Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

Quick question. Would leaving the half shafts hanging (not supported in any way) from the differential for a long period of time (like two months) cause any damage to them? I ask because I had another thread about a very bad vibration in the back, and have tried everything to fix it. I swapped the driveshaft, tires, and finally swapped the differential out and nothing has fixed it. The only thing I have left is the half shafts. When I was redoing the rear end a few months ago, my money had to go to other places and I left the rear end on jack stands with the half shafts hanging down, and that was for a little over two months.

jjcobm

iTrader: (18)

The halfshafts have ball bearings in them. Leaving them JUST hanging will not do any damage to them. It's when you have them at extreme angles and rotating at the same time that the damage happens.

I read through your other thread. Did you ever swap out different wheels into the rear and test drive again? Did you go through all the bolts and torque to spec? How are the hubs and bearing? What about the busings on the hub?

Usually when you tear apart never before touched hubs, the stock DTSS bushing will pretty much be toast. If you removed the hubs and just slapped them back on, I have a feeling a bushing went bad and is causing play as you drive.

Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

I replaced the DTSS bushings with poly ones. Those are the two piece rubber ones with a metal sleeve through them, with the adjustment bolt right? I need to try the rim swap again though. I stripped out the lock lug on one side and I could only test the passenger side with a different rim. It still had the up and down motion so I dismissed it as a fail, but I am planning to try it again. I dunno then... I'm out of ideas and money on this bitch. Bout to set it on fire.

I haven't had the rear end aligned yet... I don't suppose that could be it.

Also, I've only taken one test drive so far. All of my tests have been with the rear end jacked up and the car in 5th.

jjcobm

iTrader: (18)

There is no adjustment bolt on the DTSS bushing. This bushing is on the hub itself.

The one with the adjustment bolt is the bushing on the trailing arm (control arm). I would jack the rear up and start doing a shake down on all the components and going at them with the torque wrench. Really it won't take long. There have been times I have quadrouple checked all the bolts in the rear suspension when I reassembled everything.

Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

I never tore apart the hubs, btw. I left the half shafts in the control arms, and dropped the entire rear end. Then I removed the control arms, replaced the sub-frame, replaced the lower control arm bushings (the ones with the adjustment bolt) and put everything back together.

I'm not so sure that it's a bushing problem. The wheels have a noticeable up and down movement at higher speeds. It's not trick of the light, it definitely has an up and down movement. I need to swap the wheels....

jjcobm

iTrader: (18)

So you left the hubs attached to the control arms and the axles still bolted onto the hubs and just unbolted the halfshafts at the diff??

Anywho, you said your old wheel studs damaged your wheels by enlarging the holes where they mount to the hub. If this enlargement is big enough the up and down movement could be the wheel sliding around the hub as it rotates.

First check the wheel bearings:

With the wheels not moving and rear in the air, grab it at the 12 and 6 o clock position. Pull (wiggle) the top and bottom of the wheel. Do you notice any play? If not, you are probably looking at the wheels themselves moving around.

Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

Yup. Yea that seems to be what happened, with the rims. I just dismissed it though because the new lug nuts seem to center the rims perfectly, but obviously I need to go back and check this.

Hypertek

iTrader: (3)

its a bitch putting those shafts back together when they pop out... no fun at all, esp when you have to repack them

jjcobm

iTrader: (18)

Ehhh, it's cake compared to rebuilding 4x4 solid axles : ) Just think of it as a giant wheel bearing repack.

Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

Well.. I'm going to go over every nut with a torque wrench, and swap over some different rims and I'll report back.

Just for kicks, what would be the symptoms of a bent or bad half shaft?

jjcobm

iTrader: (18)

Clicklity clack noises. Bent? I would think you would have snapped it before you bent it. That's some pretty thick metal rod.

Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

Never know. I had the control arms/halfshafts out for a while. In and out of my basement and in the trunk of my car a few times, I was just sure it was the half shafts thats all...