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Driveshaft vibration at 70 MPH Please Help!
Driveshaft vibration at 70 MPH Please Help! 1999 TA Lsx 454, 6 speed manual, Strange engineering dana 60 and driveshaft, umi adjustable torque arm mounted off the trans.
It runs great until 60 it starts vibrating gets worse the faster I go. push clutch in no change. its little worse in 6th gear on the gas. Little better in 5th gear.
How do I check the front and rear driveshaft angles. I have changed the pinion angle 3 times now and it has had no change at all, I started with it at 1 deg, then 2 deg, now 3 deg. All with the pinion angled down so it will move closer to 0 deg when I'm on the gas.
I did check for round out and found everything seems to be good, nothing bent as far as I can tell.
Also I have not had a chance to check the driveshaft balance, I would hope that strange engineering would have sent it balanced, there are weights on it.
Any help would be great!!! Thanks
It runs great until 60 it starts vibrating gets worse the faster I go. push clutch in no change. its little worse in 6th gear on the gas. Little better in 5th gear.
How do I check the front and rear driveshaft angles. I have changed the pinion angle 3 times now and it has had no change at all, I started with it at 1 deg, then 2 deg, now 3 deg. All with the pinion angled down so it will move closer to 0 deg when I'm on the gas.
I did check for round out and found everything seems to be good, nothing bent as far as I can tell.
Also I have not had a chance to check the driveshaft balance, I would hope that strange engineering would have sent it balanced, there are weights on it.
Any help would be great!!! Thanks
I would suggest first checking the driveshaft balance. Then move to pinion. Also are you lowered or at stock ride height? If everything else is correct i would suggest a -2 degree angle and see if that helps
Stock height, What about the trans tail shaft bushing? It dose not seem to have any play in it though. I put it up on jack stands and started it put it in firts gear and let it go, So I could watch what was going on, It shakes the whole rear end when it gets to vibrating! And thats in first gear no throttle. only about 10-15 MPH. Im currently messing with differant pinion angles to see if it goes away.
No driveshaft balancing place is open on saturday, so I am trying everything else to fix the problem first. If it still there I will have it balanced this week.
I have tried every pinion angle from +2 to -5 and nothing about the vibration changes.
I'm wondering if my engine is a little crooked in there?? Anyone know how to check that? Thanks
I have tried every pinion angle from +2 to -5 and nothing about the vibration changes.
I'm wondering if my engine is a little crooked in there?? Anyone know how to check that? Thanks
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From: 32639 Groesbeck HWY. Fraser MI 48026
I would recomend you have a buddy drive near you on the freeway and watch the rear tires. The S60 is heavier and the stock shocks have been known to be to soft and can't handle a S60.
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Watch out for your output shaft bearing/seal being shaken out of the tranny!!!!! I had a driveshaft that wasn't balanced, and vibrated at 80ish and up. I ended up spraying my tranny fluid all over I-10. My tranny was pissed after that.
The driveshaft is at the shop and they should have it done tomorrow morning. I'm hoping that's what it is!!! Yea I had the bearing and seal come out of my bosses 03 2500 Chevy 4x4's transfer case with a bad u joint vibrating, Had to replace the transfer case, due to no oil in it for who knows how long.
I had the same problems as you. That strange driveshaft is not of the highest quality. Mine was an ounce out.
Also from discussions with UMI they told me the best angle for the larger housings such as the S60 it is best to set pinion at 0 degrees. Use the UMI method to do this.
These were my 2 problems with my S60 set up.
The pinion angle needs to be dead nuts otherwise your car drive like a damn tank.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Also from discussions with UMI they told me the best angle for the larger housings such as the S60 it is best to set pinion at 0 degrees. Use the UMI method to do this.
These were my 2 problems with my S60 set up.
The pinion angle needs to be dead nuts otherwise your car drive like a damn tank.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
I had the same problems as you. That strange driveshaft is not of the highest quality. Mine was an ounce out.
Also from discussions with UMI they told me the best angle for the larger housings such as the S60 it is best to set pinion at 0 degrees. Use the UMI method to do this.
These were my 2 problems with my S60 set up.
The pinion angle needs to be dead nuts otherwise your car drive like a damn tank.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Also from discussions with UMI they told me the best angle for the larger housings such as the S60 it is best to set pinion at 0 degrees. Use the UMI method to do this.
These were my 2 problems with my S60 set up.
The pinion angle needs to be dead nuts otherwise your car drive like a damn tank.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Update, I had the driveshaft balanced, they said it was pretty far off. I installed it and it still vibrates
, 
maybe a little better but not much.
I was so pissed I yanked the tail housing off the trans and pulled the tail shaft bushing, Anyone know how much play should be in the bushing? The driveshaft measures 1.500" and the inside of the bushing measures 1.535" Is that good or not?
, maybe a little better but not much.I was so
pissed I yanked the tail housing off the trans and pulled the tail shaft bushing, Anyone know how much play should be in the bushing? The driveshaft measures 1.500" and the inside of the bushing measures 1.535" Is that good or not? Last edited by 1Hotbird; Aug 6, 2008 at 07:13 PM.
I feel you. Your story is just like mine. Pay all this money and they can't even balance a driveshaft.
One thing I have always questioned is the length of the strange driveshaft. No 2 cars are the same so I am wondering if each driveshaft needs to be measured for each application. Everyone you talk to has a differnet opinion on how far the yoke should stick out from the tranny. Mine is about an inch which according to some is fine and others say no more than 0.75".
Are there any wear marks on the yoke?
There have been others on hear that gotten rid of the strange ds and switch to PST or similar and have gotten great results.
I would tinker with your pinion angle and measure for drivshaft length before you start throwing money at it.
I'll see if I can find the UMI pinion angle procedure.
One thing I have always questioned is the length of the strange driveshaft. No 2 cars are the same so I am wondering if each driveshaft needs to be measured for each application. Everyone you talk to has a differnet opinion on how far the yoke should stick out from the tranny. Mine is about an inch which according to some is fine and others say no more than 0.75".
Are there any wear marks on the yoke?
There have been others on hear that gotten rid of the strange ds and switch to PST or similar and have gotten great results.
I would tinker with your pinion angle and measure for drivshaft length before you start throwing money at it.
I'll see if I can find the UMI pinion angle procedure.
Well I ordered a no walk tailshaft bushing from rockland standard gear.
I talked to Amber at six speeds and found out my bushing should be about 1.505" and the first time I install the driveshaft I should have to pound it in with a rubber hammer. That's how tight it needs to be, and it wears in shortly after you start driving. So a new bushing has about .005" clearance and my bushing had .035" that's 30 thousandths to much,
I'm hoping that solves my problem!!
I talked to Amber at six speeds and found out my bushing should be about 1.505" and the first time I install the driveshaft I should have to pound it in with a rubber hammer. That's how tight it needs to be, and it wears in shortly after you start driving. So a new bushing has about .005" clearance and my bushing had .035" that's 30 thousandths to much,
I'm hoping that solves my problem!!
I think it's fixed!!!! Ok I think I have it fixed!!!
I installed the Rockland standard gear Bushing, The driveshaft went in Very Very tight!! The first time I ran it, it blackened the red paint on the outside of the tailshaft around where the bushing is!! But after 2 miles the driveshaft turns free by hand! Apparently it gets pretty hot during break in!!!
I followed someone's advice and removed the shim plate from my poly trans mount and ground down the bumps that preload the mount!
I bought a digital carpenters level from sears $35.00, with my old cheap angle finder I set the pinion angle to what I thought was 0 degrees, then I checked it with my new digital level and it was actually 1.4 degrees. So I used the new level and set it to 0.2 degrees front pinion down.
I took it for a drive and so far No vibration at all!!!!!!
Also I called UMI and asked about there method of setting the pinion angle and to me it seemed the exact same as explained in bmr's video.
Also the Rockland bushing measured 1.510 before installing it! And it did "bubble" a little into the oil passage like my other one did.
Thanks everyone for your help!!!
I installed the Rockland standard gear Bushing, The driveshaft went in Very Very tight!! The first time I ran it, it blackened the red paint on the outside of the tailshaft around where the bushing is!! But after 2 miles the driveshaft turns free by hand! Apparently it gets pretty hot during break in!!!
I followed someone's advice and removed the shim plate from my poly trans mount and ground down the bumps that preload the mount!
I bought a digital carpenters level from sears $35.00, with my old cheap angle finder I set the pinion angle to what I thought was 0 degrees, then I checked it with my new digital level and it was actually 1.4 degrees. So I used the new level and set it to 0.2 degrees front pinion down.
I took it for a drive and so far No vibration at all!!!!!!
Also I called UMI and asked about there method of setting the pinion angle and to me it seemed the exact same as explained in bmr's video.
Also the Rockland bushing measured 1.510 before installing it! And it did "bubble" a little into the oil passage like my other one did.
Thanks everyone for your help!!!