has anyone experienced this excessive choppiness vibration on the driver's side shafts with these driveshafts?

I'm currently using a 1.5 way kazz LSD and 400 lb/in. front springs.

if you've managed to diagnose the cause or have any suggestions, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

I've contacted Frank at driveshaftshop.com for assistance as well.

cheers

 

Mine were stage 1 on a DSP autox Integra and it was vibration on left hand turns. Felt like going over washboard roads. Also had high speed vibration over 90mph. Lost about 400rpm up the back straight at Watkins Glen. Fixed by going back to stock ones.

 

yes that appears to be the consensus everyone is telling me. I haven't heard back from Frank yet.

The vibration is like a jackhammer on turn-in. Very disconcerting. Not exactly a confidence builder and it can't be helping my grip level. At first I thought the spring rate was too high or I was on my bumpstops but it doesn't happen on the left handers.

It's definitely these shafts.

I was hoping they would make that aspect of the car bulletproof for launches.

sometimes stock is better I guess....hopefully Frank will have a solution or can pinpoint the problem & cure without me having to resort to reverting back to stock....

did you try just running stock on your "bad' side and leave the aftermarket shaft on the "good" side? Or did you swap back to stock o both sides straight off?

 

I had the EXACT same problem with my DSS Stage ones. It turns out the left axle was too long, the inside joint was binding under hard turning. I swapped to napa axles and installed my DSS units in the trashcan.

frustrating, isn't it!?!?!

 

I swapped both sides at the same time. I had switched due to having problems with boots tearing and getting loose and leaking. It was mostly due to all the boots getting old and the new clamps I put on not being properly tightened, oops. They made them for me with slightly longer shafts for the lower than stock ride height, which I figured would help the boots, but instead they were just like really badly balanced tires. No other changes but the axles and I lost almost 8 mph on the straight. Put the old axles with new boots and clamps on and back to the same speed, no balance problems with the same tires.

I suppose I should get them to do something about those axles, they were $300 and were in for about 600miles. Live and learn. If you want real tales of woe, check with Rodney!

 

damn, after I read this, I know now that the axles are the reason I have this vibration between 30 and 60mph. I don't know about high speed. But damn, why do this guy sell this axles when they vibrate? What should I use instead of DSS? btw, I have stage 2 saxles, the new ones with the green boots.


Modified by austrian type-R at 7:37 AM 8/6/2003

 

I had to lift on the right hand corners because frankly the vibration was very disconcerting...

 

Crap! I've got a brand new set in my car now. Haven't been used yet. Guess I'll look for a set of gloves with "extra padding".

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mohudsolo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Lost about 400rpm up the back straight at Watkins Glen. Fixed by going back to stock ones.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Forget the vibrations...this really blows.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Michael Delaney &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I had to lift on the right hand corners because frankly the vibration was very disconcerting...

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought it was my wheel grinding on the knuckle!!

 

In my expirences, I had this problem when the axle wasnt inserted all the way... just barely out

Could these axles be about 1/2 inch too long?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">In my expirences, I had this problem when the axle wasnt inserted all the way... just barely out

Could these axles be about 1/2 inch too long?</TD></TR></TABLE>


thats what mine were.

 

also, just some random Axle info. I saw a race team was ducting air to the CV joints.. keep temps down so boots stay on longer.. heh

A small NACA duct from the undertray pointing towards the joints.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also, just some random Axle info. I saw a race team was ducting air to the CV joints.. keep temps down so boots stay on longer.. heh

A small NACA duct from the undertray pointing towards the joints.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Awesome idea if my car would survive on the track for more than 10 minutes.....I'm getting really good at rally racing, it's just that it happens to be during road races...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">In my expirences, I had this problem when the axle wasnt inserted all the way... just barely out

Could these axles be about 1/2 inch too long?</TD></TR></TABLE>

well, after discussing things with Frank, and checking some of his recommended diagnostics, we've isolated the problem.

Chris got it partially right.

We checked the end play of the CV with the car on the ground and there was no play whatsoever on the driver's side shaft.

In your stock shaft, there will be about 1/4 -1/2 in. play when you push the driveshaft in.

In fact the driveshaft is so rigid that there is hardly a gap between the ABS sensor and the driveshaft end...normally you have about a 1/2 in. gap there.

Frank tells me for drag racing applications, he makes the shafts a little longer so that there is less flex on those high rpm launches these guys do and a stock length shaft would break more easily.

For road racers/autocrossers, the shaft length doesn't need that extra 1/4 in.

This expereince has re-confirmed and re-iterated the importance to me that you have to have good communication with the custom builder to convey your expected use of a product rather than just assuming that the product "out of the box" is right for you. I assumed that the stage 2's were built to only 1 specification (since this was not stated otherwise) but in fact should have relayed the different applications/intended use and the power levels so that the dimensions could be engineered for a better "fit" for my needs. Communication is huge.

So Chris nailed it right in that the length was too long and therefore there was no give on the end play. This was the cause of the driver's side vibration and loss of traction on the right turn-in.

Frank is helping me out in resolving this and has been extremely helpful.

Let you know how it goes after we fix this.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Michael Delaney &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

This expereince has re-confirmed and re-iterated the importance to me that you have to have good communication with the custom builder..... Communication is huge.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

True!! I ordered the Stage 1 axles and he asked me specifically what type of racing I'd be doing, how long the sessions were, what kind of temperature, what kind of tracks, etc.... So I'm thinking that mine are prolly good. Sounds like Frank is gonna hook you up.

 

okay okay. What should I do now with my axles? I need them mainly for road racing and only few times per year for DRAG racing. Can IK make the axle short? hehe, I guess not.

Can some accident occur when I drive high speeds? I use them on the race track with 160mph and I just rcommended the axles to an rally team which keeps snaping axles. I realy wonder if there could something happan when I drive my car hard beside an streight 1/4 mile road.

 

you need to find out what the cause is in your particular situation first (when it vibrates under what conditions)

As I said my situation was diagnosed after several emails with Frank after telling him my situation and he was very good in sorting out the problem with me.

 

It is only in acceleration from 40 - 60mph or something. And I can feel it when accelerating in right corners.

 

i'm having the same problem right now w/ my driver's side stage 1. been trying to diagnose the problem for a while now... at 1st thought it was the wheel bearing, but i changed that and the problem is still around.

i'm going to call Frank tomorrow and get some questions answered. DSS is still an awesome shop with awesome customer service.

 

I've been using and selling DSS axles for 2 years now........I have had no problems !!!! Excellent product...

 

i must say, i have been using them for several years now myself and only until now did i have this problem. i think the new axle i got is too long. frank thinks the same. as usual, he is working it out for me. frank and dss