Which drivshaft do I have

[ADs3]

Trying to find out whether my drive shaft is the earlier type or newer version.

Bought a n/s front drive shaft from a s3 breaker on fb the cars a 2002.
The drive shaft I received was different to the one I removed from my car, contacted the breaker and he says I have the older style driveshaft the one he supplied was the newer one from a 2002 reg car

In the pic my original drive shaft is the top one, can someone with more knowledge of these clarify which one I have older version or newer?

Thanks

 

[<tuffty/>]

Early cars have a nut (bottom shaft) later cars use a bolt (top shaft) so you have the newer one, they have sent you the older one...

You can't use the older one on the newer hub as there is a difference where it bolts in... the extra collar thats there 'may' be removable but tbh I have never had to mix and match on shafts so never tried it... if its not removable then you will need to replace the hub... which means replacing the wheel bearing...

<tuffty/>

 

[ADs3]

Thanks for clearing that up tuffy, I thought it odd that my facelift car would have the earlier style drive shaft as he was suggesting unless someone had changed the hubs as well.

I looked at the earlier drive shaft when I was attempting to change them over and it did look like the collar could possibly be removed somehow but how I don't know?

I'd be better off getting the correct one to start with rather than attempting to modify this one to fit