Replaced stock axles, now I have a shimmy

blakbearddelite · Jun 5, 2017

I snapped the driver side axle a couple weeks ago and I have since replaced the stock axle with the DSS 800hp ones.

I had an issue getting the outside axle splines 100% seated into the spindle. We tried just about everything we could think of, but they just wouldn’t go in as far I thought they should. The tip of the axle looks like it should be just about flush with the outside circle on the spindle…comparing it to the stock axles and other pictures I’ve seen.

We put everything back together and now I feel a shimmy in the rear end when I get into or out of gear with moderate throttle and speeds. I was wondering if I need to go back and re-torque everything. I don’t know if it is a suspension part that wasn’t tightened enough or now the splines have play in them because the car has had load on it and the shimmy I feel is the car sliding on the slack of the spindles. Though I feel like it is more likely something in the suspension since we had to undo the LCA and vertical links during the process.

Anyway, just curious about anyone else’s experience with the axle swap process.

whatsup62 · Jun 5, 2017

blakbearddelite said:
I snapped the driver side axle a couple weeks ago and I have since replaced the stock axle with the DSS 800hp ones.

I had an issue getting the outside axle splines 100% seated into the spindle. We tried just about everything we could think of, but they just wouldn’t go in as far I thought they should. The tip of the axle looks like it should be just about flush with the outside circle on the spindle…comparing it to the stock axles and other pictures I’ve seen.

We put everything back together and now I feel a shimmy in the rear end when I get into or out of gear with moderate throttle and speeds. I was wondering if I need to go back and re-torque everything. I don’t know if it is a suspension part that wasn’t tightened enough or now the splines have play in them because the car has had load on it and the shimmy I feel is the car sliding on the slack of the spindles. Though I feel like it is more likely something in the suspension since we had to undo the LCA and vertical links during the process.

Anyway, just curious about anyone else’s experience with the axle swap process.

Mine swayed crazy as well...I had the car re-aligned and it went away.

blakbearddelite · Jun 5, 2017

Thanks for the input, I thought about an alignment as well.

I just couldn't think of why it would need it when all I changed was the axle. But I guess you never know.

blakbearddelite · Jun 6, 2017

I was able to get the axles 100% seated last night. Driving around must have caused the axles to further seat and I took up the slack and torqued them back to spec.

However, I still have some suspension sloppiness I need to address. The rear-end still feels a little off upon fast accel/decel and sudden turns of the wheel.

Nerass · Jul 3, 2017

I had a drivers side axle replaced by the dealer and had similar issues... alignment didn't correct it. sub'd for solution

whatsup62 · Jul 3, 2017

Nerass said:
I had a drivers side axle replaced by the dealer and had similar issues... alignment didn't correct it. sub'd for solution

Well if the dealer replaced it I would have them figure it out.

wildcatgoal · Jul 3, 2017

The rear IRS design does not support an axle being the cause of instability - at least I don't see how that can be. The wheels are not attached by the axle. They're attached by the knuckle which rides on the LCA which is controlled by a toe and camber arm. Maybe I'm missing something... but it's pretty sad if replacing an axle can cause this kind of thing so easily and the fault not be the axle itself.

What exactly did you remove/unbolt when installing the axle?

F1scamp · Jul 4, 2017

Just going to throw this out there.. I noticed this year when accelerating I would get a shimmy or wiggle from the rear. It felt like the car would shift power from wheel to wheel. I attributed it to the alignment as I couldn't get it exactly where I wanted it. Long story short, the axle nut loosened on me, I got another turn and a half on it and the shimmy is gone. Make sure they are tight, not kinda tight.

GTBOB · Jul 5, 2017

Did you preload the rear suspension, prior to tightening everything up? This will "clock" all the bushings at ride height so they are not deflecting.

El_Centenario · Jul 5, 2017

the axle nut might not be torqued to spec. Make sure you torque it to 150 ftlbs +1/8 turn and use red loctite so that it will not loosen. See link below from BMR that addresses this wobbling issue.

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78909&highlight=bmr

alrodri8 · Jul 5, 2017

I had a similar issue and it was due to one of the bolts somewhere not being torqued to spec after installing the axles. I found this when clocking my bushings, car rides perfect now.

blakbearddelite · Jul 11, 2017

Ended up being a loose axle. Ate both rear wheel bearings before we figured it out.

whatsup62 · Jul 11, 2017

blakbearddelite said:
Ended up being a loose axle. Ate both rear wheel bearings before we figured it out.

When u say loose axle ...are referring to the axle nut was loose?

blakbearddelite · Jul 11, 2017

Yeah, it was torqued to spec, but maybe not all the way thru the spindle. And driving loosened it up. We had a problem getting it seated and the splines pulled all the way through.

El_Centenario · Jul 12, 2017

blakbearddelite said:
Yeah, it was torqued to spec, but maybe not all the way thru the spindle. And driving loosened it up. We had a problem getting it seated and the splines pulled all the way through.

Might want to add a little bit of grease on the splines to help them slide in and torque the nut following BMR's procedure from the link I sent you.

Replaced stock axles, now I have a shimmy

blakbearddelite

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whatsup62

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blakbearddelite

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blakbearddelite

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Nerass

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whatsup62

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wildcatgoal

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F1scamp

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GTBOB

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El_Centenario

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alrodri8

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blakbearddelite

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whatsup62

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blakbearddelite

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El_Centenario

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