Nova GSi C20XE , what driveshafts to use ?

[uh60]

Hi, guys, I bought another Nova GSi but it already had a XE in it with the big CV Joints and cut and welded driveshafts. I was going out to the countryside with some friends with full luggage and as soon as we got the 4th guy in the car, it started making horrible noises from the front end like it was hitting something. I could also feel it at the gear knob as well. I pulled over and got them out and took the car back to my place and it stopped doing it immediately.

My Idea is that if the driveshafts are cut and welded at the wrong size, when the car gets lower it starts to put pressure on the CV Joints and I am thinking it is one of the inner ones.

Now I have to switch the suspension from Front FK Yellow dampers and red springs to GAZ Coilovers as I already have them sitting in my garage, so my question was I fit them, would not it re-create the same problem as the car has been lowered running the GAZ ?

I also have another GSi shafts and GSi hubs all standard with inner CV Joints from 1.6 Astra Diesel but I have been told they will not last at all because of the astra CV Joints.

Thank you

[bazzap8389]

Welded shafts seem pretty cowboy to me tbh, I'd replace with a proper set of conversion shafts. You can get them at lmf I think.

[uh60]

Yep, that's true but I just don't know if I will stumble onto the same problem, would be quite stupid to spend a lot on driveshafts and then find out that they do not suit the lowered car.

[mk1nova_rich]

Can't you just try fitting the spare GSi shafts that you have? The Astra CVs will be fine...unless you drive like a cnut everywhere lol

[uh60]

I rarely give it much gas, quite sensible as a driver as Novas here are really rare, we have about 10 GSi's in the whole country 2 of which are mine :D My friends who tend to break them drive them on 16s and 17s so I think this might be the reason why. I will use it on track days and with 15s and then I will switch to 13s so I think it should not load them that much once I get used to the car.

Cheers

[Iain]

There's absolutely no reason to run welded shafts on these. You don't know what length they are or how well they've been done (sleeved, straightness, balance etc). Proper shafts are easily available, either 22 spline for standard outers or LMF etc for big block outers. It's worth changing them for peace of mind.

[uh60]

Wait, do I understand correctly, there are available aftermarket shafts for Standard GSi hubs, outer CVs and big block engine gearbox inner CVs ? That sounds pretty good to me.

[Iain]

Choices are:

1) 22 spline Nova shafts, Cav 1.6 inner CV, Nova outer CV, Nova hubs/bearings
2) Big block aftermarket shafts, 2.0 inners, 2.0 outers, modified hubs/bearings

Sorry there's no aftermarket ones that suit 2.0 inners and Nova outers.

[uh60]

Yes, just as it has always been, I thought someone released something new and I did not know about it.

Well thank you all for the info, I am just waiting for my rear Powerflex to arrive, I will change the suspension and drive shafts back no Nova GSi ones and we will see how it will handle.

To cut it short, going from setup 2) to 1) as Iain summarized.