Drive Shaft Slip Yoke Wobble (Videos)

**Reesie** · 01-07-2019

Hey guys, I started having a vibration around 10 mph and under. Jacked up the rear end to look at the drive shaft while in drive since the u joints felt solid (thought one was binding). Seems like the slip yoke vibration dampener is wobbling/coming apart. I thought this would be good to share for others that might have a vibration at low speeds, especially turning. Anyone have a part/brand they recommend and do you think I'll have to get the driveshaft balanced after? Rockauto shows the slip yoke for $150 bucks. I have some new u joints that are greaseable and am going to do them too. Thanks guys.

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**Polaraco** · 01-07-2019

Drive shaft is bad. That's my read. If those joints were replaced before, someone fudged the shaft. Junk yard

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**Polaraco** · 01-07-2019

Originally Posted by Reesie

Hey guys, I started having a vibration around 10 mph and under. Jacked up the rear end to look at the drive shaft while in drive since the u joints felt solid (thought one was binding). Seems like the slip yoke vibration dampener is wobbling/coming apart. I thought this would be good to share for others that might have a vibration at low speeds, especially turning. Anyone have a part/brand they recommend and do you think I'll have to get the driveshaft balanced after? Rockauto shows the slip yoke for $150 bucks. I have some new u joints that are greaseable and am going to do them too. Thanks guys.

See above

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**Reesie** · 01-07-2019

Originally Posted by Polaraco

Drive shaft is bad. That's my read. If those joints were replaced before, someone fudged the shaft. Junk yard

I have 50k miles. The drive shaft has never been worked on. It seems like the dampener is sliding off. I was reading that some people just remove the dampener from the yoke. It's a one piece shaft. I might just do that. Idk, was just seeing what everyone's recommendations are.

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**Polaraco** · 01-07-2019

Originally Posted by Reesie

I have 50k miles. The drive shaft has never been worked on. It seems like the dampener is sliding off. I was reading that some people just remove the dampener from the yoke. It's a one piece shaft. I might just do that. Idk, was just seeing what everyone's recommendations are.

I couldn't tell in the video. I don't have a damper. It's a harmonic balancer actually.

Not to sound like a wise guy, but being an engineer, I have to ask. Why would an engineer go to the trouble and expense to have one there, only to have some shtuff kicker remove it? Just like to silencing ring in the turbo. It could be there toi reduce damage to the rear bushing in the trans. Or to prevent metal fatigue. Or just acoustics.

Personally, I'd look at what caused the problem and correct both. You have zero to no chance of fixing that in your yard. My suggestion is get a used one, or go to a shaft shop. They ought to be a dime a dozen in teh yards.

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**Reesie** · 01-08-2019

Originally Posted by Polaraco

I couldn't tell in the video. I don't have a damper. It's a harmonic balancer actually.

Not to sound like a wise guy, but being an engineer, I have to ask. Why would an engineer go to the trouble and expense to have one there, only to have some shtuff kicker remove it? Just like to silencing ring in the turbo. It could be there toi reduce damage to the rear bushing in the trans. Or to prevent metal fatigue. Or just acoustics.

Personally, I'd look at what caused the problem and correct both. You have zero to no chance of fixing that in your yard. My suggestion is get a used one, or go to a shaft shop. They ought to be a dime a dozen in teh yards.

Good point. I'm wondering if my tail shaft bushing is damaged now.

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**DIESELWRKS** · 01-08-2019

Originally Posted by Polaraco

I couldn't tell in the video. I don't have a damper. It's a harmonic balancer actually.

Not to sound like a wise guy, but being an engineer, I have to ask. Why would an engineer go to the trouble and expense to have one there, only to have some shtuff kicker remove it? Just like to silencing ring in the turbo. It could be there toi reduce damage to the rear bushing in the trans. Or to prevent metal fatigue. Or just acoustics.

Personally, I'd look at what caused the problem and correct both. You have zero to no chance of fixing that in your yard. My suggestion is get a used one, or go to a shaft shop. They ought to be a dime a dozen in teh yards.

agree, your shaft will be out of balance if you remove that. you can supply your own u-joints but In my opinion go to a drive shaft shop that actual does a load balance. they can tell you a lot of things about that shaft and its health. plus give you a decent warranty. surprisingly the shaft shops I have used over the last 10 years are actually affordable for this sort of thing.

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**Polaraco** · 01-08-2019

Originally Posted by DIESELWRKS

agree, your shaft will be out of balance if you remove that. you can supply your own u-joints but In my opinion go to a drive shaft shop that actual does a load balance. they can tell you a lot of things about that shaft and its health. plus give you a decent warranty. surprisingly the shaft shops I have used over the last 10 years are actually affordable for this sort of thing.

Agreed. But the shaft shop I used is not 20 miles away and no alternative close by. Fortunately I don't have any shaft work and my days for that stuff is over. Thank Gaud

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**Polaraco** · 01-08-2019

Originally Posted by Reesie

Good point. I'm wondering if my tail shaft bushing is damaged now.

Just grab the hoke and shake it up and down and side by side. There is some play, maybe 010 sorta. Typically the seal would be leaking.

You could get a used shaft easy enough. put a fresh set of joints in it, or if your luck to get a shaft with a fresh set, done. Just measure your shaft length first. If the harmonic is that far out, chances are the shaft is junk. Did you hit something?

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**Reesie** · 01-08-2019

Originally Posted by Polaraco

Just grab the hoke and shake it up and down and side by side. There is some play, maybe 010 sorta. Typically the seal would be leaking.

You could get a used shaft easy enough. put a fresh set of joints in it, or if your luck to get a shaft with a fresh set, done. Just measure your shaft length first. If the harmonic is that far out, chances are the shaft is junk. Did you hit something?

Its solid, no leaks, and it's never been hit. I wonder if if the cold in Alaska had an impact on the balancers seal. I first noticed it immediately after my 4th towing trip down from Alaska in Oct but randomly when turning the wheel.

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