[Treeman]

I couple of weeks ago, I started home from work and heard a regular thunking sound from the driveline. The car drove fine but, as it got worse, it even started bumping the gearshift level and seem tied to driveline speed. I pulled over several times to look and see if something was stuck under the car but saw nothing. I turned the corner to drive straight to the dealer and it immediately stopped (don't tell me cars are not emotional creatures) and did not reoccur. Until Sunday, when it came back strong. I lifted the car that night and saw absolutely nothing. Turned the wheels with it in the air and heard and saw nothing. I took the car in to the dealer on Monday and they called that afternoon to say they had the same experience. Terrible when driving it but nothing when lifted. So, they started taking things apart yesterday and called to say that they are ordering a replacement driveshaft. This is under the powertrain warranty. It sounds like they are not convinced that this is it but is where they are at in diagnosing this at the moment.

I have searched the forums and don't seem to find anything like this nor do I recall a thread about it. This seems different than the original driveline thunk many posted about in the early days. Anyone have a similar experience that I am missing?

 

[R&T]

That is weird. Usually with a drive shaft it has become out of balanced and or it is the U joints. I can't remember ever seeing a car with a "broken" drive shaft. Lifted trucks, off roading vehicles yes, but a car especially that new seems odd to me. And when it is the drive shaft once it starts it stays, never come and go at least in my experience. This is new to me but hopefully they found it.

Could you have something wrong with the transmission? That can be hit or miss with vibration and noise.

 

[Treeman]

I really don't know what broken means but they are replacing the driveshaft. And they did not sound positive that is the problem. They do not believe it is the transmission - and shifting was fine.

 

[wspohn]

Sounds like a joint issue. Wonder why they don't service it by replacing a joint? Maybe it is the warranty thing - pays for simple replacement but not piece meal service?

 

[TX08manualGXP]

I had a broken driveshaft once. it was right after I put the 500hp chevy 454 in the TA. the original shaft was too long so I had it shortened and it twisted it off at the weld. luckily I was at a stop light. scared the hell out of me though.

Are they changing the drive shaft or one of the half shafts? I had to change both half shafts on the hyundai. it would clunk when you accelerated and had the wheels turned ( front wheel drive ). that would make more sense.

 

[wspohn]

I had a broken driveshaft once. it was right after I put the 500hp chevy 454 in the TA. the original shaft was too long so I had it shortened and it twisted it off at the weld. luckily I was at a stop light. scared the hell out of me though.

I'll bet. We had one idjit show up at a local race without the required safety hoop under the driveshaft and no one caught it (thank goodness I wasn't the one doing tech that day) and of course he was the one that suffered the rare shaft failure going down the main straight. He was very lucky indeed that he got away without serious consequences.

I also knew of a TR-3 owner that had his hand brake seize so he came up with the demon tweak of drilling his drive shaft and transmission tunnel and dropping a long carriage bolt through it when he parked. Worked alright until he came out of the pub one night and forgot it was there and stuffed it in gear and tried a burn out from the parking lot...... Darwin strikes again!

 

[Seltzinator]

I also knew of a TR-3 owner that had his hand brake seize so he came up with the demon tweak of drilling his drive shaft and transmission tunnel and dropping a long carriage bolt through it when he parked. Worked alright until he came out of the pub one night and forgot it was there and stuffed it in gear and tried a burn out from the parking lot...... Darwin strikes again!

:lol: That is amazing. Its easier to drill a hole in your drive shaft than fix a hand brake?

 

[wspohn]

Well, this was back in the day when the minimum wage was $1.50 an hour, beer cost 0.20 each and a replacement U joint cost maybe $4.00, so I can understand why a drill in the hand was worth more than a U joint in the pocket.

I will have to admit to being pretty broke back in the day and always parking on a hill because I couldn't afford a new battery for the car just then. I also remember being at a drive in and thinking the battery would start it. It didn't. The sight of me getting the hand crank out of the boot and cranking it to life (it was an old MG) was apparently surpassingly amusing to the assembled onlookers, mostly driving American V8 stuff.

 

[Hoosier GXP]

Sounds like a joint issue. Wonder why they don't service it by replacing a joint? Maybe it is the warranty thing - pays for simple replacement but not piece meal service?

Odd that they would replace the drive shaft without knowing it is the actual problem.

Our drive shafts have no u-joints to replace. They are a direct connect to the rear end and transmission with a rubber bushing on the rear section.

 

[wspohn]

Odd that they would replace the drive shaft without knowing it is the actual problem.

Our drive shafts have no u-joints to replace. They are a direct connect to the rear end and transmission with a rubber bushing on the rear section.

Not a bushing, a Rotoflex universal joint, I believe. basically a block of hard rubber with metal bits with holes for the bolts bonded to it. The rubber gives the freedom of motion that a normal metal U joint does. They've been using these things since at least the 1960s, maybe 50s. My 69 Lambo uses them - they ease the sharpness of clutch take up. Downside is that the rubber degrades over the years and needs replacement, possibly sooner than a normal greased U joint would.

I think the reason warranty doesn't pay for puzzling things out and attempting fixes may be because they figure it is cheaper to just replace something like a driveshaft than futz around with it.

 

[Treeman]

I will learn more when they get it in and try it. They were not certain of the issue and I am not sure they even took it apart first. Since it is warranty I did not ask. So I think it is process of elimination.

Sent from AutoGuide.com App

 

[TX08manualGXP]

Ahhhh, CALCULATUS ELIMINATUS!

 

[R&T]

I think the reason warranty doesn't pay for puzzling things out and attempting fixes may be because they figure it is cheaper to just replace something like a driveshaft than futz around with it.

That is what the Nissan dealership told me too. I had a U joint go out at 95k on my truck. Looked up the part, $12 for a greaseable replacement. Called Nissan since I had an extended warranty for another known failure past the regular warranty. They will replace the whole driveshaft instead of the U joint. Makes it easier on the warranty company and they (Nissan) would do the same thing under their warranty. So, for a $12 part and 1/2 of labor they would rather drop $600 and replace the whole driveshaft. Honda is the same way. I had a lower ball joint go out. They want to replace the whole knuckle for $145 rather than a $15 part. Honda doesn't even sell the ball joint separately, you have to buy aftermarket or the whole knuckle if you buy from Honda. Doesn't make much sense.

 

[TX08manualGXP]

That's why when you take a wrecked vehicle to the dealership, they rack up the $$ quick and end up totalling something fixable. Knock on wood, this is the first end of year in 3 years that I'm not buying a replacement vehicle for my middle son.

 

[wspohn]

That's also why one member had GM buy back his car and write it off because they couldn't fix it under warranty - the failed electronic module was unavailable for an indeterminate period (tidal wave in Japan interrupted production, I believe).

Had it been my coupe it would have been back on the road a day after they told me they couldn't fix it - I would never have allowed them to wreck the car, I'd just have sourced the broken bit from a wrecker and stuck it in, but GM procedures didn't allow that, so one less coupe in the world. :brentil:

 

[24222]

Are these drive shaft tubes carbon fibre? If so maybe it was splitting and going out of balance. Happened on my friends truck,just wondering.

 

[Treeman]

The dealer just called and it is all better. I asked if it was a CV joint and he said driveshaft where it fits into the differential. Since it works and is covered by warranty, I will take it!

 

[R&T]

Glad it is all fixed.

 

[DaveOC]

The dealer just called and it is all better. I asked if it was a CV joint and he said driveshaft where it fits into the differential. Since it works and is covered by warranty, I will take it!

I suspect that it was the rear rubber piece that they use instead of a u-joint, since there isn't anywhere that the driveshaft "fits into" the differential.

It doesn't matter, since the problem is fixed and you sound happy to be back driving it. :thumbs:

 

[TX08manualGXP]

Yep, one less thing to worry about. way to go.