Can a Half Shaft Cause Vehicle Body Vibration?
1 Answers
Half shafts can indeed cause vehicle body vibration. Symptoms of half shaft-induced vibration include metallic grinding noises or hard metal-on-metal sounds; abnormal noises when turning the steering wheel fully left or right; severe vibration during high-speed driving; and noticeable body sway during vehicle operation. The automotive half shaft, also known as the drive shaft, connects the differential to the drive wheels. It transmits torque between the transmission reducer and the drive wheels, with universal joints at both ends connecting via splines to the reducer gear and hub bearing inner ring respectively. Half shafts transmit power between the differential and drive wheels. Conventional non-disconnect drive axle half shafts can be classified into three types based on outer end support: full-floating, 3/4 floating, and semi-floating. When accelerating within a specific speed range, rhythmic front-end bouncing may occur, disappearing or reducing upon throttle release. This is typically caused by excessive wear in the inner CV joint of the half shaft, where force vector changes create an angle between transmission and half shaft, producing this bouncing sensation. The solution for half shaft-induced vibration is direct replacement. Additionally, most inner CV joint wear results from damaged dust boots on the half shaft that weren't promptly replaced. Therefore, any observed dust boot rupture with oil leakage necessitates immediate replacement.
