Driveshaft Intermediate Bearing Failure.

[jaysams80]

So, still not found the source of my tremble under acceleration but I have been told of possible intermediate bearing failure, especially when the heat shield protecting it is missing. The shield protects the grease in the bearing from overheating and weeping out. When I replaced the shaft this was falling apart, so I maybe stupidly removed it.

Could this be the cause? Any experiences of this?

Plus, on the parts diagram there is a drive shaft bush behind the bearing, does this just hold the bearing in place?

[paul.h]

To help, I have edited your profile and put as your signature details of your car that I have been able to find from your other topics. It would help if you could edit this and also add the engine size/type and whether a tourer or saloon. This way it saves you having to mention it when starting a new topic or the rest of us having to guess.

 

If the grease has been lost from the bearing there are probably traces of it on the bodywork. Without grease in the bearing it would wear out quickly. I have replaced worn gearbox and wheel bearings and they make a whining noise which increases with speed so maybe you might detect the noise. These days car makers spend as little as possible so a heat shield is unlikely to be used if not needed and not all the different engines have then on the parts diagrams - so maybe your car does need one.

 

I do not know about the bush but if missing it might let the bearing move out of place and maybe the driveshaft. Different engines seem to have different bushes or seals on the parts diagrams so maybe they do not all have one.

[jaysams80]

Big development on the acceleration wobble. The car had been running high at the front for some time. I finally got around to sorting it using the mechanical means of adjusting the clamp on the roll bar. On my first ride out in it all wobble has gone. It would seem the car was so high it was like driving on stilts, allowing all the engine vibration to shake the car. All is well again.