Connect drive shaft disconnected after clutch renewal?

[Dunx]

Hi
Technical question i hope someone can answer! I had my clutch renewed on Transit connect 2003, they did a new clutch complete, skimmed the flywheel and changed gearbox oil. About 500 miles/2 weeks later I went to change down gears and and was a terrible crunch as if I hadn't got the clutch pedal down properly [I had], changed down into next gear and another terrible grinding noise followed by no drive at all.
Following a long recovery, took the car to my local garage [who didn't do the clutch] and they found that the drive shaft should have a circlip around the shaft end to stop it from coming apart. This they say was not only missing there were no bits in the housing and their opinion was it was for some reason as a result of the clutch. They couldn't see how the shaft could have remained in place for years without the circlip in place. The spline on the end of the shaft was completely destroyed.
I have formally complained [can I name admin?!] to the clutch repairer and they say it was not them and they didn't take apart the housing that housed the circlip. I know nothing of these things but it seems a bit of a coincidence and |I wondered if any experts out there could advise me? TIA

[gt_addict]

They have to remove the driveshafts so get access to the gearbox etc. Where exactly was the curculio meant to be? In the CV joint?

[Dunx]

Hi,
I am not sure, the garage just showed me a grove at the end of the shaft which prevented the shaft from pulling out?

[bortaf]

What driveshaft? pass side uses a spring clip drivers side doesn't have one ???

[Dunx]

This as I understand it is the main drive shaft between engine and gearbox? About 3 ft long with a spine on the shaft at one end and some coupling on the other. The spline looked like someone had tsken an angle fringe to it!

[gt_addict]

That would be drivers side then if it's three foot long. No clip on that one.

[taz666]

the long one is the drivers side and has a bearing on the intermediate part of it which is secured to a bracket by a clamp, this shaft does not have a circlip on it, the short one is the passenger side and does have a circlip to hold it into the diff

[Dunx]

the long one is the drivers side and has a bearing on the intermediate part of it which is secured to a bracket by a clamp, this shaft does not have a circlip on it, the short one is the passenger side and does have a circlip to hold it into the diff

Ah well maybe i got it wrong. Garage guy defo showed me the groove where the circlip was supposed to be, would I have lost all drive with this inoperable. Why would this have to be removed to fit a clutch, sorry if this is a stupid question! I am trying to get to the bottom of whether the garage who fitted the clutch forgot to put this circlip back or was it a complete coincidence?!

[taz666]

yes both shafts have to be removed in order to remove the gearbox, drivers side or passenger shaft which fell out???? as i cant see how the drivers one can come out if the intermediate shaft bearing cap was fitted properly if it was the short passenger one then there should have been a clip on it

[Dunx]

The garage are going to do a report for me and if it says what they have told me I will take the company who did the clutch to small claims court.

[bortaf]

The garage are going to do a report for me and if it says what they have told me I will take the company who did the clutch to small claims court.

As the post before yours, the drivers side shaft has no clip to be left out, the shaft does tend to fail at the inner CV where the outer shaft goes into it, recently did a focus with that exact issue, no drive, O/S drive shaft was spinning only the inner one from the bearing to the box but no drive to the outer shaft/wheel ?
pics would be handy of the failed shaft
My guess is the bearing clamp failed or was loose

[Tomtarmac]

Hi there I have a 2006 2.4 transit starts and drives fine just pulls back around 2500/3000 any idears on what this could be as I’ve changed fuel filter and air filter. Thanks