Learning from PI

That great news! Now Deeb, I hope you were not passing cars right and left while swerving through Canadian traffic! I like what Jack said "Your car is trying to tell you somthing, and it's not going to fix itself"

Yeah David, I kinda liked the silver Pantera myself.

But I'm working on a white one for you!

Yeah, I had the same thing happen recently where I had not only a vibration but also a clunk in the rear wheel and something serious 'loose' on punching it and letting off to change gear. This was all a couple days prior to heading down to Monterey.

On checking the rear wheel had some play and Larry Stock looked it over as I couldn't decide whether it was a wheel bearing or pivot shaft bushing, turned out to be the pivot shaft bushings. While the rear wheels were off the ground Larry checked the half shafts and we decided there was enough play to warrant a rebuild, plus I was convinced a motor mount had gone and was the cause of the 'loose' feel I was getting.

A big chunk of change later I went home with all the parts one could likely need on the premise I could return anything not required. (That's the great thing about having Larry right here on my doorstep, accesibility to parts whenever downside is it's all too easy to part with $$).

Anyway, halfshafts turned out to be loose bolts on the inboard joints, compounded by the fact they weren't the correct shoulder bolts...back down to Larry for 16 bolts. Then I see I have the Spicer u-joints (the ones that are sleeved up to make them fit!!) in stock halfshafts, so decide to use the u-joints I got from Larry and do a rebuild.

Then I start looking at the motor mounts and 'low and behold' only one bolt holding the mount to the motor and even that one's loose. So after drilling out one sheared bolt and replacing the motor rubber mounts (all with the motor in place, quite a mean feat I tell ya!) I get it all hooked back up and I have to say it felt the tightest ever driving down to Monterey. Satisfaction for burning the midnight oil running up to the event.

I'd recommend everyone, check their half shaft bolts for tightness and ensure that they are indeed the correct shouldered bolts.
Plus, check the bolts mounting the motor to the mounts occasionally and ensure they are grade 8. Those four bolts get some real stress, especially with some of the high HP motors out there.

Good luck,
Julian

Julian, Do you have a picture of the shoulder bolts? When I pulled my halfshafts it looked like a standard bolt to me.