drive line vibration - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

hapisok · 03-15-2013, 08:14 PM

yesterday i noticed some vibration throughout the chassis and a very slight shimmy in the wheel at certain speeds under load which appeared to be coming from the rear end. first thought was a CV joint or damaged axle. peeked underneath and found NO grease. next suspect was either the axle or possible thrown weight off one of the wheels. talked to brent and frank at DTP and they suggested it being the drive shaft.

so...jacked up the rear end and got underneath it...disengaged the e-brake and checked the drive shaft. sure enough, the bolts that connect the drive shaft to the rear differential were the culprit. 1 bolt was completely backed out and just sitting in the bore and the threads were hammered flat except for the last couple threads. the other 2 bolts were hand tight.

stopped at the local parts dept and picked up 3 new bolts...a little loc-tite and good as new.

not sure what caused the bolts to come lose as i've never touched them or had the drive shaft out. only thought that comes to mind is if the pumpkin was dropped when my gears were swapped. anyhow, something to keep in mind.

MA2010SS · 03-16-2013, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hapisok

yesterday i noticed some vibration throughout the chassis and a very slight shimmy in the wheel at certain speeds under load which appeared to be coming from the rear end. first thought was a CV joint or damaged axle. peeked underneath and found NO grease. next suspect was either the axle or possible thrown weight off one of the wheels. talked to brent and frank at DTP and they suggested it being the drive shaft.

so...jacked up the rear end and got underneath it...disengaged the e-brake and checked the drive shaft. sure enough, the bolts that connect the drive shaft to the rear differential were the culprit. 1 bolt was completely backed out and just sitting in the bore and the threads were hammered flat except for the last couple threads. the other 2 bolts were hand tight.

stopped at the local parts dept and picked up 3 new bolts...a little loc-tite and good as new.

not sure what caused the bolts to come lose as i've never touched them or had the drive shaft out. only thought that comes to mind is if the pumpkin was dropped when my gears were swapped. anyhow, something to keep in mind.

I think you answered your own question...you have 3.91 gears, whoever did the install had to remove those bolts to take the rear out of the car, when it was re-installed they may have only hand tighten them and forgot to torque them down

hapisok · 03-17-2013, 08:57 PM

i agree...SABOTAGE!!!

MA2010SS · 03-18-2013, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hapisok

i agree...SABOTAGE!!!

Haha...good thing you didn't break all the bolts and needed a tow

hapisok · 03-18-2013, 05:56 PM

fo sho! i consider myself pretty lucky.

i'd hate to see this happen to somebody else and have the drive shaft bang around under the car. all kinds of destruction and safety issues...its scary!

JohnnyBfromPeoria · 03-18-2013, 09:41 PM

I snapped two out of three bolts on the FRONT of a driveshaft on an MGC back in the 80's just as I passed 100 mph. Vibrated so bad the dust in the car was levitating a few inches above the carpet. Scared. The. Crap. Out. Of. Me.

John B.

MA2010SS · 03-19-2013, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyBfromPeoria

I snapped two out of three bolts on the FRONT of a driveshaft on an MGC back in the 80's just as I passed 100 mph. Vibrated so bad the dust in the car was levitating a few inches above the carpet. Scared. The. Crap. Out. Of. Me.

John B.

I've broken too many U-joints on different cars over the years and DS loop is never a bad investment no matter what you do to the car

Vader2011v6 · 04-18-2013, 12:00 AM

Looks like this is why happened to me. My driveshaft is hanging loose in between my exhaust.. Haven't gotten it on the lift but looks like three bolts are missing .

*SSE 4 2SS* · 04-18-2013, 02:51 AM

OP, I'm glad you were able to find this without any further damage... but....

For all of us... the bolts used on the driveshafts are a one time use bolt. There were some reported early on that were breaking or loose without ever having been removed. I've had several people I know have broken or loose bolts create vibration issues and one suffered pretty substantial damage...

I haven't heard of this one in a while so I imagine it was limited to earlier model cars...

If you remove or loosen these bolts, please get new bolts from the dealer or another reputable supplier and replace them...

hapisok · 04-18-2013, 07:00 AM

i hope it is just earlier models. but with all the guys getting the gear swap done...i suppose we could begin to see it as an issue again. as long as the shop gets some new bolts in there they should be good to go.

Vader2011v6 · 04-18-2013, 06:39 PM

Unfortunately it happened at the track. Right at my first run I started a burn out and then it snapped.so didn't even get a run down the track

sixty9fordkiller · 04-25-2013, 05:08 PM

ive broken 4 sets of those bolts! ugh! my latest, monday this week. just got my car back from the dealer last night. my car is #35770

2010 M6 LS3

production date August 2009

urr2slo · 04-25-2013, 05:50 PM

Ive had a few issues as well, replace 3 times, the GM bolts are torque to yield so they should not be reused. I now put a torque wrench on them every oil change.

03-15-2013, 08:14 PM	#1
hapisok crazier than a coconut Drives: 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: virginia Posts: 1,547	drive line vibration yesterday i noticed some vibration throughout the chassis and a very slight shimmy in the wheel at certain speeds under load which appeared to be coming from the rear end. first thought was a CV joint or damaged axle. peeked underneath and found NO grease. next suspect was either the axle or possible thrown weight off one of the wheels. talked to brent and frank at DTP and they suggested it being the drive shaft. so...jacked up the rear end and got underneath it...disengaged the e-brake and checked the drive shaft. sure enough, the bolts that connect the drive shaft to the rear differential were the culprit. 1 bolt was completely backed out and just sitting in the bore and the threads were hammered flat except for the last couple threads. the other 2 bolts were hand tight. stopped at the local parts dept and picked up 3 new bolts...a little loc-tite and good as new. not sure what caused the bolts to come lose as i've never touched them or had the drive shaft out. only thought that comes to mind is if the pumpkin was dropped when my gears were swapped. anyhow, something to keep in mind. Attached Images __________________

03-18-2013, 05:56 PM	#5
hapisok crazier than a coconut Drives: 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: virginia Posts: 1,547	fo sho! i consider myself pretty lucky. i'd hate to see this happen to somebody else and have the drive shaft bang around under the car. all kinds of destruction and safety issues...its scary! __________________

03-18-2013, 09:41 PM	#6
JohnnyBfromPeoria Drives: 2012 LS M6, Black Join Date: May 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 2,045	I snapped two out of three bolts on the FRONT of a driveshaft on an MGC back in the 80's just as I passed 100 mph. Vibrated so bad the dust in the car was levitating a few inches above the carpet. Scared. The. Crap. Out. Of. Me. John B. __________________ 12 LS M6, IPF S/C, ASA GT-5 wheels, VMax PTB 1995 Mitsubishi Montero SR 1987 Dodge Raider Turbo Project 1986 Mitsubishi Montero 2.4l FI Transplant

04-18-2013, 12:00 AM	#8
Vader2011v6 Drives: 2014 custom blue ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,246	Looks like this is why happened to me. My driveshaft is hanging loose in between my exhaust.. Haven't gotten it on the lift but looks like three bolts are missing . __________________ Custom blue 2014 ZL1. Cold air intake,clear bra,apex springs,apex oil catchcan,18 percent pulley,stainless works long tubes wit high flow cats,ls3 throttle body, (595tq/607hp) to the wheels

04-18-2013, 02:51 AM	#9
SSE 4 2SS Boosted Moderator Drives: Bone Stock LS3 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Marion Tx Posts: 15,491	OP, I'm glad you were able to find this without any further damage... but.... For all of us... the bolts used on the driveshafts are a one time use bolt. There were some reported early on that were breaking or loose without ever having been removed. I've had several people I know have broken or loose bolts create vibration issues and one suffered pretty substantial damage... I haven't heard of this one in a while so I imagine it was limited to earlier model cars... If you remove or loosen these bolts, please get new bolts from the dealer or another reputable supplier and replace them... __________________ If the car feels like it is on rails, you are probably driving too slow. -Ross Bentley Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall. Torque is how far you take the wall with you. “If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.” Mario Andretti If you can turn, you ain't going fast enough...

03-17-2013, 08:57 PM	#3
hapisok crazier than a coconut Drives: 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: virginia Posts: 1,547	i agree...SABOTAGE!!! __________________

04-18-2013, 07:00 AM	#10
hapisok crazier than a coconut Drives: 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: virginia Posts: 1,547	i hope it is just earlier models. but with all the guys getting the gear swap done...i suppose we could begin to see it as an issue again. as long as the shop gets some new bolts in there they should be good to go. __________________

04-18-2013, 06:39 PM	#11
Vader2011v6 Drives: 2014 custom blue ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,246	Unfortunately it happened at the track. Right at my first run I started a burn out and then it snapped.so didn't even get a run down the track __________________ Custom blue 2014 ZL1. Cold air intake,clear bra,apex springs,apex oil catchcan,18 percent pulley,stainless works long tubes wit high flow cats,ls3 throttle body, (595tq/607hp) to the wheels

04-25-2013, 05:08 PM	#12
sixty9fordkiller Donkey Dick Cam Camaro Drives: 2010 2SS/RS LS3 M6 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,998	ive broken 4 sets of those bolts! ugh! my latest, monday this week. just got my car back from the dealer last night. my car is #35770 2010 M6 LS3 production date August 2009 __________________ Bone Stock

04-25-2013, 05:50 PM	#13
urr2slo Drives: 2010 2ss ss/rs abm, 2016 2ss/rs hbm Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: N. Phx, Az Posts: 1,332	Ive had a few issues as well, replace 3 times, the GM bolts are torque to yield so they should not be reused. I now put a torque wrench on them every oil change. __________________ URR2SLO - If you're not going fast enough, get out the way......