot’d directly after this, the mot station used a shaking table type ramp to fully exercise the suspension with no advises other than the bushes are starting to show their age, the tires seem to be wearing normally.

However I’ve jacked the car up and given all the components a severe wiggle, ie, wheel in all directions to check for track rod end and lower ball joint, wiggled the spring including the top to check the swivel plate which I thought was at fault, the drop links and anti roll bar all of which seem fine. The rubber cushion also looks to be in good shape with the spring seated correctly.

Soo I think my question is, has anyone had a similar drive shaft rattle, and if so how fixed or am I barking up the wrong tree, I believe the suspension is very similar to other models of Volvo so I would be surprised if no one has had this. I forgot to check the drive shaft gaiters although I would not expect them to have any influence on end float and as I said the car was mot’d just before the rattle started / was noticed.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

I have a good one from my 02 xc that I changed for a noise that proved not to be the shaft.
If I get chance I'll check mine out for you, unless someone else is able to oblige first.

I wonder if the driveshaft got partially removed from the inner CV, when the springs were done, causing it to partially collapse. That'll do it

Thanks martinrpeachey that does sound quite feasible, the play has to be within the outer cv joint, I was very careful not to ever extend the drive shaft when changing the springs as I once dislocated a driveshaft when changing a ball joint ( the passenger side). I wonder if the cv boot would normally put some resistance on the cv joint and prevent rattling? I might have a quick grope at it tonight to see if it has split and the mot might have missed it. that boot is bound to be the original so will have done over 140K.

Thanks pacman67 that would be fantastic if you could, failing that I might have to nip out under the cover of darkness and have a grope at a few peoples driveshaft's.

A bumb for this thread as I seem to have the same problem, I think :).

On my 2002 S60 D5 I have replaced my full front suspension (apart from the wishbones which are alright on the bushings) but still I get a knocking when going from forward to reverse, as if there is play in my splines.

However there is no play in the splines, but both left & righthand driveshaft can be move along it's axis for around 3mm (so move to/from engine).

It makes a steel on steel sound when hitting it's extremities, and I think is the culprit of making a one/2 times knocking sound when steering 60-100% and from reversing to forward.

I realize there should be play in the driveshaft to aborb any movement from the wheel up/down, but it seems to be 'loose' on both outer & inner CV and therefore 'floating' between to C.V.'s

Sound isn't replicated when keep going reversing or going forward or pulling torque with hand brake engaged.

Boots of the c.v. seem to be fine (no leaks), no play in rotating sense and both center hub bolts are nicely tightened.

Could a lack of grease in the C.V. cause this knocking sound, as it doesn't absorb/dampens the movement/play of the driveshaft? And if so, what is the easiest way to repack it with grease, or more worthwhile to get a secondhanded?

Should the driveshaft actually be moving when weight on wheels? Or should it be without any play on inner or outer joint (so fixed on either side, to prevent 'floating' behavior)?

It's driving me mad as it makes a nice car sound cheap as a Dacia Duster.

If u locks mole grip to shaft and try to rotate for and back, there is normally no real play.

The boots are made from santoprene and work for the life of the car

As I tried to explain, there is no play if I rotate the driveshaft, but there is play if I move the shaft along it's centerline, so from one end to the other end....

Looking at video's dissambling C.V. I think there should be play on the inside end (taking up slack from wheel going up/down) but no play on the outer end (wheel side).

Probably I will soon try to enforce the wheel spline end back onto the driveshaft to see if that cancels the play.