1964 Buick LeSabre Driveshaft insanity

[Guest janusjwilde]

I have a 1964 Buick Lesabre and its driving me crazy at the moment. First off, let me say the wheels, tranny engine etc are ALL fine so i KNOW this noise is coming from the drive shaft, or at least i think. So here is the issue:

When driving, particularly in turns, a sound underneath the car, like a rattling chain, happens. The last i recall (the car has sat for 3 years but was started every month) the mechanic told me the driveshaft was making contact with the frame (it runs through the frame) and he showed me the marks on the driveshaft. I changed the center support and the Ujoints after that, but it still makes noises like marbles hitting each other hard. Any idea what this may be and how I should go about fixing it? Thanks!:mad:

[Rusty_OToole]

As you have eliminated the driveshaft it must be something else. I would look for a sheet metal panel of some kind that was loose or possibly the exhaust is hitting the frame. Could be a loose shock absorber, Oh lots of things.

One of us is going to have to crawl under the car and look around. You are closer than we are.

[Guest janusjwilde]

As you have eliminated the driveshaft it must be something else. I would look for a sheet metal panel of some kind that was loose or possibly the exhaust is hitting the frame. Could be a loose shock absorber, Oh lots of things.

One of us is going to have to crawl under the car and look around. You are closer than we are.

No no I have eliminated EVERYTHING else. Im asking what it could be in the DRIVESHAFT because THAT is where the problem is. Everything else is fine.

[Chris Bamford]

...the mechanic told me the driveshaft was making contact with the frame (it runs through the frame) and he showed me the marks on the driveshaft. I changed the center support and the Ujoints after that, but it still makes noises like marbles hitting each other hard. Any idea what this may be and how I should go about fixing it? Thanks!:mad:

Does it make the noise mostly on turns or only on turns? Any difference whether it is right or left turns?

Can you wrap masking tape or similar around the marks where the driveshaft had previously been rubbing the frame to see if it still is?

Have you eliminated any possibility of it being wheels, transmission, engine, exhaust, loose sheet metal, etc., or have you taken the mechanic's word about it?

[nickelroadster]

I would put the car up on jackstands and run it and try to look-listen. Sometimes a wheel bearing only does this sort of hing in a turn. Had that on a 68 Oldsmobile once.

[Guest janusjwilde]

It does it even when the car is moving straight. Its not anything but the drive shaft i think

[tenugent]

dont know if the lesabre is the same as the riviera-my shop manual says the drive shaft is balanced and if not reinstalled as taken out(mark driveshaft and pumpkin for reinstalation)it will make noise-out of balance.maybe shop that put new u joints didnt know this.goodluck T.Nugent roa 12969...

[Chris Bamford]

Since you're positive it can only be the driveshaft and the noise will occur during straight-ahead driving, NickelRoadster's suggestion sounds like the way to go.

Once you are under there it should be pretty obvious what's going on.

For driveshafts with a universal joint on each end it is critical that the U-joints be "in phase", or vibration will result. A friend's '25 Star had a bad vibration over 20 mph that we traced to out-of-phase U-joints — turning one of them 90° made all the difference.

[NTX5467]

Original post stated . . . "especially on turns". ONLY thing that changes on turns is the relative speed of the outer and inner wheels, NOT the driveshaft.

IF the car has the factory PosiTraction rear axle, which was "locked until it unlocks", not having the correct lube additive in the rear axle lube would cause popping and such on low-speed, tight turns, usually to the left. If the clutches in the rear axle (IF it has PTrac), could be where that noise is coming from, as it might be "metal to metal" back there!

My experience has been that driveshaft phasing will not make the type of noise you describe, but a "whump-whump" at much higher vehicle/driveshaft speeds. Just my experience on a '70 Monaco that got such a harmonic at 105mph+.

So, I recommend checking the rear axle itself. With the car on jacktands of an overhead lift, rotate one wheel and see if the other one turns with it, exactly. Then after turning it forward, turn it backward and see if the two wheels still turn together. Also note any noises, especially if the wheels don't turn together.

What about any clunks or clinks when you go from "N" to "D"?

On that driveshaft center support, there should be two "slingers", one on each side of the center support bearing. IF they are not there, the longevity of the center bearing (although it IS a sealed bearing) will be severly compromised! We went through that on our '69 Chevy pickup . . . a dealership tech chunked them saying they weren't needed as it was a sealed bearing . . . but EACH year thereafter, we had to replace the bearing. When I insisted we get the slingers reinstalled, that problem went away. Perhaps these "slingers" are there and not secured to the shaft?

Just some thoughts . . .

NTX5467