What's the difference between drive shafts with a bolt and those with a nut?

[vfr800]

Hi

As the title says really.

My S3 has a long hex bolt that holds the driveshaft to the hub.

i just got a second hand subframe (taken straight off an S3) with wishbones, hubs, and driveshafts. But the driveshafts have an external thread for the star nut on the end.

Is it all inter changeable?

liam

 

[<tuffty/>]

Bolt is better but both will fit...

<tuffty/>

 

[phil miller]

Can i ask why the bolt type is better as almost every driveshaft in the world is the other type (nut)

Just wondering really tbh

 

[<tuffty/>]

Nut ones are nylocks typically (in VAG circles at least)... heat transference from the brakes under extreme conditions can melt the nylon causing the nut to loosen... granted its extreme circumstances..

Also... thread length on the bolt means there is more distribution of load from a given torque... with a nut you only have the depth of the available threads on the nut... whether or not VAG had issues to prompt the change who knows but from an engineering perspective the bolts arguably are better

<tuffty/>

 

[phil miller]

Nut ones are nylocks typically (in VAG circles at least)... heat transference from the brakes under extreme conditions can melt the nylon causing the nut to loosen... granted its extreme circumstances..

Also... thread length on the bolt means there is more distribution of load from a given torque... with a nut you only have the depth of the available threads on the nut... whether or not VAG had issues to prompt the change who knows but from an engineering perspective the bolts arguably are better

<tuffty/>

I had never thought of it like that, and that makes perfect sense, id always liked the bolt type (A4 passat, mk5 golf) because it makes changing the cv boot easy

so if i had a set of front hubs from an S3 that were the bolt type and Rons shafts are the nut type whats the best way round that?

 

[<tuffty/>]

Had a look at a hub bolt before I left Bills today and there is a coned part at the top of the bolt under the head that suggests there is a chamfer on the hubs... not compared the hubs on nut/bolt types so can't comment but suggests that contrary to my previous statement while they should fit its more a case of whats compromised if you do... assuming the bolt type has a chamfer on the hub if you had bolt type previously then fit nut type the surface area the nut face clamps too would be less...

If you have all the hubs/legs etc then all should be good... if you buy a nut type CV to replace a bolt type CV (or vica versa) then I would be checking before using...

In context of Liams swap then as long as you fit all the components you have (hubs/shafts etc) then it will be fine but if you were to mix and match then I'd stick to the CV type thats designed for the hub you are fitting it too

<tuffty/>