Driveshaft - Is this normal?

D

DANRS112

Active LVC Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2012
Messages
126
Reaction score
4
Location
Tampa
This may be dumb, but I have almost no experience working on driveshafts, so I really don't know. Especially with flex discs.

So when I was under my car I saw gaps between bolt heads and the flex discs on the driveshaft. I didn't think that was right so I tried tightening them down. Didn't budge a bit. Granted I didn't put a TON of force on them. But I did put a lot, more than enough to break smaller bolts.

Then I figured the flex discs may need to 'flex' so maybe the play is supposed to be there? :confused:

I Didn't want to screw it up worse...but don't want to leave it if it's wrong.

Here are a couple pictures.

IMAG0541.jpg


IMAG0539.jpg
 
Apologies for the very large fuzzy images.

Edit: and yes I also did try to loosen them, no dice(didn't use a breaker bar or anything, just a couple box end wrenches, but I did use a lot of force on them) Point is those bolts/nuts are on there pretty good.
 
LS4me said:
That looks normal.
Click to expand...

The clearance between the rubber and the shaft does? If I had to guess I would have figured not only sure the fit be uniform across each bolt, but also that it should be flush.

Out of curiosity, is there an acceptable range for gap between rubber and steel here? Or do you know what that range would be?
 
I dont really see a gap. Looks like there is a thin somethin (maybe washer, or just part of the driveshaft) between the rubber and metal where the bolts are
 
dNyce LS said:
I dont really see a gap. Looks like there is a thin somethin (maybe washer, or just part of the driveshaft) between the rubber and metal where the bolts are
Click to expand...

That's probably because my pictures suck.

Top picture, between the silver nut and rubber - gap

Bottom picture blue bolt head, there's a gap between rubber and driveshaft (you can see the bottom of the car through the outer portion of the gap)
 
There is metal sleeves in the Guibo. The sleeves are wider than the Guibo so what you see is normal. The bolts and nuts are different weights and are how the driveshaft is balanced so if you ever pull apart you should mark everything and put back the way it was to avoid vibes.
 
I see what mean with the top pic. Second pic looks like what i wrote in my previous post (imo)
 
02LSE96LSC91SE84TC said:
There is metal sleeves in the Guibo. The sleeves are wider than the Guibo so what you see is normal. The bolts and nuts are different weights and are how the driveshaft is balanced so if you ever pull apart you should mark everything and put back the way it was to avoid vibes.
Click to expand...

hrm seem dumb to have big flanged nuts, and small sleeves that are that much longer than the Guibo is wide....also can you see the bottom of the car through the flange in the 2nd picture?(at very bottom of )

This is why I'm glad I asked, I almost just pulled it all apart.

Though I am getting what feels like drivetrain vibration. Especially around 60mph. Part of what made this stand out to me.
 
dNyce LS said:
Glad you provded the info about the weighted bolts. Now im almost positive my car will have a vibration when i get it back. I dont think the guys doing my trans swal marked the bolts.
Click to expand...

Not sure if its both the bolts and nuts or just the nuts. But from what I understand that is how they balance the shaft once in the car.
 
Lets see if this helps at all for 2nd picture

IMAG0539-1_zps45df02a1.jpg


Edit: See the sleeve. But also see huge gap still between rubber and driveshaft...also see white splotch from bottom of car between gap at the edge of the flange....though it's still clearer on my phone.
 
02LSE96LSC91SE84TC said:
The sleeve does stick out past the rubber both sides. That looks normal to me.
Click to expand...

Okay thanks, and I'm not trying to be argumentative.

However 3 things.

1 it doesn't make any sense to me to have a piece of rubber between the two flanges(not sure what they're called) if you're not going to make contact with the rubber on either end. What purpose does the flex disc serve then?

2. That 'sleeve' in the bottom picture looks like a sleeve. However, in the 1st picture, top blue bolt head. I see contact between the flange and rubber. That looks like what would have been a machined surface on the flange. The surface area is much larger than the sleeve in the 2nd picture....

3. there was no uniformity to the gap across the bolts..... some looked like small gaps, some looked flush, some only were off on one side.... and in the bolt in question there's a gap on both sides.

With this in mind. If this all is okay....all I'm left to wonder is does that rubber matter at all in terms of how much clearance there is? If it does matter, when is the gap too much?
 
Notice the driveshaft connects to the Guibo and the trans flange connects to the Guibo, the trans and driveshaft never touch each other. Its like this at the diff end too. Believe it or not all the power of the car is drive through these. I'm guessing it smooths the driveline. There is a cv joint actually more of a pilot bushing in the middle as without it would never spin balanced without. The rubber don't really matter if it is a little unequally spaced as the sleeves are all the same length. You wouldn't want the rubber squished as that would hamper its purpose.

Unless the rubber is dry, splitting or twisted somehow I can't see a problem.
 
02LSE96LSC91SE84TC said:
Notice the driveshaft connects to the Guibo and the trans flange connects to the Guibo, the trans and driveshaft never touch each other. Its like this at the diff end too. Believe it or not all the power of the car is drive through these. I'm guessing it smooths the driveline. There is a cv joint actually more of a pilot bushing in the middle as without it would never spin balanced without. The rubber don't really matter if it is a little unequally spaced as the sleeves are all the same length. You wouldn't want the rubber squished as that would hamper its purpose.

Unless the rubber is dry, splitting or twisted somehow I can't see a problem.
Click to expand...

I think that's a pretty good explanation. If you [DANRS112] want more, you might try Google. I would add that it also allows for slight angular changes in motion.

Here's the measurements and checks for the drive shaft.
http://deneau.info/ls/s6x~us~en~file=s6x50003.htm~gen~ref.htm
 
Angular makes it sound like it takes the place of a u-joint which it doesnt. I would say deflection??

A driveshaft has to have "give". Even if a car had no suspension at all just general body flex would require a flex point somewhere.

BMWs have been using these for a long time along with some foreign cars.
 
02LSE96LSC91SE84TC said:
Angular makes it sound like it takes the place of a u-joint which it doesnt. I would say deflection??

A driveshaft has to have "give". Even if a car had no suspension at all just general body flex would require a flex point somewhere.

BMWs have been using these for a long time along with some foreign cars.
Click to expand...

I think that Cadillac has been using them too.
Well, I did say slight angular changes. The U-joint is there for the bigger changes as well as the sliding spine.
 
Okay one more thing so I don't have to start another thread. What do either of you make of this. Every 5 seconds or so my wife changes gears. P > R > N >D then backwards. It's a bit tougher to make out in the video but it's worse in gear.

(hopefully linking this works, never done it this way before, if it doesn't let me know please)

th_VIDEO0059.jpg
"]
th_VIDEO0059.jpg
[/URL]
 
ugh, not what I wanted but if you click on the picture it takes you to the video. I was thinking flex plate...I checked the bolts to the torque converter, even retorqued them....didn't help.

This is the biggest concern I have with the car...and I can't bring myself to take it in until I know what I'm up against. Catch 22 I know
 
02LSE96LSC91SE84TC said:
Not sure what I'm suppose to hear other than a exhaust leak and possible a small child stuck in the motor.
Click to expand...

Haha, I thought it was an exhaust leak to before I crawled under. It's not, I tried moving the phone around to show that the sound decreased the farther you get away from the bell housing. When you're there, you can very clearly tell that's where it's coming from. You can also tell it's not coming from any exhaust pipes.

I couldn't check the bolts to the crank...but I hear it's not uncommon for the flex plate to crack around there. that's what I'm hoping for. Otherwise torque converter? I can buy a flex plate for $45...but I have no interest in pulling the tranny. Not sure what labor would cost me either.

I removed the child from the motor. Big mistake, It's far louder and more annoying now.:D jk....sort of:shifty:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 95 (members: 0, guests: 95)
Back
Top