Suzuki Grand Vitara - driveshaft and Bearings cost

AnnaNewman

Hi
I brought a Grand Vitara and after a recent service I have been told that its missing its nearside DriveShaft and that the nearside bearings have slight play.

The missing driveshaft means that its not a 4WD and I noticed this yesterday with the heavy snow when I couldn't get up a hill. The ABS light came on as my rear wheel spun quite a lot getting up that hill. Its now gone off but I have a horrible clanking whenever I do a tight right turn which I think could be the wheel bearings on the nearside tyre.

So my question


How much would it cost for the driveshaft to be fitted?

How much does it cost for the bearings to be replaced on the wheel?


Thanks for your help

bengalknights

Are there no other faulty lights showing on your car, a missing driveshaft should really give a fault.

AnnaNewman

No other lights showing and it!!!8217;s only the near side front driveshaft which I have been reliably informed would only affect 4WD and therefore it is only a 2WD right now. If the rear driveshafts were missing then yes a warning light would show and it would not be drive able

AdrianC

AnnaNewman wrote: »

I brought a Grand Vitara

Where did you take it?

If you mean you bought it, when? And was it a private seller or trader? How old a GV are we talking?

Its now gone off but I have a horrible clanking whenever I do a tight right turn which I think could be the wheel bearings on the nearside tyre.

More likely to be the CV joint on the offside front driveshaft.

How much would it cost for the driveshaft to be fitted?

How much does it cost for the bearings to be replaced on the wheel?

Parts plus an hour or two per side, maybe more if it gives them grief. Since we don't know which shape or engine or age of GV you're talking about, we can't easily just look at any of the part suppliers websites for you.

Mind you, that presupposes there isn't another problem simply being masked by the missing driveshaft, probably with the transfer box or front diff. People don't just forget to put driveshafts back on. If it's a 98-05 GV, then it's part-time 4wd, and is RWD unless and until it's put into 4wd. With a missing front shaft, it'd simply not make a difference between 4wd and 2wd. If it's an 05-on GV, then it's full-time 4wd. Removing a front driveshaft would see the car simply not move, unless the centre diff was locked - in which case, you'd need to remove a front shaft, else the driveline would wind up and break in short order.

AnnaNewman

Brought in January for £2100
Private Seller on Auto Trader


2005 55 plate Suzuki Grand Vitara Petrol
Interim Service was done in January along with MOT which passed.

AdrianC

2005 could be either shape, and there were a range of different engines. No come back against seller - caveat emptor.

MOT doesn't check for missing driveshafts.

caprikid1

As explained already sounds like you were sold a lemon. Certainly on other 4x4 removing drive shafts is common to mask other issues on the transmission.

owen_money

caprikid1 wrote: »

As explained already sounds like you were sold a lemon. Certainly on other 4x4 removing drive shafts is common to mask other issues on the transmission.

^^^^^^^^


Yes I'd be asking why its been removed, probably because of other issues. Its a common quick and cheap fix to remove the drive shaft

AnnaNewman

AdrianC wrote: »

2005 could be either shape, and there were a range of different engines. No come back against seller - caveat emptor.

MOT doesn't check for missing driveshafts.

Regarding point 1 - It is a 2.0
Point 2 - I know it was down to my checking when I brought it and I did two test drives and there was a warning light showing on the doors when I first drove it which the seller fixed. You may think I am a bit stupid. But I am not!

I do know the MOT does not check for missing drive shafts, as you can see from my original question it was picked up in the interim service.

I am simply asking how much it would cost to fix.

System

AnnaNewman wrote: »

You may think I am a bit stupid. But I am not!

Bit hard to claim that when you didn't find out a major part of the drivetrain was missing until the service, something that just sticking it in 4WD would have revealed but lesson learned.....

I am simply asking how much it would cost to fix.

£50-£100 for a second hand one from a scrapyard, hour labour. Change out of £200.

AdrianC

And the answer is "How long IS that piece of string?"

Fitting a new driveshaft and wheelbearing is fairly cheap and quick.
But the big question is why the shaft was removed in the first place.

And the likely answer to that depends on which one of the two completely different vehicles bearing the GV badge around that time you are driving...