Caravan/Voyager :: 97 - Transmission Vibration (Passenger Side CV Axle)
Jul 3, 2011
I have a problem with our 97 Grand Caravan, (3.3L, 41TE tranny) Its a vibration that seems to be coming from the passenger side CV Axle.... the transmission side of the universal joint on the new axle.
We started having problems with this in December, I've done most of the work myself but still had the problem... Vibrations that seem to start and get worse at around 35 - 55 MPH. I've replaced rims, wheel bearings, both cv axles, tires, brake pads & rotors, sway bar links and bushings, tie rod ends, (inner & outer) and ball joints. (about $1,200. in new parts & tires)
In April, I finally took it to several transmission shops and talked to the operators.... The shop I chose because I could relate to the owner and felt I could trust him. The wife and I knew it was a vehicle we couldn't replace for the price of a transmission overhaul and when the shop called and told me all was fixed by replacing the new cv axle on the passenger side I was ecstatic that the problem would be fixed.... I go ahead and rebuild the transmission anyway, (now @ 289,000 miles!) .... The wife and I want to get as many miles out of this thing as we can at this point and our daughter will be driving it to high school next year.
Anyway, I get the car back late on a friday evening.... by the time I got it home I knew there was a big problem.... I put it up on jacks in the garage and saw the passenger side axle was "Slamming" in and out of the transmission!!! I test drove it on a few more short trips and took it back a week later.
About 1 1/2 weeks later I get a call and the shop owner says it is the CV axle thats bad.... AGAIIN??? Lets see, I replaced the original axles. Then "they" replaced both axles after I returned the ones I put in for warranty (Autozone) and now a 3rd axle is bad too? He insists on a different brand of axle (Napa). So when I get the car back, I again am feeling some vibrations.... not nearly as bad as it was before, and put the car up on jacks again.
This time, I don't see the axle slamming in and out of the tranny but I see the vibration comming from the trany side of the CV axle. (passenger side axle again) and I notice some grey goop on the housing fitting that wasn't there before on the trany.... This is when I started having my doubts about the shop and what they are telling me. They just replaced the axle, didn't do anything in the tranny. To beat all, theres now a fluid leak somewhere and its staining the garage floor.
Its been over two weeks now and the shop owner called me to tell me that its again the passenger side axle thats bad and that its a seal somewhere tha'ts leaking so he's gonna have to pull the tranny to get at it. I told him what I saw when I put it up on jacks in my garage.... the vibrating CV axle on the passenger side of the tranny.... He assures me that if it were a bearing it would be making some noises. He's even sent the car to a trusted tire shop and they turned the rim on the tire or something.... he's doing everything he can to make sure the problem is taken care of.
I know what I saw under the car. Just the "passenger side" axle as it is coming out of the transmission housing is moving up/down/around and that's where my vibration is coming from. The end of the axles (tire side) were running true. What's involved in repairing the differential side bearings in these tranny's? I'm going fully loaded to the Transmission shop when its ready and I'm going to insist we look at it while its on the rack. I just need to know how to check these differential side bearings.
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All brakes and rotors and all motor and transmission mounts are new, struts, strut mounts, sway bar, sway bar end links and bushings are new, have had it checked and nobody can find anything wrong. no clunking noise moving the tires left to right and up and down. alignment is perfect. the tires are crappy but am thinking if it was a tire problem it would vibrate all the time and not on and off. its never been wrecked either. it is a 3.8, front and rear sway bars, long wheel base, nivomat rear.
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