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Unusual driveline vibration case

231
5
16
Location
Mount Laurel NJ
I had some time to get down and dirty under the truck, and I am here to report my findings. There was noticeable play by the tailshaft bushing. I lifted the double cardan joint and it wobbled both side to side and up and down (more so up and down it seems but its hard to say). All the ujoints looks great, ubolts were tight. I posted a photo of leak I mentioned earlier and as you can see its not at the seal, it's over the joint, but the joint is dry too. It leads me to think its shooting out the seal backwards from the vibrations. Any thoughts? :grd:aua

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The FLU farm

Well-known member
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Location
The actual midwest, NM.
Rick, keep in mind that not only does the axle move back when the suspension deflects (because of the shackles), but with that goofy shackle flip, the spring will also move back as it moves up. Even if you had a correct lift, I'd say that the driveshaft is too short. Or more accurately, the spline engagement is now too short, leading to extra stress and play.

Either way, the way your suspension suspension is set up, it must be an interesting experience having so much wheelbase change when the suspension gets loaded in the corners.
And since you have a 4-inch lift, that means positive arch spring with rear shackles in the front, which is another handling issue in itself.
It also looks like you forgot to lower the bump stops, in which case you probably don't need that 4-inch lift. After all, it doesn't really matter if a tire comes up from two inches below or six inches. It still takes up the same room when the axle hits the bump stops.
 
231
5
16
Location
Mount Laurel NJ
I do not know off the top of my head what the length was of the portion of the driveshaft that's inside the tcase, but I remember it was about an in longer than the stock one I had so they had to shorted things up enough where it fits without going in too deep, which makes it look like it's popping out a good deal. I didn't like that much, and I'm a little skeptical if a good job was actually done. I never noticed that the truck handles strange in any way, it actually usually handles quite well considering that circumstances, but that's probably subjective. As for the bump stops I never had the axle actually hit those (to my knowledge). I haven't had much time to flex her much, usually it's just been a daily to get from A to B. When the lift was installed it was done pretty much identically as how one of my friend's K5 was done when he paid a pro shop to do it. Unless we are missing something? Please excuse my ignorance on the matter. None the less though, as for the main topic of discussion, I wish I could install an SYE. I feel as though that joint must also be a lot of added weight back there
 

The FLU farm

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
3,309
1,256
113
Location
The actual midwest, NM.
I do not know off the top of my head what the length was of the portion of the driveshaft that's inside the tcase, but I remember it was about an in longer than the stock one I had so they had to shorted things up enough where it fits without going in too deep, which makes it look like it's popping out a good deal. I didn't like that much, and I'm a little skeptical if a good job was actually done. I never noticed that the truck handles strange in any way, it actually usually handles quite well considering that circumstances, but that's probably subjective. As for the bump stops I never had the axle actually hit those (to my knowledge). I haven't had much time to flex her much, usually it's just been a daily to get from A to B. When the lift was installed it was done pretty much identically as how one of my friend's K5 was done when he paid a pro shop to do it. Unless we are missing something? Please excuse my ignorance on the matter. None the less though, as for the main topic of discussion, I wish I could install an SYE. I feel as though that joint must also be a lot of added weight back there
Are you saying that they shortened the splined part? If so, that's not good. It would make thing wobblier and wear faster.
That a pro shop did something unfortunately doesn't mean much. I can give a few examples of truly scary things I've seen shops do.
You mention the weight of the CV-joint hanging out there a ways, and that thought came to mind when I saw the photo earlier. Nothing much you can do about that, except going back to a regular U-joint, which would require setting the axle back to where it should be.

Anyway, it sounds like you might have found the cause of your vibration problem. Let's hope that it's the only thing acting up.
 
231
5
16
Location
Mount Laurel NJ
Yeah I agree, I too have seen some horror stories out of a pro shop. If I could go back there are some things that I wish I did different about my lift, but overall it's been pretty decent for what it is. As for the tailshaft, hopefully that's it, I'll get to work on it in the coming days.
 

The FLU farm

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
3,309
1,256
113
Location
The actual midwest, NM.
You may want to not drive it in the meantime. For now it's probably bushings and seals, but it the tail housing breaks...
Then again, you said that you want a slip yoke eliminator kit.
 

Chaski

Active member
684
55
28
Location
Burney/CA
By CV do you mean a double joint? If so, then yes I do, no slip yoke eliminator... kept the slip yoke and added a joint
Sounds like your driveshaft angles are right, hopefully the tailshaft bushing replacement fixes it. Do you run one of the transfer case support bars that run from the passenger side of the case to the bell housing?
 
231
5
16
Location
Mount Laurel NJ
It's a shame they don't sell slip yoke eliminators for the 208... But it's going to be sitting until it's fixed. I'm not sure off the top of my head Chaski, it's bone stock there as far as I know.
 

rustystud

Well-known member
9,169
2,725
113
Location
Woodinville, Washington
I had some time to get down and dirty under the truck, and I am here to report my findings. There was noticeable play by the tailshaft bushing. I lifted the double cardan joint and it wobbled both side to side and up and down (more so up and down it seems but its hard to say). All the ujoints looks great, ubolts were tight. I posted a photo of leak I mentioned earlier and as you can see its not at the seal, it's over the joint, but the joint is dry too. It leads me to think its shooting out the seal backwards from the vibrations. Any thoughts? :grd:aua

View attachment 680097View attachment 680098View attachment 680099

Since that yoke is setting so far out your experiencing the unsupported part wobbling causing your vibrations. That amount of yoke setting out like that should be only when your experiencing total axle deflection downward, not just statically setting there. Think of it like your hand holding a 10 Ibs weight. If your hand is close to your body you can hold the weight easily. Now extend your arm fully out. Now that weight is getting hard to hold steady isn't it. That's what you bushing is feeling. It is causing undue strain on all those components.
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,351
9,955
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
That bushing is toast I'm sure.

I like toast. With lots of butter. I am just sitting and watching. I never have any of these problems with Terminus M1009 and all my other CUCV's. And if any vehicle should have problems mine should. They get used like an anvil. I think it is the pure stock design that makes the M1009 so durable and trouble free. But maybe not. Have a great day. Good Luck. Try getting a longer rear drive shaft made without the double joint and see where that takes you. That is adding fuel to the fire for sure. Again I may be wrong. Probably am.
 

The FLU farm

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
3,309
1,256
113
Location
The actual midwest, NM.
I never have any of these problems with Terminus M1009 and all my other CUCV's. And if any vehicle should have problems mine should. They get used like an anvil. I think it is the pure stock design that makes the M1009 so durable and trouble free. Try getting a longer rear drive shaft made without the double joint and see where that takes you.
It almost sounds as if you're insinuating that GM's engineers knew what they were doing. Not only that, but better than whoever first thought of the shackle flip (likely encouraged by beer and/or moonshine, and a complete lack of money).

Unfortunately, replacing the CV-joint with a single U-joint, without also rotating the axle back to level, will result in vibrations and short lived U-joints.
Of the three ways to set up a driveshaft (input and output parallel, input and output at the same but opposite angles, and input and output at different angles) only one works at different ride heights.
Yes, a CV-joint can be used in one end and a near zero angle at the other end, but just like the opposing angles, will only work correctly at one specific ride height.
I'm guessing that since the GM engineers didn't know how many passengers would be on board, or how much load, or how much fuel would be in the tank, or how much tongue weight a trailer would have, they went with the parallel input and output design. As did, coincidentally, every other manufacturer. That leads me to believe that the vehicle manufacturers (and U-joint manufacturers, too, for that matter) might be more right about the driveshaft geometry than the backwoods "engineers" were.
 

rustystud

Well-known member
9,169
2,725
113
Location
Woodinville, Washington
That bushing is toast I'm sure.

I like toast. With lots of butter. I am just sitting and watching. I never have any of these problems with Terminus M1009 and all my other CUCV's. And if any vehicle should have problems mine should. They get used like an anvil. I think it is the pure stock design that makes the M1009 so durable and trouble free. But maybe not. Have a great day. Good Luck. Try getting a longer rear drive shaft made without the double joint and see where that takes you. That is adding fuel to the fire for sure. Again I may be wrong. Probably am.
When I was much younger then I am now, I played with jacking up my trucks and installing bigger tires. After spending all that money on the lift kits then the "repairing of broken parts" due to the lift kit, I decided "stock" is far superior then any companies "super duper" lift kit. I still remember my "chassis" instructor saying to "stay away from those stupid lift kits !" They only cause problems and never really help in the function of the truck. Yes there are products out there that will improve the trucks handling and help fix problems the factory never did due to the extra cost of said product, but they are few and far between. ORD comes to mind on making excellent products to help some short comings of the stock Chevy, but when you add them up there not that many. When it comes to durability and handling, stock specifications is always best.
 
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