Hi, I'm fairly new here but wondered if anyone could help. I have a 51 plate seicento with 87000 miles on it. I was looking underneath the other day and noticed the inner driveshaft boot on the nearside was split. I've replaced it with a sticky/split boot but while I was doing it I found some play in the shaft. It moves in and out maybe about 5mm. There's no wobble or vertical play, just sideways between the gearbox and hub. I was intending replacing the outer CV joint anyway as it makes that clicky sound on full lock, but can anyone tell me if I need to do anything with the inner end? Is that play likely to be sorted by doing the outer joint? Is it an issue anyway?
Thanks in advance for any advice offered!

Long time since I've had drive shaft problems, but isn't there supposed to be some end play?
I can check with my Haynes manual when I get back home.
Ian

Mia culpa..........just noticed your subject....and you say theINNER CV joint......I'm thinking, perhaps not any end float?????.

Ian

The inner end definitely moves, I'll have a go at the outer CV joint next weekend and see if that tightens the whole thing up and post back after I've done it.
I'm pretty new to working on my car (the sei seems pretty straight forward to learn on!) so thought I'd see if the movement is normal or something to worry about.

It's normal to have a little end play. It may depend on the geometry of the strut and wishbone to the amount of movement.

Taking the driveshaft out. It just pulls out once you remove the hub nut and strut bolts (32mm nut removed when the wheel is on the ground) and you need circlip pliers to fit a proper boot if you have any more problems.

Keep up the diy!

Is yours a 'wet' inner. If so, check the gearbox oil before going one inch further.

Small amount of movement is OK.

D

Keep an eye on it, as those sticky/split boots are not up to much.
It's more work fitting a complete correct boot but... do it right once and save yourself more work in the long run.

I reckon it takes longer to get a glue together boot to set properly than just doing it right in the first place.

D

Thanks for the responses, I checked the gearbox oil as soon as I noticed the split in the old boot, there was very little in there. The sticky boot is a temporary fix, I'll put a proper one on there when I'm doing the outer joint anyway but keeping the oil where it should be short-term was more of a priority!

Hopefully I'll get the time to do it this weekend, if work, wife and kids let me!