Torque tube vibration Cambio Corsa

[boomerang]

Mentioned a few times here and there, sometimes noticed but not spoken about.
Mine had the ca. 2800 rpm vibration in every gear and after changing the complete clutch with the prediction that after balancing the clutch the complaints would dissapear...................we found out they didn't.
According to some "specialist/dealers" everything was absolutely normal behaviour for a transaxle set up and one of them even said he could not feel/hear what i was talking about.....
And indeed, most of the gransports i have driven, tend to vibrate more or less somewhere in the revband.
Still, knowing vibrations MUST have a cause, i started to investigate.

I demounted the complete torque tube and after dismanteling the tube and thorough investigation of the inner axle, i found out that the inner axle tends to bend!

We checked runout between every set of bearings and between the last bearings at each end and the splined connection links.
Runout was almost 1mm at one point!!

Especally the heavy splined connection cilinder at the gearbox side, will have quite an impact on vibrations if speeded on an axle with runout.

I had every section of the axle carried in v-blocks under a Hydraulic press and after a few hours work and several measurements, the axles is straightened with a max. runout of 0.08 mm.

We are going to mount the torque tube next week and i will keep you guys posted.

 

[Parisien]

Boomerang....even though I don't quite understand the principles or relevance of some of your info, well done, hope this aint costing you an arm and a leg and you get it sorted real soon.........keep up the good work!


P

 

[lozcb]

Interesting Luuk look forward to the outcome hope it works ,


regards loz

 

[boomerang]

Boomerang....even though I don't quite understand the principles or relevance of some of your info, well done, hope this aint costing you an arm and a leg and you get it sorted real soon.........keep up the good work!


P

What are the principles of relevance you don't understand Paris?
Regarding the arm and the leg; everything that has been done, i did myself in the workshop (and with the equipment) of my firend.
Can't wait to mount the tube back, but the thing is very very heavy and has to be mounted with minimal two persons.

 

[Parisien]

Boomerang.........

Runout means.....and accumulated via several of the bearings/splines?

Bends........?.........weakness or design deficiency....or happens all torque tubes?

P

 

[boomerang]

P:

Under the influence of severe torques on the axle, it can bend between the bearings, causing runout.
There are more cases known of bent or even broken inner axles in torque tube's of various makes.

 

[lozcb]

Thats the difference from the higher end cars , as cars from yesterday that had solid propshafts that were balanced and weighted , the newer style are lighter and more engineered but are subject to distortion under high loads , lets hope your adjustments bring results Luuk


regards loz

 

[348azeus]

That is a brilliant piece of work. I have a slight transmission cluck which like you say some garages do not pick up on. Looking at your pics and description I now believe that my torque tube is not the problem. The clunk I'm getting must be from the bearing/clutch assembly. Although you didn't know thanks !

 

[conaero]

Luuk, are you going to offer a straightening service, where we send you our shaft, you straighten it and the return it?