Vibrations And Driveshafts

[jim_redauto]

I have a 2004 1.9TDi Auto. Its got 105,000 miles on the clock.

 

Last friday i was driving and started to get a vibration (quite severe) in a repetive fashion similar to running over cats eyes.

 

It wasnt affected by accelerating or decelerating or cornering.

 

It wasnt affected by slipping the box into neutral. And the noise got faster the faster i went

 

I got on the internet and started reading this site and used the search option lots. From what i read it suggested it could be driveshafts, the engine stabiliser bar, or lower arms. So i jacked it up and took a look. Stabiliser and bolt OK, lower arm bushes arnt split or anything, but i didnt use a pry bar, because i spotted what i though was my problem. I saw the drivers side driveshaft had a split boot where it joins the short shaft to go to the gearbox and it had sprayed all its grease out. And if i yanked on it i got a rattle. So today i put 2 new drive shafts on from Euro Car Parts. Took it for a test drive, but im still getting vibrations. Not as bad but they are still there!

 

Has anyone else used Euro Car Parts shafts and how did you get on?

 

Anything else that it could be? or could the old shafts damaged anything else?

[seatkid]

Did you check your tyres for embedded foreign objects (bolts, screws etc)?

[ianbin2012]

Have you checked the rim`s of your wheel`s to see if you have dropped any wheel weights.

[seatkid]

Another remote possibilty is a wheel bolt head broken off (the key head on alloys can drop out) and its rattling in the wheel trim. (Not sure if you removed the wheels when you change the drive shafts) Edited July 30, 2012 by seatkid

[jim_redauto]

Ill try all these tomorrow, thanks.

[jim_redauto]

Time for an update. I bought a pair of driveshafts from Euro Car Parts. I fitted them and the rythmic vibration like running over cats eyes went away. So result or so i thought.

 

But... i was still getting wheel wobble when i accelerated from slow speeds, and particularly when on lock, so pulling out of junctions and roundabouts etc.

 

I thought this might be worn bushes at the back of the front wishbones as i think they are the originals. I booked it in at the garage. They had it in the air and gave it a good poke and levered all the suspension components. They couldnt find anything wrong! They did a road test and agreed there was a wobble/vibration. But they couldnt identify it. I booked it in for lower wishbones anyway as thats what my hunch is. They are sort as if you grab the whell with the car on the ground and try and turn it, it moves a bit relative to the wheel arch.

 

But now the driveshaft problem again! They have been fine since i fitted them and ive already done 1500 miles! On sat i connected the galaxy to my trailer with a car on it. The trailer with car on weighs approx 1600kg. I did about 20 miles, then started getting the rythmic noise like driving over cats eyes again!!! It did it on and off all day. Got home disconnected the trailer and the noise and vibrations are still there!

 

so three questions.

 

1) anyone think that changing wishbones will sort the wheel wobble when pulling out of junctions or accelerating?

2) anyone had problems with ECP driveshafts?

3) is 1600kg too much for a galaxy to tow as the book max weight is 2000kg, or was it just cheap driveshafts not being up to the job?

 

Any suggestion greatly appreciated!

[sparky Paul]

I've just rebushed my wishbones after 13 years and 108,000 miles, the rear bushes were in pretty bad condition but the front bushes were perfect. FWIW, I did not experience any vibration/wobble or anything similar to your symptoms, only slight torque steer and a little vagueness in the straight ahead position. Personally, I don't think it's your wishbones.

 

I would think the Galaxy should cope with your trailer, it's within the specified limit and a car on a trailer shouldn't be a difficult load to pull.

 

Can't help with the driveshafts, but others on here have fitted eurocarparts driveshafts, so it might be worth a search.

 

Speed related vibration/wobble is normally due to the rotating parts, i.e a wheel or driveshaft, being out of balance. This could be caused by an out of balance wheel, worn wheel bearing, faulty driveshaft joint, damaged axle, etc..

 

What speed does the wobble occur? Does it come primarily through the steering wheel, or through the car body - do you feel it through your hands or at the back of your legs?

 

If the feeling is really like the regular bumping of cat's eyes, I would say the most likely things are a damaged tyre, or possibly driveshaft, or driveshaft spline related.

Edited August 20, 2012 by sparky Paul

[jim_redauto]

Ive checked tyres wheels (4 recent Falken tyres fitted and balanced up) and anything obvious, like the stabiliser bar, and the mechanic had 1/2 hour on the ramp with it, but neither of us can see anything.

 

The wheel wobble and vibration under load occurs whne pulling away from stationary, or when the car is accelerating and the transmission is under load. But its worse if you pull away from stationary with some steering lock on. You feel the wobble through the steering wheel.

 

The other problem ie like running over cats eyes comes and goes. It usually occurs from about 30 mph right up to 70 mph, however if you slow down its with you right till you stop. If you then wait for 1 min then drive on it may not come back for a few miles. Sometimes you can drive for 30 mins before it does anything!

[sparky Paul]

Worse on full steering lock does sound like it's driveshaft related, the usual tell tale of a dry or worn CV joint is clicking or lumpiness on full lock.

 

The only answer may be to remove the driveshafts and check what you can of the joints, splines, hubs and differential. It seems odd that the problem was fixed for 1500 miles with new driveshafts, perhaps it may be worth paying particular attention to the driveshaft splines.

[jim_redauto]

Yeah i had a look for the classic rust marks as documented on here before but could see anything. Ill check again later

[jim_redauto]

Ok, been looking at teh car again. First thing i did was check the intermediate shaft going into the box. Its fine, very little play and there is no red dust. Instead there is grease coming out (not leaking, just present) which is good as its been wet assembled. So thats all ok.

 

 

I also looked at the wishbones again. With the car in the air and the suspension on full droop i can stick a lever bar in and wiggle the the rear bushes around. Its not bad, and its in the design of the standard bushes as the have voids or gaps in. But when i put a jack under the wheel and raise it to approx standard risde height there is more movement as there is no longer any twist in the centre of the bush. Again, without having much experiance of galaxies i dont know what to expect!

 

So basically ive learnt nothing other than intermediate shaft seems OK

[jim_redauto]

Checked the driveshafts too. With the car in the air if i hold the inboard end of the shaft where it bolts to the flange and rotate the road wheel, there is a little bit of play. Its the same both sides of the car. These are the new shafts remember, but when i fitted them i didnt test for play then so i dont know if this is recent play or if they were like that to start with. Is this normal?

[sparky Paul]

It's normal to feel a bit of rotational play in the driveshafts, but other faults are not always evident without removing the shaft.

 

I would start from basics, and swap wheels from to back first to eliminate those. Jack up each front corner, and rotate the wheels on full lock whilst feeling the joints for any unevenness, stiffness, clicking, or sideways movement.

 

The rear bushes do have a fair bit of movement, one of mine was split and the centre of the other was parting company with the rubber, but the car still behaved itself. The new bushes all have a fair bit of flex, which is quite normal.

 

Any wobble or vibration from the wishbones is more likely to be a bottom balljoint, so have a good look at those too.

[Sher]

Have you checked the Rubber bearing/bush at the top of each strut?

 

Only when the off side wheel was off the floor, did it show up on mine as movement. The mechanic said it was not an MOT failure. I replaced it and problem of vibration under power went away. Shortly after the near side went and I replaced that.

 

Sod of a job! Due to corrosion by water trapped in the cup at the top around the bolt. Might be easier to cut the cup away and fit new ones. I don't think they are expensive.

[jim_redauto]

No not checked that. Im starting to think its just the new driveshafts are also shite and are slack?

[a18nkd]

hi i have use re-con drive shafts from ECP (also from euro parts) but not for the galaxy they were for other cars and had no problem but i suppose it could be luck of the draw hope you get things sorted and let everyone know when you fix it

[mumble_bee]

did this get sorted ?

similar issue here

[kreasey]

any luck with this I've had the same. It started with what sounded like road noise its now louder with vibration and knocking whether in gear or neutral, did wheel bearings back in june so discounted these. replaced driveshafts + intermediate, no difference. the bearings were cheap so suspected them, replace drivers side with skf and new strut, no difference and the cheap bearing looked in good order! tomorrow the other side will have new bearing and strut fingers crossed.also it was due for new tyres which were fitted today no difference.

originally when diagnosing this I had her up on blocks in gear and engine running the noise was there,

 

any thoughts

cheers