Prob shaft vibration

[Jonny Boaterboy]

I have just put my prop shaft back on after replacing the rubber donut it has had new pinion seal, new centralising pin, and all new bolts. I now have a vibration at about 30 MPH that fades away as I pick up speed. I forgot to scribe a mark on the hand brake drum so I'm not sure if it went back on in the same location..... would this make a difference causing the vibration?

It's all well greased and there's no looseness or play in the U.J.

any help would be great

Thanks

Jonny

[crazymac]

I've never understood this "mark the position so it goes on the same way" theory!

The way I see it is the prop is balanced independant of the vehicle, so it should make no difference whatsoever to the prop balance whether it goes on the same way! (the balance is that small rectangle of metal you see on the side of the prop!)

I would suggest that the vibration could be the other prop? maybe remove it and drive in difflock to see if the vibration disappears?

[Range Rover Blues]

I agree about the props, doesn't matter where they go.
Did you replace the rubber spigot bush inside the propshaft? I see you replaced the spigot on the diff (I suspect it was either b***ered or wouldn't come off) but if youdon't replace the support bush then the doughnut can't support the propshaft perfectly in balance.  Driving it like that can also cause the prop to bend.

I've a spare propshaft if you want to borrow it.

[4 landies]

 Is it just vibration or is there a niose aswell, I replaced the bolts on mine and found they were catching on the diff , also was the rubber donut put on the correct way round, I went through 3 non genuine ones with no markings and they all caused slight vibration before buying a genuine one.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Crazymac: That's what I thought! I could not think of a reason why they had to go on the same way they came off. I don't think its the other prop as I drove it around with the rear one removed and had no noise/vibration

Disco diva: From what I can tell it's both noise and vibration, I did have a non genuine donut which lasted about a year before starting to disintegrate, hence the change, I have replaced it with a genuine but was unaware that you could put it on the wrong way round.... could be the problem? So how do you know which way round to put the donut on? I don't think any of the nuts/Bolts are catching anywhere but will have a check all the same.

RRB: Yes the rubber Spigot was changed inside the prop..... but not by me!! I did have a go at putting the protruding part in the vice and twisting it out but to no avail. I took it to my local Land Rover garage and they did it for me, they also lent me the proper tool for removing the spigot on the diff.... I had spent half the day rigging up my own devise for trying to pull it out using a bolt, some cast iron down pipe and a 5mm piece of steel..... the only thing I pulled out was the thread inside the spigot  ](*,) thought I was in real trouble then, but once I had the proper tool I managed to cut in enough thread to get enough perches to pull the dam thing out!!! Phew! I hate stripping threads!

So all the parts have been replaced with Genuine items, I have just driven back home from work and it does not sound so bad now which makes me wonder if I am over analysing it? You know when you have just fixed something, and the first time out you listen really hard to see if everything is fixed and OK....... and in the proses you hear lots of other noises..... and your not sure if they've always been there or if they are new ones..... well it might be the case here! I will monitor it over the next few days/weeks and see how it gets on.

There's always something to fix! Thanks all

[4 landies]

 On the edge of the genuine donut are three small arrows, these arrows must point towards the prop and bolt onto the prop flange in the aligned holes.

 The non genuine ones never had any markings so where very easy to get wrong hence 3 in as many months.

 Genuine is still as new 12 months on even after some heavy laning with a 4" lift

 Hope that explanation is ok

[Jonny Boaterboy]

ummm now that interesting I have had a look at the donut and have found there are little arrows (more of a triangle than an arrow) but not three they are all the way round. I'm thinking that they are telling me which way to put the bolts through as at the moment the bolts are all the same way. What do you think could this cause the vibration?

I forgot to say thanks RRB it was very good of you too offer your prop shaft Hopefully I will be able to sort mine out in the end!

[4 landies]

 When I changed mine the bolts I took out faced opposite ways so put them back the same although I cant see it being a problem.

 The bolts through the prop flange face the rear and the bolts in the diff flange face forward.

 The small triangles face forward on the donut.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Sorry I didn't make myself clear Disco Diva, The little arrows are all the way round and take it in turns to point in different directions, i.e one points forward and the next point to the rear. I have taken out three of the bolts and turned them round so they are facing the same way as the arrows which has put all the bolts the way you described and guess what........ it's cured! Thinking about it it makes sense, with all the bolts the same way you have one end heavier than the other (the nut end) by having 3 one way and 3 the other they counter balance each other out

Thanks very much for all your help that another problem solved by Mud Club..... and another pint owed this time to you Diva