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Slop in driveshaft....U joint?

  • Thread starter Thread starter fiveoho
  • Start date Start date Dec 10, 2007

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
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TN
Dec 10, 2007
#1
  • Dec 10, 2007
  • #1
with the car in neutral on jackstands and the e brake off, i can turn the DS side to side with about a inch play. im sure a inch is too much. can u joints cause slop in the DS? can they also cause vibration/noise when running at higher speed and letting off ( vibs occur just on initial let off )?
 

earleys94gt

Active Member
Aug 31, 2003
1,223
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49
Ashley, Ohio
Dec 10, 2007
#2
  • Dec 10, 2007
  • #2
I think u-joints will make a clunk sound when you initially put the car in gear, and move either foreward or backward.

If the engine RPM is constant, regardless of the gear, and the vibration continues, I don't think it's the driveshaft.
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
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129
Dec 10, 2007
#3
  • Dec 10, 2007
  • #3
Are you turning the sections of DS against eachother or is the slop in the entire driveline?
You can have issues ahead or behind the DS causing the slop.

DS speed is absolute so vibes that occur at higher speeds can very much be linked to driveline slop (from the trans rearward).

More info about what has been tested and how will help.

Good luck.
 

fiveoho

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Apr 28, 2005
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Dec 11, 2007
#4
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #4
earleys94gt said:
If the engine RPM is constant, regardless of the gear, and the vibration continues, I don't think it's the driveshaft.
Click to expand...


only does it when i let off the throttle, more so at higher speeds in higher gear (5th mostly)
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
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Dec 11, 2007
#5
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #5
HISSIN50 said:
Are you turning the sections of DS against eachother or is the slop in the entire driveline?
You can have issues ahead or behind the DS causing the slop.

DS speed is absolute so vibes that occur at higher speeds can very much be linked to driveline slop (from the trans rearward).

More info about what has been tested and how will help.

Good luck.
Click to expand...


when i feel the slop by hand, im twisting the DS side to side. there isnt any up and down or side to side play.

i know what i want to say, i just cant word it well. does what i typed make sense?
 

divit250r

Member
Mar 31, 2005
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0
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Columbia City, IN
Dec 11, 2007
#6
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #6
It sounds like the backlash in the gearset is off, by the description of it being a rotating slop.

Scott
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
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Dec 11, 2007
#7
  • Dec 11, 2007
  • #7
divit250r said:
It sounds like the backlash in the gearset is off, by the description of it being a rotating slop.

Scott
Click to expand...

someone else mentioned that. i took it back the guy who put the gears in ( 6-8,000 miles ago) and he said the backlash and gear set looked fine. possibly mechanic too lazy to fix it
 
C

cold5.0

New Member
Nov 9, 2007
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Dec 12, 2007
#8
  • Dec 12, 2007
  • #8
A bad U-Joint CAN cause noise at high speed

fiveoho said:
with the car in neutral on jackstands and the e brake off, i can turn the DS side to side with about a inch play. im sure a inch is too much. can u joints cause slop in the DS? can they also cause vibration/noise when running at higher speed and letting off ( vibs occur just on initial let off )?
Click to expand...

I just replaced the U-Joints in my car because I was getting what I can best describe as a whining or humming noise in the 65-80MPH range. It sounded like it was coming from the transmission, fortunately it wasn't. Above or below these speeds, it was almost undetectable. As it turns out, the needle bearings in one the Ujoints were dry and rusted...so bad in fact that the cap was seized to the spider...causing the Ujoint cap to move slightly in the yoke. NOT GOOD. I had the exact same problem on my 88 GT, so I recognized the problem, and fixed it quickly before it caused any real damage. Bad Ujoints CAN cause slop in the drive train, but only if they're VERY BADLY WORN, and you'd probably already have grinding noises coming from under your car at any speed. I'd lean towards the backlash in your gears as a prime contributor, and normal wear and tear to your tranny second, as cause of your slop.
 

fiveoho

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Apr 28, 2005
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Dec 13, 2007
#9
  • Dec 13, 2007
  • #9
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=731198


ftr: all my u joints looked good, didnt replace any
 
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