s13 drive shaft issue

[justin_bfn]

this just started about 3 weeks ago when i go to take off from a dead stop my shifter bounces up and down violently and they slower as i go faster and also when i take off i hearing a clanking coming from under the center console is my best guess. my first thought was carrier bearing so i replaced it and it helped but it still did it and now it does it as bad as it did in the first place. tranny mount and such and all good and tight. it still shifts fine and clutch is works fine. I'm at a lost for thought here. any help or suggestions?

[booey13]

Did you check your motor mounts?

[justin_bfn]

Yeah that and tranny mounts are solid, they're fine.

[chetos13]

Check the c clip on the shifter that holds it to the tranny

[booey13]

Yeah that and tranny mounts are solid, they're fine.

Solid as in how? Ive had "solid" poly tranny mounts crack on me.

[ghoti]

Check the c clip on the shifter that holds it to the tranny

Is bearing carrier on tight? Mine wouldn't tighten all the way because threads were striped, reason why I got a 1piece less parts less problems

[justin_bfn]

wheres that c clip? and solid as in they're tight. because its acting almost like the tranny mount is loose but its not at all. and yes the carrier bearing is tight

[colossals13]

I have the same exact issue with my s13, and i went the same route (replacing the center bearing) but it wasnt until I saw my friends dirveshaft months later, that I found out that the mounting mounting/support bracket has a bottom AND TOP piece, which secure the your driveshaft in place, keeping it from slaping the bottom of your car. (my car only has the bottom half of the bracket. Priced one from nissan was either $35 or $40 bucks for a new one.

[justin_bfn]

So its the bracket that goes around the carrier bearing? Or is it in a different spot.

[colossals13]

Yes the bracket itself should be the problem. When you get your car in the air, inspect the center bearing it should be supported by a bracket on the bottom keeong it from falling and the 2nd half of the barcket onthe top to keep it from flopping around a slapping the car. http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5747170455_026aa0d3a7_b.jpg

[colossals13]

and this is the bracket.... based on the orientation of the picture.. the top is actually the bottom and vice versa for the other half. This is one instaaled on the driveshaft. http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQHSYcju9PJFBMAsqvmUR5Ub6W1u61Th pe224ZzzfdcLwWPhIiMlrCWCO3s

[colossals13]

lol where the question mark is

[justin_bfn]

Okay i'll have to check it out thanks. Is it possible that my drive shaft could have just come unbalanced?

[colossals13]

I'm no driveshaft expert, but seeing as most driveshafts have their weights attached by rivets, or have them welded on; I highly doubt that its become unbalanced especially with it being an oem unmodified part. And I'm assuming that havent gone mudding, off-roading, or run over some huge object causing abnormal strees or impact to it...so yeah I'm sticking with the bracket.

[justin_bfn]

Okay thanks for your help. So what if i just got a one piece shaft to quit dealing with it?

[colossals13]

Welp then that will completely kill the issue as well, and you wont have to deal with any further carrier bearing issues. Z1 Motorsports has one-piece aluminum driveshafts for $278 (0_o).... and thats th lowest you're gonna find directly from an aftermarket supplier. But with whatever you decide good luck man(;-)

[justin_bfn]

Alright thank you

[wangan_cruiser]

Check your diff bolt next to the drive shaft. If u have an s14 your diff has bushings next to the drive, bolt could be loose or bushings are worned out. S13 has no bushings though

[justin_bfn]

yeah its s13

[msserratt]

this just started about 3 weeks ago when i go to take off from a dead stop my shifter bounces up and down violently and they slower as i go faster and also when i take off i hearing a clanking coming from under the center console is my best guess. my first thought was carrier bearing so i replaced it and it helped but it still did it and now it does it as bad as it did in the first place. tranny mount and such and all good and tight. it still shifts fine and clutch is works fine. I'm at a lost for thought here. any help or suggestions?

Any updates?? I'm having the same problem here..

[h2v7]

ok that looks as if its my prob too.


insted of that top piece would a one piece driveshaft fix this problem???

[Juantwo3]

does it sound like clanking, or banging in the drive shaft tunnel?

[240pimp]

just did an s13 auto to manual swap, and there is a loud whirring or whining sound when slowing down coming from the drivetrain area,(seems the driveshaft area), and also when reaching a certain speed when accelerating. Similar to a harmonic vibration. I think its probably a shot carrier bearing since its off a 92 w high miles. Hoping someone can confirm this, but based on the responses above, I'm thinking its a shot carrier bearing.

[AsleepAltima]

mine would clunk and thunk off the line. the 6 puck clutch didnt help at all. replaced the driveshaft with a 1 piece last week and now its awesome. 1 thing to keep an eye on though, is that if you get any vibration with the new shaft, take it out and rotate 1/4 turn and see if the noise goes away. mine had to be rotated 180 degrees.

[GL Chrillz]

If you're pushing any sort of power go buy a drive shaft shop 1 piece drive shaft and call it a day. had this problem last summer with my SR. launched it and then every time i sped up the thing would clunk really bad. the carrier bearing or the mount, one of the two (i don't remember) went bad. I heard they don't like anything around 250 or so horse power. Plus it being old doesn't help. 1 piece steel or aluminum drive shaft and call it a day.

[240pimp]

Just got my 1 piece driveshaft from Z1 motorsports, woo hoo. Think I'll be installing that tonight.

to the OP: YOur shifter bounces up and down??!! how is that possible if its bolted to the crossmember. Is your clutch grabbing?

[AsleepAltima]

Just got my 1 piece driveshaft from Z1 motorsports, woo hoo. Think I'll be installing that tonight.

got mine last week. it was super noisy at first. unbolted it and spun it 180 and it shut off. very nice now. youre going to love it.

[justin_bfn]

I should be getting a one piece next week i'll let you know if it should work

[h2v7]

so when you take out this 1 piece and "rotate it"

you mean pull the yolk from the back of the tranny and spin the drive shaft then plug it back in?

[Mikester]

so when you take out this 1 piece and "rotate it"

you mean pull the yolk from the back of the tranny and spin the drive shaft then plug it back in?

Unbolt the driveshaft from the yoke on the diff (4 bolts), spin the yoke 180 degrees, bolt back up. Apparently, what it does is change the resonant frequency of the driveline. Source: The Driveshaft Shop | Driveshafts 101 (http://www.driveshaftshop.com/driveshafts-101)

That tidbit did fall under the "Jack Test" that is not for CV axle cars (like ours lol), but the principle is the same so far as rotating the shaft goes. Sounds wacky, and I don't fully understand it; but those guys know their sheit... and I now have a good idea why my alum shaft seems to be so noisy ;)

[240pimp]

Got my 1 piece installed. Wow. huge difference to the car. The vibrating is totally gone. Noises in the car are 1/10th of what they were, and the car just feels really solid.

Really glad I made this change!

[AsleepAltima]

its definitely a beautiful upgrade.

[zerodameaon]

Seems like this issue has crept up on a lot of us in the last few months, except my rubber damper has also ripped in two places in the last week. I currently have a Drive Shaft Shop steel 1 piece on the way from THM. Could not pass up that deal at $299 shipped.

I understand Nissan's reasoning for building them the way that they did but I really wish it had just been a 1pc OEM.

[240pimp]

^ thats a good deal. mine was 259 plus 100 shipping to Canada.

[AsleepAltima]

mine was 300 shipped too but i got mine from z1 motorsports