Americas Front Driveshaft CV redesign

[Commodore]

Ineos crew, there is an issue with the front driveshaft CV at the transfer case side. The acute driveline angle generates heat causing the rubber on the CV to rip and spill grease. This leads to failure of the CV joint and ultimately immediate loss of forward propulsion. The failures have been well documented. Do you have plans to redesign this part or should owners start looking for their own permanent solutions?

This is a serious safety concern that needs to be resolved.

 

[[ Adam ]]

Is there evidence to support that this hypothesis applies to stock vehicles, or only lifted/modified suspension?

 

[Dokatd]

Is there evidence to support that this hypothesis applies to stock vehicles, or only lifted/modified suspension?

We have seen around about as many stock vehicles loose the CV boot as lifted. And we are tentatively seeing that an alternate brand joint is holding up better than the stock part.

 

[AngusMacG]

Is there evidence to support that this hypothesis applies to stock vehicles, or only lifted/modified suspension?

My vehicle had this issue and is stock no lift. Majority of my miles are highway so no difficult terrain.

 

[Tazzieman]

Is it time for a poll , like the windscreen one?
Adding the MY would be a good option.
My unlifted MY23 is fine and I'm sure most are.
But yes , you don't want a failure of this part.

 

[DenisM]

We have seen around about as many stock vehicles loose the CV boot as lifted. And we are tentatively seeing that an alternate brand joint is holding up better than the stock part.

Are you willing to nominate the alternative non Ineos derived brands and part number? There were also reports of ill-fitting circlips causing the cv joint spline to detach. My question is whether the circlip gives way first meaning the boot is holding it all together until it also eventually fails....

 

[Dokatd]

Are you willing to nominate the alternative non Ineos derived brands and part number? There were also reports of ill-fitting circlips causing the cv joint spline to detach. My question is whether the circlip gives way first meaning the boot is holding it all together until it also eventually fails....

I'm not clear on what your first sentence is asking. If you're looking for the part number then it is widely documented on this forum. As for the circlip, that issue has seemingly only been a very small select few trucks at best. The boot issue is very much separate and more wide spread. In these cases I have not seen a report of a loose clip. A loose clip will result in driveshaft separation almost immediately after the boot gives way. I would suggest that there might be quite a few ticking time bombs due to clips, but poor fitment of the clip is likely on par with winning the lottery.

 

[Clark Kent]

Are you willing to nominate the alternative non Ineos derived brands and part number? There were also reports of ill-fitting circlips causing the cv joint spline to detach. My question is whether the circlip gives way first meaning the boot is holding it all together until it also eventually fails....

And back to your question @DenisM, some folks are running a Teraflex hi-angle CV from a JL-JT Wrangler. PN 1754000. It seems to be holding up ok.

https://teraflex.com/jl-jt-factory-replacement-cv-joint-kit-high-angle-rzeppa.html

TeraFlex JL/JT Factory Replacement CV Joint Kit – High-Angle Rzeppa : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

TeraFlex JL/JT Factory Replacement CV Joint Kit – High-Angle Rzeppa : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

amzn.asia

JL/JT Rzeppa High Angle Factory Replacement CV Kit

JL/JT Rzeppa High Angle Factory Replacement CV Kit|Teraflex|TER1745000

www.jeepkonection.com.au

 

[Kruegerruda]

The Rzeppa is a direct replacement for our Grennis?

 

[Greasemonkey]

I don't know if the damage starts that way, but last week I noticed this small mark on the front boot. It looks like a small tear, but it's still closed. I check the boots almost weekly and after every longer trip. So if a larger tear develops, I'd probably notice it before the joint is damaged. I keep a spare Jeep JL/JT joint at home so I can fix it myself if something goes wrong. I have no lift.

 

[Clark Kent]

The Rzeppa is a direct replacement for our Grennis?

There's been a fair amount of discussion about it on the forum as @Dokatd notes but it scattered throughout multiple threads. It's physically interchangeable according to those who have done it, noting that the rear cap of the OEM part is crimped in place so needs to be carefully removed with an angle grinder before the CV can be disassembled from the driveshaft. Aftermarket parts like the Teraflex don't have the crimped cap so are simpler to work with.

Teraflex have an installation video on YouTube. It's based on a Jeep driveshaft but the CV info is still relevant, noting the crimped cap difference above.

FYI @parb

View: https://youtu.be/VNT05gjgO8g?feature=shared

 

[CRH]

So this is a perfect/exact fit, would it be recommend to swap to this as a precautionary measure whether you have or haven't lifted you Grenadier?

 

[Clark Kent]

So this is a perfect/exact fit, would it be recommend to swap to this as a precautionary measure whether you have or haven't lifted you Grenadier?

That depends on where you fall on the prepper scale! If you are contemplating doing remote travel then it might be worth the cost and effort but to recommend it seems overly reactive.

There's been no common factors for the failures I am aware of. Not age/mileage, usage, lifted versus standard suspension, etc. The first few reports were all on lifted vehicles which made sense due to the increased CV operating angle but then reports started coming in about boot failures on standard suspension. So it seems we're all equally exposed to the problem.

I did suggest to @parb last week that he might consider a precautionary up-front CV replacement if he proceeds with a suspension lift. Not because the probability of failure WILL increase (it won't reduce), but if it does fail the original CV is harder to replace on the side of the trail because of the crimped cap. Once the changeover is done, any subsequent replacements for a boot failure is a simple task with hand tools and a torque wrench. Or, carry an angle grinder as someone noted yesterday.
Of course the warranty is void if you change to an aftermarket CV so there is that aspect as well.

I slide under my vehicle every week and look for emerging problems like this but I'm cursed by a lifetime of working in the aviation industry so 'triple redundancy in tandem' is the minimum for my comfort level

 

[CRH]

That depends on where you fall on the prepper scale! If you are contemplating doing remote travel then it might be worth the cost and effort but to recommend it seems overly reactive.

There's been no common factors for the failures I am aware of. Not age/mileage, usage, lifted versus standard suspension, etc. The first few reports were all on lifted vehicles which made sense due to the increased CV operating angle but then reports started coming in about boot failures on standard suspension. So it seems we're all equally exposed to the problem.

I did suggest to @parb last week that he might consider a precautionary up-front CV replacement if he proceeds with a suspension lift. Not because the probability of failure WILL increase (it won't reduce), but if it does fail the original CV is harder to replace on the side of the trail because of the crimped cap. Once the changeover is done, any subsequent replacements for a boot failure is a simple task with hand tools and a torque wrench. Or, carry an angle grinder as someone noted yesterday.
Of course the warranty is void if you change to an aftermarket CV so there is that aspect as well.

I slide under my vehicle every week and look for emerging problems like this but I'm cursed by a lifetime of working in the aviation industry so 'triple redundancy in tandem' is the minimum for my comfort level

I'm sure me and the wife would be preppers given half the chance and living in the US. We are currently trying to reduce the stuff collected in the house/loft/garage/shed, for just incase. Food in the kitchen is years out of date

 

[Tazzieman]

Food in the kitchen is years out of date

Sell it on ebay. There's got to be someone collecting something, or a fetish for past its use by date food.
Or perhaps split cv boots covered in grease?

 

[Clark Kent]

I'm sure me and the wife would be preppers given half the chance and living in the US. We are currently trying to reduce the stuff collected in the house/loft/garage/shed, for just incase. Food in the kitchen is years out of date

Ok then. Buy 4 Teraflex kits. Fit them now. Sorted

 

[Tazzieman]

Ok then. Buy 4 Teraflex kits. Fit them now. Sorted

Buy more and more spares, so you can help another stranded traveller one day.

 

[CRH]

Buy more and more spares, so you can help another stranded traveller one day.

Sold the wife's 67 Fiat 850 spider yesterday. The dealer could barely fit all the spares on his truck, I then started to tidy the garage and found more, and I know there are some in the shed
I am not starting again with the Grenadier!

 

[Clark Kent]

Sold the wife's 67 Fiat 850 spider yesterday. The dealer could barely fit all the spares on his truck, I then started to tidy the garage and found more, and I know there are some in the shed
I am not starting again with the Grenadier!

Have you told her yet?

 

[parb]

If i put on the HD springs the driveline is out of warranty anyway. i trying to figure out if i'm better off replacing the joint with the rzeppa joint ahead of a potential failure. choices, choices.