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Jul 21, 2023

Understanding the Key Symptoms of a Worn or Failing Drive Shaft

Common signs include intense car vibrations and abnormal noises, clunking, rattling, and scraping, coming from under the vehicle. Drive shafts are a very precision balanced and weighted component

Common signs include intense car vibrations and abnormal noises, clunking, rattling, and scraping, coming from under the vehicle.

Drive shafts are a very precision balanced and weighted component because they rotate at very high speeds and torque values to turn the wheels. When the drive shaft has any issue, it can cause problems that affect the drivability of the vehicle. Usually a problem will produce symptoms that alert the driver of an issue that should be addressed.

THE TWO MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS:

1. Intense Vibrations from Underneath the Vehicle

The most common causes of excessive vibration are worn U-joints, slip splines, out-of-balance components, yokes out of phase, or misaligned angles. Excessive vibration of the drive shaft can also cause accelerated wear on other drivetrain components. This can lead to additional issues down the road.

2. Abnormal Noises

If the bushing or bearing that supports the drive shaft or the drive shaft U-joints wear out or fail, they can interfere with the unit’s ability to rotate correctly. This may result in unusual rattling, clunking, or even scraping sounds from under the vehicle. Any noises such as these are an indicator that the vehicle should be serviced as soon as possible. Drive shaft issues can greatly affect the drivability of the vehicle. If you suspect that your drive shaft is having an issue, have the vehicle inspected by a professional technician to determine if the drive shaft should be replaced.

RECOMMENDED SOLUTION

When addressing a drive shaft problem, it is often best to replace the entire assembly. Just replacing individual components may ultimately only address the symptom and not the root cause. TrakMotive New Drive shaft assemblies include all new components and are 100% precision machine balanced to meet OEM specifications.

For more detailed information, explore the benefits of TrakMotive’s 100% new Drive Shaft offering: https://www.trakmotive.com/products/drive-shaft-assemblies/

This Article is Sponsored By: Trakmotive