Vibration in the propshaft after replacing clutch and flywheel

[mc-hammer]

Hi Everyone

I have a vibration when driving over 90km/h on my Merc W202 C180 after replacing the cluch and flywheel. It makes this drowning noise if I go over 90-110km/h and if I drive faster it really starts to vibrate the whole car.

I also had my wheel balancing checked as it fine.Front suspension is also good had the bushes replaced and lower ball joints a week before this job. Allignment is a bit out but I dont think it could come from that.

I think this might be coming form the propshaft(drivetrain) as this was loosend and moved in order to get the gearbox out and the fact that the car doesnt have this vibration when I rev it in neutral(thus eliminating it being the new flywheel or clutch)

It happens only when the car is travelling over 90km/h and gets worse as you drive faster.

I know my mechanic marked the propshaft and replaced it on the same markings but he also loosend the center bearing to move the propshaft back.

Could it be that the flex discs or center bearing were damaged in this process? Or is it something else? maybe the U joint got damaged (as he hit it with a hammer two or 3 times to move it back in place to extend back to the gearbox ??

Someone told me we should move the front propshaft 180 degrees out of phase as this would help with the vibration anyone know anything about this?

Or could it be the flex discs as I sometimes have a cluck when reversing and braking (then I hear the cluck). Could the pulling off of propshaft just pushed the old felx discs just past the breaking point as the front one was already cracked a bit but not breaking apart.

Also this rubber housing that goes over the front propshaft where it joines with the gearbox is loose(my other mechanic said he sometimes just grinds that rubber housing off if its loose as it creates its own issues....and the flex discs are the ones inbetween the propshaft and not this..could it be this?)

See image at http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1...shaftfront.jpg
and
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7...haftfront2.jpg

The back flex disc also looks wobbly as if its under tention is it possible that the propshaft was pushed too far back thus warping the disc..could this be fixed or should it be replaced as this still looks like a solid bush?
http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/9...pshaftback.jpg

Also should I have the center bearing replaced?

I also read if the angle is not correct from the center bearing to the back axel this would cause vibration..Could he maybe have moved the center bearing unknowingly?

I am desperate to solve this issue can someone give me advise of what it could be and how to solve it..Please help!!

 

[grober]

The centre bearing is mounted in a flexible housing. The rubber mount may have been damaged during the repair process or something-gearbox/propshaft -- may not be quite lined up. The prop shaft is a hefty component but delicately balanced to rotate a very high RPMs. I don't like to hear of people hitting it with a hammer!

 

[nick.ged]

i ndont think the position of the prop, as in if its gone back different will make it do that, i have change my 124 from auto to manual, and swapped the front prop from two diferent cars and it doesnt vibrate or anything, i think all the parts are balanced indipendently.

+1 for probbable damage to the center baring, or left a bolt out or somethiong to make it go out of balance... or damaged to the actual prop??

 

[Dec]

Possibly either bush 29 or 14 is missing or damaged, there purpose is, I believe, to keep the prop shaft centred.
Or
The rubber that houses the centre bearing has deteriorated to the extent as in picture below, which shows the old and new, the centre bearing sits in the middle of the rubber mounting.

After looking at your pictures, I’m not quite sure now if I have described the Front and Back correctly as in third picture below?

Dec

 

[Dec]

According to the link below, bush 14 (95) is the front and bush 29 (92) is the rear.
http://www.auto-parts.spb.ru/cat/cats/m.mycat?Form ...Edit, I dont think this link is going to work, at least it wont work for me.



Dec

 

[corned]

There could be loads of potential reasons for the imbalance.

If the hammer blows have dented the shaft (it is a tube after all) this will throw the whole thing out of balance (and scrap it in the process).

If the centre bearing mount was not fixed in precisely the same location as before, then that could be an issue. Was this marked prior to removal?

Was the shaft left to hang after the front was disconnected from the gearbox? If so, this is likely to have strained all components within (and related to) it.

I know it's only a photo, but the third picture shows the damper joint. It does not look tight to me - there looks to be a slight gap between the (lower) flange and the rubber joint itself. Are you certain that all components were fully secured and tightened in reassembly?

 

[Dec]

The third picture in post #4 is not correct, see corrected picture below.

Dec

 

[Bellow]

Hi Everyone


I know my mechanic marked the propshaft and replaced it on the same markings but he also loosend the center bearing to move the propshaft back.

Someone told me we should move the front propshaft 180 degrees out of phase as this would help with the vibration anyone know anything about this?

!

That is true of conventional all metal UJs, and possibly rubber couplings (to a lesser extent). Your mechanic re-installing on marks should eliminate this as suspect.

The posters here suggesting checking that everything is 'centred' are probably close to the money. Any mass off centre will cause vibration.

 

[mc-hammer]

Hi Guys
Thank you fro the info I am taking my car back to my mechanic tonight to have him check it out..he has indemnity insurance so if it is the propshaft Im not going to be the one paying for it....mmm

 

[mc-hammer]

Vibration being caused by front flex disc

Hi Guys

I had the propshaft and the flex discs checked tonight by my mechanic who installed my clutch for me..Our conclusion was that the flex disc if it is called that.. is fualty as its loose and torn off the steel mounts.

I am a bit confused what is the flex disc and what is the vibration dampner or is the other disc marked flex disc on the photo something else does anyone know I dont want to order the wrong part.

(You can also see the marks where he marked it before he took off the propshaft when he replaced the clutch in this photo.)

You can see the rubber is pulling loose form the housing and I think that is causing the vibration I can also move it around by hand.

We also checked the center bearing for any play and checked in what condition it is in it all looks good he said. The possitioning of the bearing is also good as it was in it orignal possition (you can see the bolt marks and it cant move any forward or backward)

The back flex disc worries me a bit it looks a bit skew if you turn the propshaft it this was only loosend never taken off as the propshaft as it seems to have rusted into the back diff. The allignment of this is also good as it was marked before hand and was never taken apart.

But I think most of my problems is cause by the front flex disc I am going to replace this front disc if I can find it heard Myle ones are very good(the (Merc orriginal part costs 140pounds the flex disc at least if that is what that front disc is does anyone know?)

Hopefully that solves my problem elswise it will be back to

Will keep you guys in the loop

 

[Ian B Walker]

That doesn't look right to me. The doughnut should be round. The vibration damper rotates on the shaft and I think it is one hole out on the gearbox end. I may be and probably am wrong, but without physical hands on the job and seeing myself, it is very difficult to give a definitive answer.

 

[mc-hammer]

The third picture in post #4 is not correct, see corrected picture below.

Dec

Hi Dec

Where did you get these discs and what make where they they dont look like the standard Merc ones..Thanks for the diagrams though

 

[proser]

seems to be available from euro car parts at about £90.
GSF may also do it

found one on ebay, but not sure if it's right for your car - only £25.20 delivered

 

[Dec]

Hi Dec

Where did you get these discs and what make where they they dont look like the standard Merc ones..Thanks for the diagrams though

MB dealer, cant remember the price but nowhere near £140, less than halve that i think. what year is the car?

Dec

 

[mc-hammer]

Hi Dec

I just spoke to Merc once again and asked them what that part is the front disc marked in your picture you sent me they said that is the vibration eliminator and they charge R2270(South African Rands) for it thats around 240 pounds...

These guys are pretty steep hey...trying to find out what a Meley part would cost

 

[mc-hammer]

MB dealer, cant remember the price but nowhere near £140, less than halve that i think. what year is the car?

Dec

Its a W202 1995 model
Vin number: ADB2020186F2248144

 

[Dec]

Then it should be the same as the one in my picture, put your VIN number in here... ?????? ...click the button and follow the links.

Your VIN number will start with WDB202.....Not ADB202.

Dec

 

[blazingthug]

hi guys

i have a 1998 c250 td

please help me... i meet in accident last month... i bought a new shell and transferred everything in from my old shell to the new 1... wen i started the car it has a bad vibration throughout the whole car, i changed all the mountings and still doing the same thing.. can it be the flywheel? or the main pulley on the engine?

please help me i really need to sort this out soon....

thank you in advance..

 

[junef]

propshaft nightmare

Hi,

New to the forum but just wanted to share my propshaft nightmare. I felt an incredible vibration on my 1996 E200 and pulled over on the motorway, unfortunately as roadworks were in place and I was on the hard shoulder in the rain late at night I stupidly panicked and restarted the car as there were cars beeping and swerving to avoid me. The vibrations increased so I had to then pull over again. The result was the propshaft through the gearbox . My breakdown cover was not quite as good as i thought -the w124 being so reliable I had never had to call them before - and I had to pay to have my car towed back to my usual mechanic as the tow guy thought my car was l'beyond economical repair'. A tow back to my lovely garage later, it was fixed after sourcing 2nd hand gearbox and propshaft.Total price including labour £800. My beauty is back on the road and I am delighted!! I had no idea of the symptom of propshaft failure so beware!

Hi Everyone

I have a vibration when driving over 90km/h on my Merc W202 C180 after replacing the cluch and flywheel. It makes this drowning noise if I go over 90-110km/h and if I drive faster it really starts to vibrate the whole car.

I also had my wheel balancing checked as it fine.Front suspension is also good had the bushes replaced and lower ball joints a week before this job. Allignment is a bit out but I dont think it could come from that.

I think this might be coming form the propshaft(drivetrain) as this was loosend and moved in order to get the gearbox out and the fact that the car doesnt have this vibration when I rev it in neutral(thus eliminating it being the new flywheel or clutch)

It happens only when the car is travelling over 90km/h and gets worse as you drive faster.

I know my mechanic marked the propshaft and replaced it on the same markings but he also loosend the center bearing to move the propshaft back.

Could it be that the flex discs or center bearing were damaged in this process? Or is it something else? maybe the U joint got damaged (as he hit it with a hammer two or 3 times to move it back in place to extend back to the gearbox ??

Someone told me we should move the front propshaft 180 degrees out of phase as this would help with the vibration anyone know anything about this?

Or could it be the flex discs as I sometimes have a cluck when reversing and braking (then I hear the cluck). Could the pulling off of propshaft just pushed the old felx discs just past the breaking point as the front one was already cracked a bit but not breaking apart.

Also this rubber housing that goes over the front propshaft where it joines with the gearbox is loose(my other mechanic said he sometimes just grinds that rubber housing off if its loose as it creates its own issues....and the flex discs are the ones inbetween the propshaft and not this..could it be this?)

See image at http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1...shaftfront.jpg
and
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7...haftfront2.jpg

The back flex disc also looks wobbly as if its under tention is it possible that the propshaft was pushed too far back thus warping the disc..could this be fixed or should it be replaced as this still looks like a solid bush?
http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/9...pshaftback.jpg

Also should I have the center bearing replaced?

I also read if the angle is not correct from the center bearing to the back axel this would cause vibration..Could he maybe have moved the center bearing unknowingly?

I am desperate to solve this issue can someone give me advise of what it could be and how to solve it..Please help!!