Half shaft replacement - Update, could it be tires?

[mike mcclurg]

Well, there is definitely a difference between the
left and right half shafts. Got under and measured
them last night and the right is about 1 inch longer.
Really makes me curious about why Advance Auto thinks
one number fits both sides.

Also, someone suggested that axial free-play may not
mean that the shaft is bad. Made me curious so I did
some more investigation. Turns out that the free-play
is only noticeable when the wheel is in the air, not
when suspension is normally loaded. When I put the car
up on ramps, there is no free-play. Now I am starting
to wonder if it is a tire thing. Actually, this
vibration started after I rotated the tires. I had
previously understood that you were not supposed to
rotate radials from one side to the other, just front
to back. However, lately I’ve been told that modern
radials no longer have problems in being rotated side
to side, so guess what I did? Yep, swapped fronts side
to side and rears the same way. Who’s right?

Guess I will swap them back and see if the vibration
goes away, or is it already too late?

Still searching for an answer,
Mike


> > mike mcclurg wrote:
> > 
> > > Patient is an '89 100q. Have been noticing
> > > increasingly worse vibration from front. Already
> > > replaced tie rod ends. They were bad. Still had
> > > vibration. Now notice that the left half shaft
> has
> > > about 1/8 inch of free play lengthwise. Is this
> > bad,
> > > or rather how bad is this?
> > > Figure it is best to replace the whole half
> shaft.
> > $97
> > > exchange through Advance Auto.
> > > Couple questions:
> > > 1. The guy at the counter shows me the screen
> and
> > both
> > > left and right are the same. Family Album shows
> a
> > > difference of exactly one in the parts code. Are
> > they
> > > truly the same, or close enough that one can fit
> > > either side?
> > > 2. Do I simply have to loosen/remove the big
> bolt
> > on
> > > the end of the axle, then loosen/remove the
> > > triple-square headed bolts at the other end and
> > then
> > > the shaft will come out? Bentley is not clear at
> > all.
> > > Oh yeah, I did read the note that says not to
> roll
> > the
> > > wheel with the axle out.
> > > 3. What is the size of the triple-square? Best
> > place
> > > to find them?
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > > Mike
> > >
> > >
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> 
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