Does a prop shaft count as a suspension component

[battered]

No. Transmission. It transmits the power.

Suspension is about controlling the car as it bounces about. So hubs don't count as suspension because they are just about allowing the wheels to turn.

[BertBert]

battered said:

No. Transmission. It transmits the power.

Suspension is about controlling the car as it bounces about. So hubs don't count as suspension because they are just about allowing the wheels to turn.

not according to Variomatics' definition

[Monty Python]

If you look on ECP the hub and driveshaft come under "transmission parts".

[Slidingpillar]

I'd like to think DVLA will look at the bigger picture. The OP has never said what car. If the real point is that the correct hub is pretty much the same as the replacement, then I'd hope neither they nor the insurance company will care.

But if in the course of a hub swap, the suspension method changes, then they would certainly count it as such. Not knowing the car though, can't say.

Quite a few Lotuses use the driveshaft as an upper suspension link, but if you fit a modern CV type to miss out the rubber do-nuts you probably should tell the insurance company, but again, I'd be surprised if any loading was applied. I'd not even think of telling DVLA rightly or wrongly.

[MaxRothery]

Slidingpillar said:

I'd like to think DVLA will look at the bigger picture. The OP has never said what car. If the real point is that the correct hub is pretty much the same as the replacement, then I'd hope neither they nor the insurance company will care.

But if in the course of a hub swap, the suspension method changes, then they would certainly count it as such. Not knowing the car though, can't say.

Quite a few Lotuses use the driveshaft as an upper suspension link, but if you fit a modern CV type to miss out the rubber do-nuts you probably should tell the insurance company, but again, I'd be surprised if any loading was applied. I'd not even think of telling DVLA rightly or wrongly.

If the hubs were to change, the suspension would be left in altered, it would have the exact same layout and angles, the only thing that's different is the hole the spindle sits in. On the later car, it's tapered and small to hold the rear bearing, on the earlier type, it's wider to accommodate the driveshaft

[4rephill]

Have you thought of contacting the relevant DVLA department and asking them about this issue? - That's the first thing I'd be doing rather than asking a group of well meaning strangers to hazard a guess about it!

Just a thought!

[drdel]

It depends on the suspension design. On some (mainly older) cars the rear driveshaft also functioned as one of the suspension links (E-type, Imp some Triumph models etc. etc.

So a driveshaft can be both a suspension link and a transmission component !!

If your design causes the driveshaft to take/control wheel movement then DVLA could be right.

[Fastpedeller]

What DVLA consider it to be will depend on who makes the decision, which could also change depending on the day or maybe the wind direction? Who knows for certain, but what ever they consider their answer will (in their eyes) be correct and not open to negotiation!