31F driveshaft junk already

[t18skyguy]

You can make the shims yourself if you can't find a source. Cut them from 1/4 inch plate steel then drill the holes and stack them till your angles right. There is a source to buy them somewhere. I would call MorRyde I think they would know. Drill the holes then drop the carrier bearing down and cinch up the bolts. All the angles both north south and east west need to be right for the driveline to be in what they call phase. I know what your going through. I won't own any rig with a stretched chassis anymore. Diesel pusher for me.

[foglght]

Yeah I don't have any isues making the shims. I need someone to tell me the angles. I measured everything out and I'm well within 3 degrees on each one, so nothing should vibrate or make noise.

I read an old TSB on this and the angles don't match up. I found a guy today that said he would take it on. Dropped it off there.

Contacted MorRyde today. They have no record of my VIN so apparently someone else did the upfitting and chassis stretching. Maybe this is the first red flag.

[foglght]

Apparently some place called L&W did the stretch. Waiting for a call back from them on what the angles are supposed to be.

[t18skyguy]

Fog here is a youtube video on the principle, there are a couple others on there two. This may not help but it illustrates it pretty good.

https://youtu.be/Idk3BVDVHq4

[bucko]

Been following this thread, as I'm curious as to why yours has this vibration/noise. Was yours worked on in the past pertaining to chassis issues? Maybe it had an accident in its past that tweaked the frame? If not, then it seems strange that this has not been an issue with this model before.

[tileguy]

I might be missing something when I read, but I read the shaft was shimmed for the carrier bearings. When I've shimmed my carrier bearings in lifted trucks to get proper alignment the shims go between the frame mount and the actual carrier bearing mount not the shaft.

[foglght]

Originally Posted by bucko

Been following this thread, as I'm curious as to why yours has this vibration/noise. Was yours worked on in the past pertaining to chassis issues? Maybe it had an accident in its past that tweaked the frame? If not, then it seems strange that this has not been an issue with this model before.

No history on it that I can find. I don't think it was wrecked.

L&W got back to me today with the angles. I have to go to the shop tomorrow and see it. The shop its at called back and said they were done with the driveshaft portion.

The angles they gave me actually don't make sense. I'll need to measure myself again. The first angle is supposed to be 1.5 degrees. With no shims in there I was at 3.5 degrees. Either they are using a different 0 point (I used the frame rail) or they put the wrong carrier bushing bracket in. Probably just a measurement thing.

[Yooper906]

Originally Posted by foglght

No history on it that I can find. I don't think it was wrecked.

L&W got back to me today with the angles. I have to go to the shop tomorrow and see it. The shop its at called back and said they were done with the driveshaft portion.

The angles they gave me actually don't make sense. I'll need to measure myself again. The first angle is supposed to be 1.5 degrees. With no shims in there I was at 3.5 degrees. Either they are using a different 0 point (I used the frame rail) or they put the wrong carrier bushing bracket in. Probably just a measurement thing.

Please keep us informed. These problems aren’t easy to diagnose.

[t18skyguy]

I'm sure you probably know that the rig needs to be on a completely level surface with the tires all equally inflated. If your at 3.5 degrees on the first, maybe one shim would bring it into 1.5 degrees. If you undo the 2 big nuts holding the carrier bearing, you might be able to pry it up to 1.5 degrees and measure that gap to see how large a shim you might need. I do remember it was L&W that provided the shims and the TSB's with the details.

[foglght]

Originally Posted by t18skyguy

I'm sure you probably know that the rig needs to be on a completely level surface with the tires all equally inflated. If your at 3.5 degrees on the first, maybe one shim would bring it into 1.5 degrees. If you undo the 2 big nuts holding the carrier bearing, you might be able to pry it up to 1.5 degrees and measure that gap to see how large a shim you might need. I do remember it was L&W that provided the shims and the TSB's with the details.

The measurements should/need to be taken off of a point on the chassis so the ground level and tire inflation do not make a difference in the readings. I zero'd off the main frame channel (so all measurements are relative to the frame), L&W says to zero off the bottom of the transmission. I'll have to get more clarification from them as to what they mean by the bottom of the transmission ( crossmember or pan or somewhere else).

The 3.5 degree (downward) first measurement was with no shims. I can't make it go up any further. Waiting for L&W to get back to me.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by foglght

The measurements should/need to be taken off of a point on the chassis so the ground level and tire inflation do not make a difference in the readings. I zero'd off the main frame channel (so all measurements are relative to the frame), L&W says to zero off the bottom of the transmission. I'll have to get more clarification from them as to what they mean by the bottom of the transmission ( crossmember or pan or somewhere else).

The 3.5 degree (downward) first measurement was with no shims. I can't make it go up any further. Waiting for L&W to get back to me.

I suspect what L&W is saying is that the bottom of the transmission's pan is parallel with the transmission's output shaft so start there with "0" (it may be better (imo) to use the actual value for easier math and for better results with the measuring tool's usage and with comparing the other angles) and measure each shaft's difference from there to the rear end. The rear end's input shaft (the yoke, not the driveshaft) should be parallel with the transmissions output shaft (or as close as possible). Each drive shaft's u-joint angle should be within .5 degrees of each other and the u-joint "operating" angles should be at least .5 degrees.

So for example (and using easy math), if the transmissions output shaft is 0 degrees and is parallel with the rear ends input yoke and from the transmission there is a 3 degree total drop to the rear axle then each shaft should have a 1 degree drop and this needs to be as close as possible (within .5 degrees for the u-joint, but closer is better) to the same drop for each shaft.

Here is a cool tool, click on the option for "3" shafts and "Show Diagrams" for more details of what your u-joint operating angles would be according to Spicer (and the "read more" option if it shows up).

Be sure to check out the youtube videos at the bottom of the webpage which shows you how to measure the angles.

https://spicerparts.com/calculators/...alculator#more

~CA

[bucko]

Craigav, once again, thanks for sharing the info. While I don't have this issue on my class C, I do follow these types of threads because I like learning this stuff I don't know.

I have a 67 Camaro I've had (and worked on) for years. Always tinkering with it, and always learning on it. I guess that's why I buy used...used vehicles/campers always need to be tinkered with.

This site has taught me on the items I could not figure out on my own, and has saved me having to go to an RV repair shop...a good thing.

To the OP of this thread, I hope you get this resolved soon, and please share the results when it is fixed.

[rodpod]

Originally Posted by ait109

I also have an annoying hum/drone that occurs right round 65 mph on my 2022 25R. No vibrations at all for any of the speeds I've driven it at though. I assumed that it was some exhaust system resonance.

I have the exact same issue at the same speed on my 2018 Greyhawk 29 MV. I also thought it sounded like a resonance issue. I once had a similar issue on a car and it turned out to be a loose heat shield so climbed under the rig and checked the heat shields and exhaust components. I never did find the problem. Yes, it's annoying, but I am not going to spend thousands of $$$ to fix it. There is no shaking just noise and what is an RV if not a rolling noise machine. I'll just live with it. Please PM me and let me know if you find the problem. Thanks

[foglght]

I drove the RV down to L&W on Monday. Guys there were very nice and accommodating. Of course it was snowing/sleet/rain/hail that day. At least the driveline noise was present when he went for a ride. Didn't feel the shake, but the road was undulating and it was wet and slushy so not much of an opportunity.

Crossing fingers.

Interestingly the guys there were totally shocked that Jayco does not have a transferrable warranty.

[foglght]

Met some nice folks down at L&W. For those that don't know, L&W is one of two places that stretch the chassis for Jayco/Entegra. They are the ones that install the driveshafts, brackets, etc.

Picked up the RV today. They replaced the driveshaft, again, with one of theirs. Found the rear overload springs (hellwig) loose on one side.

And....still not fixed. They did fix most of the higher speed hum/drone at 65mph.

That concludes the people I can take it to. There isn't anyone left. I took a vibration measurement with my phone which indicates issues at 13-14hz, 27-29hz and 60hz. The first two indicate tire/wheel issues. The last one actually indicates driveshaft.

I called the Ford dealer to inquire about new wheels........$681 each for a steel wheel. WTF. I can get them all day long on Amazon for $90-120 each.

I guess nobody can fix it. I will say the folks down there were very nice and wanted to get it fixed.

[TWP723]

Originally Posted by craigav

You could even ask the Ford place or RV place which driveline shop they send out driveshafts, they may be friendly enough to tell you. ~CA

We would recommend somewhere to take the shaft for repairs. There are places everywhere that repair driveshafts. Re-tube, balance, new yokes...everything. Often, for a lot less than a new shaft. Ford dealers don't repair driveshafts so yeah, it would be sourced out. We only profit if we tear it down then install the repaired shaft. But for the most part, we are the middle man.

[TWP723]

Originally Posted by foglght

I called the Ford dealer to inquire about new wheels........$681 each for a steel wheel. WTF. I can get them all day long on Amazon for $90-120 each.

That's a little steep. You sure they looked up the right wheel? I don't show a wheel for that much for that vehicle. Only in aluminum and that's it.

[foglght]

Originally Posted by TWP723

That's a little steep. You sure they looked up the right wheel? I don't show a wheel for that much for that vehicle. Only in aluminum and that's it.

Unsure. I can call another ford dealer, but the parts guy did say it was a steel wheel.

[pconroy]

geebus - I opened this thread hoping for good news, hoping you get some relief.


I dunno.
The market is still good, Spring is a great time to sell...
Sorry. But I wonder if your only hope now is making this Someone Else's Problem?

[Scoutmaster253]

Originally Posted by foglght

...
I called the Ford dealer to inquire about new wheels........$681 each for a steel wheel. WTF. I can get them all day long on Amazon for $90-120 each. ...

I think this quote is code for "Go Away".