front wheel drive shafts

[edwin]

Hi all. Got a question. I looked at the inside face of the front wheels today, as I was fitting the A frame to drag the car to the welders. And they are quite different , right and left. The left has a rubber gaiter as usual. The right has what looks like a baked bean can sized drum, with no gaiter, and the articulated drive shaft joint is visible. Its much wider in diameter than what the rubber gaiter is fixed to on the other side. Anyone got an idea what's going on?

 

[Billancourt]

Hi Edwin

There were quite a few different types of driveshaft fitted to the R4s throughout 1960s to the mid 1970s, some of them interchangeable. Therefore, it is quite possible you have one type fitted on one side and another type on the other side. If you have a look at pages 128-129 of the Haynes manual, there are nine types listed! From the mid 1970s onwards Renault settled for one type which was fitted to all R4s until the end of production.

 

[angel]

It's probably an original equipment driveshaft or genuine replacement part. Aftermarket or reconditioned driveshafts were never available with the twin universal joint configuration.

 

[edwin]

Having had a good look at it, I think this is an original and the other with the rubber concertina on it is a later replacement. Automobile archaeology ! But its different to the ones in Haynes which show the bolt ends showing through holes in the drum.