Driveshaft loose

[tom_beverley]

Took my car up on a ramp at a garage today because the knocking at the front of my car is doin my head in.

Had a look underneath, the driveshaft (drivers side) moves from side to side (like in and out the gearbox) quite a lot. I didnt think driveshafts made that much of a clunk, i thought its maybe the bottom ball joint but that was all solid.

The camber of the drivers side wheel is out by a long way aswell. I think its negative when the wheel is in more at the top than at the bottom? Anyway this is having a very bad effect on my tyre wear (the inside inch-2 inch is almost bald whilst the rest of the tyre is still like new).

Since the nova has a non adjustable camber how has it got this bad and what can be done to fix it? Also since i maybe needing a new drivesshaft will one off a 1.4sr 5speed fit onto a 1.2 4speed?

Thanks

[rysmee]

the drive shaft will move side to side a fair bit if you shove it in and out. what you really need to do is grab the actual inner joint- the furthest most inner bit before it goes into the gbox. if you can wobble this around(in any direction) alot then your diff bearings are shafted. if it is just in and out, like when your pulling and push on the drive shaft then it could just be the inner circlip has broken(holds the inner joint in the diff where its supposed to be)its always akward trying to explain these things!
as for the camber are you sure everything is stratight n true, nothing bent in previous accidents that you weren't aware of etc etc? as you say the camber is non-adjustable so if nothing is bent then maybe suspension knackered, i.e bottom arm/tie-bar bushes, or maybe a wheel bearing? the first two could also be causing your mysterious knocking noise!
hope that helps

[Aragorn]

if the camber wear is only on one side then i'd think that something on that side is broken/loose/worn out and thats prolly causeing your knocking