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Propeller shaft vibration solved... Posted by magalar [Email] (#1325) [Profile/Gallery] (more from magalar) on Fri, 3 Jul 2015 09:08:06 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
You may remember that I had some problems with a vibration a couple months ago. I then took the propshaft to a specialty shop here in LaSalle, near Montreal. They diagnosed a dying u-joint, a problem I was not able to feel myself with the propshaft on the bench.
Good news, it is rebuildable. You can't do it yourself since the shaft need to be balanced after that. Joints are inexpensive and very common : 35$ each (there is 2 of these). Installation is 65$ each and involves pushing out the old ones, and weld 4 washers to keep the new joints in the yoke. There is no provision for circlips or another locating device. 200$ for the 2 joints.
Then, the balancing process involves the removal of the old welded weights and the installation of new ones. 75$ per section, 225$ total.
Both end' CV joints and boots were still OK, as were both support bearings. These are the deal breaker. If they're not good, then the whole shaft is kaput. The support bearings are press-fitted there, and each section is then friction-welded in place. There is no way one can dismantle that weld and rebalance the shaft afterward for less than the cost of a complete new propshaft. The shop tried it a year ago and they lost money on that job, so they were not willing to redo it for me. Let's hope the bearings have still good life expectancy...
Overall, I have a properly smooth propshaft now for around 500$CDN including taxes, about 1/3 of what would have cost me a new shaft from Saab. I'm in Canada, so the prices are a bit higher here.
For you guys in the US, buying a new shaft may be more logical, since it is around 800$US (1000$CDN) on various sites. Keep the shipping charges low, and change it yourself : it is really easy. I can do it in less than 30 minutes now...
Oh, and to answer a question no one asked : yes, driving the car in FWD mode is feasible without triggering any codes or MIL. I didn't spin the front wheels, so I don't know it the car would have trigger a code in that case. No liquid poured out of the transfer case, and even Honey didn't notice the missing part until I told her.
Two more interesting facts : the car was about 1 L/100 km more efficient on the highway, according to SID. I've seen less than 9 at 120 km/h, a thing I don't see usually (26 mpg at 75 mph)
But the torque of that V6T is a bit too much for FWD, in my opinion, as torque steer is back like if it was a Viggen... In XWD, the car is so stable, that it is a bit dull under WOT : no drama, no squirelling, no tire chirps, nothing. I do prefer stability but I know now what is the price to pay...
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