Small vibe/shudder...

[emmodg]

Well, I'm getting the girl back on the road, (pics to come), and I've developed a small vibe/shudder in the drive line when accelerating. The vibe goes away when I reach 20-30mph. Would this be drive shaft center support bearing? Guibo(s)? The diff. mount looks fine as does the tranny mount....

[T.Hanson]

Pretty much have to get under there and take a peek. Guibos coming apart look like it, center bearings usually feel tight, no play, or not.

Judder is more likely a clutch thing, throw out bearing, with the U joints making clunking noises on / off throttle.

[Mike W.]

It might be a stiff U joint, that can cause a low speed shudder on acceleration. Only way to really tell is to pull and break down the D/S to feel for stiffness/notchyness in the forward joint.

[Lenny D.]

I once had that problem and an independent mechanic managed to peel back the boot and stick some grease in the u-joint. It lasted until I replaced the D/S.

[alotawatts]

The center bearing bracket has to be shimmed 'just so' with washers on the mounting bolts for leveling. Did you recently pull the drive shaft ?

[T.Hanson]

Interesting. Twenty five year transmission shop, dropped two shafts there. While standing under the hoist with my Haynes, ruler and level, pre-load micrometer ready, the owner and helper installed them and told me to get out of the way, hoist coming down.

I have no idea who's right, all I know is no problems or noise with either car.

[D.]

Same thing happened to me. It's the center bearing. The rubber fatigues and contorts a skosh given a load. It trues up again with higher speeds.