Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1670
Grease splattered in rear wheel rim. CV gaitor?
Looking for some advice.
Checking my spare tyre pressure today and had a quick look under the car. I noticed the Rear Drivers side inner wheel rim was covered in stippled grease. On closer inspection I can see the grease covering the slim cable above the CV gaitor which I wiped off with my fingers. It's thickish dark grey grease.
Strangely the coating on the inner wheel rim is not uniform with only about one third of it coated. Half the rear of the disc cover plate has a light coating (the half towards the front of the car). A few photos below.
I've searched the forum and there are a few early reports of the CV gaitor leaking on the D3, but nothing on the D4 as far as I can make out. I can't see any splits or signs of oil/grease coming from the CV joint gaitor. I thought it might be where they had greased brake components in June as they removed the disc, cleaned the park brake and put in new rear brake shoes, but I think there is just too much for that explanation.
Wheel rim grease
View under gaitor
View looking towards front of vehicle
Cable that was smothered before wiping of with my finger
Any input gratefully received
CheersGary
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Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
18th Sep 2020 5:42 pm
eightfoot
Member Since: 12 Apr 2015
Location: sunny essex
Posts: 806
thats what put me onto my nsf cv gaiter grease on the liner but when i looked several times i saw nothing it was finally noticed at the mot a few weeks later when the inner gaiter finally split where the gaiter is clamped around the driveshaft mind you i fitted a new shaft i acquired for £25 and noticed grease again a few days later but that turned out to be the grease i had put around the hub to stop the wheel from welding onto the hub worth a look if you use lots of grease like i doplease excuse any grammer/punctuation mistakes,i'm thick,thankyou
current vehicles 2005 d3 2013 d4
19th Sep 2020 9:35 am
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1670
Thanks for your reply eightfoot.
I was thinking it is CV gaitor, but car is only 5 years old and I can’t find any other reports on here of a D4 having this issue. I have also been informed it’s unusual for back ones to go. I wonder if the hub was packed with grease (as you mentioned) when the disc was taken off, epb cleaned and new pads installed recently. Don’t understand why it’s concentrated in one area of the wheel rim??
By the way I edited the title of this topic earlier today as I thought my original title might not be informative enough.
CheersGary
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Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
19th Sep 2020 12:28 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1670
OK, car has been into local Independent today to check where the splattered grease around the inside of my rear drivers-side wheel rim is coming from. They found a small 'cut' (3-5mm) in the CV gaitor which the grease /oil is dripping very slowly from.
Since it is rare for these to go and they are made of fairly rigid plastic they believe that the 'cut' has been caused by something flying up from under the car. They have done one before caused by barbed wire. So not a deterioration issue that can be blamed on using poor quality components. Apparently it can work out cheaper to replace the driveshaft with gaitor rather than just the gaitor which I found surprising but no reason to doubt what they say.
Just waiting for confirmation of whether WD will cover the cost. Fingers crossed.
CheersGary
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Yes its an easier job to change the whole shaft, rather than remove the shaft and change the gaitor. But at least you know all is good and new.
Flack
24th Sep 2020 7:18 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1670
Thanks Flack. It's good to hear that from another knowledgeable person.
They are specialists and mentioned possibility of replacement of the driveshaft as an option immediately and said they would weigh up the costs of both options (gaitor alone vs shaft and gaitor). They have quoted for a GKN driveshaft. GKN seems to be the make to go for for this type of thing. Recently had a GKN rear propshaft fitted which was recommended on this forum.
CheersGary
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Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
24th Sep 2020 10:17 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1670
WD have approved the repair but only for the replacement of the gaitor rather than whole RH driveshaft. Not surprising really. The garage want me to confirm which option I want to go for (whole RH driveshaft vs gaitor only). I understood it makes the job easier to replace the whole shaft, which seems to be the case as it's a bigger labour cost but cheaper parts cost to do just the gaitor, but I'm not sure whether there are other benefits from switching the whole shaft. As Flack says , at least I know it's all new if they do the shaft but on the other hand it's another £130 and the current shaft is likely fine.
Any advice?
CheersGary
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Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
28th Sep 2020 9:51 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1670
After talking to the garage I have decided to go for the gaitor only and save myself £130. The hole in the gaitor is tiny some dirt ingress should be minimal plus the garage inform me they clean the driveshaft after taking the gaitor off.
Going in in about 3 weeks. Will update when done.
CheersGary
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Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
1st Oct 2020 10:36 am
400-ascona
Member Since: 05 Apr 2019
Location: Derby
Posts: 20
I would clean the split and super glue it together so that it keeps what grease you can in, and the dirt out. Rob
1st Oct 2020 11:20 am
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1670
Thanks. Good idea. If I can find it I’ll do that. The garage tell me the whole and therefore the leak is very small and should be able to drive as usual , not that we do many miles anyway and no long journeys planned.
CheersGary
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mind you i fitted a new shaft i acquired for £25 and noticed grease again a few days later but that turned out to be the grease i had put around the hub to stop the wheel from welding onto the hub 
