Driveshaft - one-piece replacement?

[slayer]

Hi, I just shelled out around $500 replacing all the Uinversals and centre bearing on my tailshaft trying to get rid of a vibration in the drivetrain.

It certainly is reduced, but cuts in again at 80kph through to 100kph.

The guys at the driveshaft place are now (after spending my $500) that its a common fault with skylines and that some people are moving to a one-piece tailshaft to get around it.

Has anyone had any experience with this? How did you fix it, or did you go a one-piece shaft? Another $4-500 for the shaft is not the end of the world, but if it doesnt fix it I will be pretty cheesed off!!

Thanks

Conrad

[rev210]

Originally posted by slayer

Hi, I just shelled out around $500 replacing all the Uinversals and centre bearing on my tailshaft trying to get rid of a vibration in the drivetrain.

It certainly is reduced, but cuts in again at 80kph through to 100kph.

The guys at the driveshaft place are now (after spending my $500) that its a common fault with skylines and that some people are moving to a one-piece tailshaft to get around it.

Has anyone had any experience with this? How did you fix it, or did you go a one-piece shaft? Another $4-500 for the shaft is not the end of the world, but if it doesnt fix it I will be pretty cheesed off!!

Thanks

Conrad

Sounds like some bollocks to me. Skylines aren't the only cars with two piece shafts. I'd ask why they think this is a common problem. The only way it would be is if the tailshaft sections get twisted. (something that happens alot easier to a single piece shaft).

If the vibration is at 80kmh and 'WAS' the tailshaft there would be evidence of twisting or dents on part of the shaft (ie: out of ballance - something you can have re-ballanced anyway). Center bearing wear shows as a constant vibration that gets worse as you go faster and uni's well they either have play in them or they don't.

Vibration could be worn engine or gearbox mounts, wheel bearings or steering components or wheel ballance.

[51jay]

I'd be getting them to recheck the balance on the tailshafts first then if you decide to go one piece i'd be going someplace else.

80 to 100 hmmm! are you sure at this point that you haven't got a wheel out of balance as well

[slayer]

Thanks for the info guys - some more info that may fill in the situation a bit better:

originally, the balance problem was noticable at 70kph (plus or minus a few k's) and around 120 kph, noticed it when I picked the car up from the compliance centre.

Once the driveshaft guys replaced the unis and balanced the shaft(and did NOT replace the centre bearing which is what I specifically but it in to get done) the car was disgusting.. anything over 40kph and she shook, I only sped up to 80kph as it was getting too violent.

After their second attempt they fitted the centre bearing and now It vibrates at 80 kph through to 100kph..

the fact that the vibration keeps moving makes me believe its down to the tailshaft, and not a wheel balance or other problem but I could be wrong.

the tyres are all new on new mags and very recently balanced and I dont look to have lost any balancing weights.

Are these guys pulling my chain?

[skyline33]

what about a wheel alignment ??

[rev210]

new thought....

They possibly put the new center bearing in the wrong way. It goes in either way but, only works properly one way.

[BuzLightyear]

I had a similar problem....

Just for the purposes of eliminating the wheel balance, get an 'on car' wheel balance done. I have heard stories of guys doing all the things you've done, only to have the problem disappear after getting alignment checked and wheels balanced on the car.

[slayer]

Good ideas guys.

I will get an oncar balance this weekend, then see how she pulls up.

then I will take the car (if still got a problem) to another place and get the bearing installation checked, plus check if the tailshaft is actually bent (the other place reckons they checked it but I am not convinced), or see if they can spot any faults.

Thanks

Conrad

[slayer]

BuzLightYear - when you say a similiar problem, do you mean as I have, or do you mean the centre bearing was installed incorrectly?

What was the fix?

[rob77]

My r33 has a simular vibration and it was the same fault. When it came off the ship from japan and went for compliancing it vibrated. Anyway about $360 later I got all 3 unijoints machined and replaced and the car drives so smoothly up to 200km/hr I would say the place hasnt balanced the tailshaft properly.

Rob

[Bozz]

Here's my easy fix that I've done to many cars-

http://board.performanceforums.com/forums/...readid=67134297

[BuzLightyear]

My problem was that I had vibration and had taken the car to two tyre places to get the vibration analysed. Both said my wheel balance was out and re-balanced the wheels, but it just changes the vibrational cadence.

I then took it to a place specialising in on car balance and alignment. This guy told me he gets plenty of people with similar stories to yours - spent hundreds on shafts and bearings, etc- and that in most cases it is after-market wheels (wide) and particularly tyres (especially Australian tyres) which cause problems. Some cars (Magnas and BMW's are very difficult to balance off the car)

He did an alignment and found I was only slightly out, but the on car balance was a real eye opener. As soon as they spin up the wheel on the car, you can see and feel where the vibration is coming from both from the strobe and by looking at the steering wheel and feeling the bonnet. Mine was miles out yet had been supposedly balanced by two shops.

All this cost me the princely sum of $54, which is why I say it's a good place to start as if it isn't a balance problem you will know for sure and will not be too much out of pocket.

[slayer]

Hi BuzzLightYear,

thanks for the suggestion - well I finally got time to take the R33 in for an on-car balance.

They balanced the rears, they were perfect (they were only fitted and off-car balanced 1000ks ago), and as I never have any vibration through the steering they didnt bother with the fronts.

So now I am left with little option but to try ANOTHER drivetrain balancing crowd to check the work of the first bunch of wallies!!

I am really concerned they wont find anything though..

Does anyone know more info on the centre bearing mounting position? I have heard it fits in both ways, but is designed only to go one way - how can you tell if this has been done correctly?

I am getting sick of this problem, driving is not pleasant as most of my time is on the freeway

Thanks for the suggestions though guys