Another Center Support Failure

Jim Sullivan

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
I took thw four door to work yesterday so I could meet Mike at a Cruise on the way home. On mu way to the cruise, I started hearing and feeling a clunking noise. It kept getting worse only when under a load. On my way home, I took very easy anx it kept getting worse. At one point I checked my modified control arms as it felt as something was about tear itself out of the car. The control arms are fine. This morning I put it on the lift(how nice that is!). I check all of the suspension, frame, crossmembers, nothing. I checked the driveshaft and it had a little movement but didnt seem too severe. But I pulled it out anyway. Damn rubber support scrap is half gone. Its not even a few years old. :wtf20190727_144938.jpg
Now to find a better replacement. I considered one of the HD aluminum types, but the urethane looks like its solid and won't flex with the suspension? Need some opinions.
 

Jim Sullivan

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
The lift works well. Here are my lift points with spacer blocks. May not be recommended, but works. Front arm hits the frame but the rear arms aren't long enough. The four door has fairly solid rockes and braces so I took advantage of that.20190727_082142.jpg20190727_082124.jpg20190727_082158.jpg
The rear blocks hit the floor brace and barely touch the rocker pinch weld.
 

IMBVSUR?

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I almost always have access to a lift, however not at my home, so I know how nice it is when I lose my availability once in awhile, just got it back again. As just a suggestion before you replace that piece, maybe take a very long look at what could have caused it to wear so fast. Maybe the part wasn't the issue. Maybe it was. I would hate for something to be not aligned or shimmed right just to have to do it again in a year, just a suggestion.
 

Jim Sullivan

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
How do you work on the car, looks too high to lay on your back and too low to sit on a chair?
It's raised up to the lock point. It was lower and I used a creeper to pull the shaft. I can't lift it too high in this bay, there is a door opener above it.
 

Jim Sullivan

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
I almost always have access to a lift, however not at my home, so I know how nice it is when I lose my availability once in awhile, just got it back again. As just a suggestion before you replace that piece, maybe take a very long look at what could have caused it to wear so fast. Maybe the part wasn't the issue. Maybe it was. I would hate for something to be not aligned or shimmed right just to have to do it again in a year, just a suggestion.
The rubber is deteriorated, all angles were set when I swapped in the trans a few years ago. Just pos rubber material I suppose. Wondering if one manufacturer is any different than another. Or they all sell the same ones?
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
I've always heard that if you go to the better "Poly" mount,you must also convert to the telescoping rear section of the drive shaft as well,or the "poly"bushing will be short lived.There are several posts on this site about this very thing.
 

drc409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I installed a poly center support bearing years ago with my factory driveshaft. No problems so far but I don’t put that many miles on my car in a year and don’t race it. I wonder with a standard driveshaft, how many miles or type of usage would lead to failure?
 

Jim Sullivan

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
I have one billet alum yellow urethane left from when I sold those. I'll ship it to you for $75
Thanks Mike, that's a great deal. I'll let you know tomorrow , if that's ok. I'm going to check with my parts guy tomorrow for all available options and then decide which direction I'm going. I've heard good and bad, like Don said above, when using the billet support with a stock shaft.
 

alexm900

Well Known Member
I had the same issue. Upon inspection I discovered that the center support had been modified crudely in an attempt to prevent lateral flex (two welded threaded rods). Following advice of the kind people here, I opted for a telescopic shaft made from the original tailshaft and the aluminum-poly carrier.

tshaft1.jpgtshaft2.jpg
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
The rubber is deteriorated, all angles were set when I swapped in the trans a few years ago. Just pos rubber material I suppose. Wondering if one manufacturer is any different than another. Or they all sell the same ones?

Sounds like another fine example of the quality of rubber we have today! I have 30+ year old tires that were on the wrecker that don't have a crack in them and lived outside but today's tires are lucky to make it 3 years! I seem to recall something used in the process of rubber was removed??? Can't remember the details. Not just tires but it seems all products have suffered. That's the world we live in, make it cheaper and increase the price!
 

Jim Sullivan

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Sounds like another fine example of the quality of rubber we have today! I have 30+ year old tires that were on the wrecker that don't have a crack in them and lived outside but today's tires are lucky to make it 3 years! I seem to recall something used in the process of rubber was removed??? Can't remember the details. Not just tires but it seems all products have suffered. That's the world we live in, make it cheaper and increase the price!
I believe the phrase is "planned obsolescence".
 
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