Arg! What's that sound and vibration!

[Slideways]

Ok so backstory, about a month ago I installed the autozone cv's and the sound was terrible just as everyone said it would be, ran them for about 3 weeks and then put the empi ones in. This last week it finally rained here. In driving around I noticed the vx was way more tail happy then normal. Then this last weekend I went to superlift off road park and on the first hill ,a mild uphil,l it just started spinning tires the rear tires and it wouldn't move. Got towed off the trail and when I got home I found the passenger drive flange was completely stripped of all teeth. Like smooth inside. Easy enough I borrowed a friend with a troopers front drive flange (he has manual hubs and doesn't need them) threw that in and done.

Not really, now that side is making all the same racket the autozone axles did if not more. Plus vibrating at the front end wich is specific to over half throttle or no throttle coasting, or anything above 40mph.

Any ideas? At my wits end.

[Triathlete]

How did the splines look on the end of the shaft? You may have damaged the shaft when you damaged the flanges.

[Slideways]

Splines looked perfect. Probably the autozone shafts took the damage.

[PK]

Check the needle roller bearing inside the hub.
If that hasn't been serviced, that could have broken up and not been noticed.

PK

[Slideways]

That's the next thing I'll check. Figure I'll pull it apart and at worst case if it isn't the bearings I will repack them with fresh grease.

[VXorado]

How did the inner green cup look when you installed the autozone/empi CV? If the inner grooves are worn, a new half shaft won't fix noise/vibration issues. Usually the green cup will wear if the inner CV boot was torn and your lifted.

[Slideways]

It didn't look that bad and the other side isn't making any noise at all. I replace both axles at the same times so it would be weird just one side cup would be worn out. Going to check it again though.

[Slideways]

Ok seriously this is making me crazy! Little needle bearings look fine, wheel bearings look fine, axle looks fine, green cup looks fine. Hope desperately it isn't something in the pumpkin. Not sure what to check next though.

[Triathlete]

Check the front driveshaft (propshaft). Mine makes a terrible noise (ask anyone that heard it in Moab). It sounds just like a bad cv and can cause vibration. My propshafts front cv is shot...I can move mine up and down (get your minds out of the gutter) about an inch. I have one in my garage waiting to go in. I got a trooper shaft from an auto salvage place for $70. I saw them online for anywhere from $50-300.

[Slideways]

Hmm I'll look at that tomorrow, to rule out a freak axle I've swapped sides and going to see what that does.

[Slideways]

Ok so swapped the axles an the sound moved with it, crazy because the boots are fine and they seem to move fine in your hands. Either way got a new one coming in so that should solve it.

[VXorado]

It's wierd that you had bad halfshafts from autozone and EMPI. What are the chances...

:_shrug:

[Slideways]

Well that autozone ones are documented as being to small for the green cup on the inner side. The empi probably got damaged somehow when my drive flange went.