GKN has added to its range of propshaft solutions for popular Light vans such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, VW Crafter and LT II.

No other vehicle class is subject to as much stress as light vans, with frequent short trips and the use of high-torque diesel engines meaning heavy loading through the entire driveline. GKN says that only technically sophisticated propshafts, engineered specifically for the purpose and offering a consistently high standard across all components can guarantee the fail-safe operation necessary.

The GKN range of propshafts has been further expanded to provide OE quality when carrying out repairs on any one of the many variants of Sprinter, Crafter and LT II. GKN says it can offer a repair solution for everything from short driveshafts for all-wheel drive versions to 3.0-metre prop shafts for vans with an extra-long wheelbase. The current GKN range for the Sprinter, Crafter and LT II now adds up to 57 propshafts.

The shafts also offer a range of benefits including; precision balancing and reduced mass for greater durability and minimal noise and vibration, high temperature resistance for heavy loading under large articulation angles and length variations and optimised design for increased safety.

In the event of a propshaft defect GKN says the best choice is to replace the entire shaft instead of repairing individual components. The risks associated with repair are high and include; a substantial increase in imbalance at higher revs through installation of the wrong or inferior replacement joints, damage in disassembly and problematic reassembly (especially pressed cardan spiders). Washers for joint assembly also require an exact fit and even repainting the shaft can lead to measureable differences.

GKN points out that given the usage conditions for vans, there is a very high probability that these risks will arise. Workshops should therefore pay particular attention to the quality of the propshaft in order to avoid expensive consequential damage.