Desperate for driveshaft advice

[carlburt78]

IMG-20210903-WA0012.jpeg

IMG-20210903-WA0008.jpeg

Fitted a non genuine shaft today and everything went back together ok and it drives fine but the carrier bearing dosnt sit as flush as the original in the bracket and I'm leaking oil at the gearbox!! It dosnt look like it's all the way in the gearbox, but drives with no problems at all , can anyone shed any light , I've had a shaft of the same supplier for NS and all is fine and this one was ordered using my registration

[carlburt78]

If it needs to go in further wouldnt it cause driving issues ? And how would I get it in further ? Thanks in advance guys

[sparkybandit]

I've done this job and I too was concerned that I might not have pushed it deep enough into the gearbox.
Others may correct me, but I don't think this side driveshaft has a circlip (unlike the passenger side) and so it's hard to feel a resounding click when you insert it in gearbox.
you can only really twist the shaft as you place it into the gearbox to check if its locating okay.
I think I worried when I saw the differing shades of metal on the gearbox side of the shaft (your aftermarket shaft is the same) which led me to think it was not far enough in but i think the colour split there is unimportant.
As long as the supporting half bearing mount is fairly in line with the actual bearing surface on the shaft ( i think mine was off a few mm too) I think you can say it won't go in any further.
If you've driven it gingerly and all seems fine then you're probably fine.
Leak wise you really ought to check the gearbox oil is up to level, van must be level and fill hole (allen socket - use a proper oil drain plug tool) is at front of gearbox and oil must just be level with hole. Drain hole is difficult to spot initially it's towards the rear not far back from where the drivers driveshaft enters in a little cranny/nook...search transmission oil on here and there are some posts about it.
Why you're leaking from there,is it perhaps oil spill from when you removed old one. Otherwise it must be a seal there that needs replacing.
all the best

[carlburt78]

Hi thankyou for your reply , the problem ended up being that the driveshaft needed to go in the gearbox a little more , i undone everything again and give it a few knocks and it went in about 6mm more , the bearing now sits nicely in the bracket and the oil has stopped leaking

[sparkybandit]

great news glad you sorted it.