Hey guys, first off I hope this is the right section to be posting this. I need to replace the u joints on my 69 Riv as I seem to have a vibration only around the 50-55mph mark, any higher or lower speeds it seems to dissapear?? The U joints that are in there now are the original from Factory as it has the injected nylon instead of the clips. I want to get your guys opinions on what type I should use? I know the drive shaft uses three U-joints since it is a two piece drive shaft are all 3 U joints the same or do I need to get three different ones, a front middle and rear U-joint? Also any idea where to get the center support bearing for a 69 Riv would be helpful. Thanks,Bob
Your car has a early form of a CV joint. From what Ive read most owners of this car have some sort of vibration at different speeds and I'm convinced it has something to do with the 2 piece shaft and the CV joints. Spent over 500.00 on having a shaft completely rebuilt and professionally balanced and ended up with exactly the same vibration.
The '69 Riv. has a center support, center support bearing, 2 CV Joints & five U-Joints. The better & stronger ones don't have grease fittings. IF you take it to a professional drive shaft shop most will call you & tell you the shaft is OUT OF PHASE. IT'S NOT it's supposed to be out of phase from the factory. Look in your chassis manual. Tom T.
The only real issue Ive really had on my Riv's was the center bearing rubber isolator going bad constantly. The rubber seems to dry rot and then come apart.
I took a look in my chassis manual and I thought it was only 3 U joints but low and behold there's 3 JOINTS but like Tom said there's 2cv and 5 U joints within all those 3 joints. I've read/heard of the center support bearings going constantly and I want to replace that also. This vibration just started this season and seemed to get worse within the last few weeks. When I took the tranny out at the beginning of the season for a rebuild I looked over the driveshaft and joints and all looked ok? Could it be coincidental that this is happening since I "disturbed" the drivetrain that's been otherwise untouched for the last 50 years? So just to get a list of parts going I'll need 3 U joints (are they the same front, middle,rear) a center support bearing and 2 CV joints(where do I find them). Briz, does your Riv "shutter" harshly that it feels like you're sitting in a vibrating chair at 50-55mph?
Jason right? How long does the rubber usually last before you've had to replace the center support bearing again? Should I buy more than one of them if I get my hands on a couple?
The rubber isolator is readily available. I don't think there's a need to "stock up" . Ive had my Riviera 35 years (ugh...makes me sound old) and Ive had to replace it a few times. Ive also taken the driveshaft out a few times over the years to lube it. Especially the slip joint which got frozen on my car a couple years ago.
At highway speeds theres a rhythmic pulsing vibration that can be felt in the seat and I can see the corners of the front fenders vibrating. Its done the same ting with the old shaft and 2 different sets of drums, 3 or 4 different sets of wheels and as many different new tires. Only time I dont recall it doing that was before I started changing it from stock to where it is now but hat was nearly 10 years ago.
My car always had a slight vibration at highway speeds but nothing alarming. This heavy vibration that has come about is like a violent shutter that feels like the drive shaft will come up through the floor pan if I stay at 50-55mph. If I'm intown cruising or doing over 60mph there's no vibration at all??
I had my entire driveshaft replaced 5 years ago. Took a bunch of tries to get it to fit right, the shop built the thing with a rear yoke which was too shallow, and when installed would interfere with the pointy corners of the pinion flange retaining nut on the rear end. But yeah: if you still have the factory driveshaft, 3 of those 5 U-Joints have dished centers in order to clear the CV assemblies. Most shops don't have them, CARS might, I have a bunch in storage I don't need anymore. The CV sections have a ball-joint mating area between them. If those ball-joint sections wear out, you'll never get rid of the vibrations.
Yeh was reading about that last night. I'm going g to get the CV ball joint rebuild kits, new u joints and a new center support bearing and rubber isolator. If those U-joints you haven't storage are new I will buy them from you? Also any leads on any part numbers for these items would be greatly appreciated
There is a plug installed from the factory which you remove, install a grease fitting, grease the slip joint & re-install the plug. There's a hole in the frame for doing this. IF you leave the fitting in it will cause a vibration. The two CV Joints have a spot to grease where you need a needle fitting to grease the CV Joint. It's a small depression with a spring pressured ball it it. Nobody EVER greased them or MOST didn't know. Then those who knew OVER GREASED them blowing out the seals which now lets in water & debris. Tom T.
