24 replies to this topic

[GraemeC]

I've had a couple too - pain in the ar$e but at least the pot joints tend to come of the output shaft easily!

[tiger99]

Well, I have been lucky, or all my pots came from the better manufacturer. I think there were at least 3 companies making them at one stage.

 

Suggestion which may prove useful: Probably, they could be cleaned out thoroughly and plugged up with epoxy or similar, if there was the slightest doubt about the original seal.

[GraemeC]

The welch plug, which seals off the end of the splines after the are broached, also acts as a thrust face for the spider - I suspect that is why some fail as they aren't up to the job, deform and come loose.

Epoxy wouldn't be a good fix here.

[Spider]

I've found a few that leaked where from the plug being deformed by the gorilla who fitted the joint at some point seemingly feeling the need to bash them on with the drive shaft or something else.

[tiger99]

The spider NEVER contacts the plug in normal operation. Only when someone is forcibly using the shaft to fit the pot to the diff, as Mike Spider says.

[dsgoody]

Thanks for all the input guys.

 

I've drained the oil and put the car in the air this evening. Got underneath and noticed the following;

• The drivers side pot joint has a coating of oil but the diff side plate is bone dry. Perhaps it's coming from the inside; will pull the boot back and check in a few days. Else; I will assume it's some stray oil from the other leaks.
• The rod change seal was hanging out loose despite being fitted fine. I'm going to refit it with a bit of RTV around the outside to keep it held in.
• The passenger side pot joint is soaking along with the diff side plate. It looks like it's thrown oil everywhere.... This is the side that is going to be changed.

Forgot to check the half moon.......

 

Dave

[nicklouse]

 

• The drivers side pot joint has a coating of oil but the diff side plate is bone dry. Perhaps it's coming from the inside; will pull the boot back and check in a few days. Else; I will assume it's some stray oil from the other leaks.

no idea what you mean by INSIDE there is no oil inside the inner CV. it can only be the seal.

[tiger99]

Yes there is, if the internal seal (Welch plug) is leaking. It leaks through from the diff, around the splines.

[nicklouse]

Yes there is, if the internal seal (Welch plug) is leaking. It leaks through from the diff, around the splines.

but there is no Oil in the CVs just grease.

[tiger99]

Not if oil is leaking into them from the diff, which does happen sometimes. There is nothing to prevent it apart from the welch plug, as the involute splines are not sealed. It used to be fairly common to find a disgustingly black and messy mixture of Molybentone grease and engine oil oozing out from under the rubber boot.

However pots from later cars or maybe a different manufacturer seem to have better sealing arrangements and it is not as common as it once was. That may change, depending on who is making the pots nowadays. Some people add some epoxy to make a hopefully better seal.