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Driveshaft "tink"

7K views 52 replies 26 participants last post by  JimGnitecki 
#1 ·
I believe our:black: 2004 has developed this noise. Reading through the forum I know GM has a bulletin for this problem.

Could someone clarify what causes the noise and how GM take care of this ?

Or is the problem best left alone and does not get any worse, or does the fix by GM create a different problem?. Looking long term outside of the Warranty period.

I would appreciate any comments and opinions before returning to my local Dealership to rectify this issue, many thanks.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I had mine replaced (under warranty) for tink about 10,000 miles ago. No tink since.

Here's the info.....
PIP 3420B dated 10-25-05
Document ID 1717272
Covers the 03-06 SSR
Driveshaft P/N 15247556

Have them order a new prop shaft under warranty, while you can. If it starts tinking after the warranty expires, then go see Dennis Rhinehart for his.

Regards,

Mike
 
#3 ·
I had mine replaced (under warranty) for tink about 10,000 miles ago. No tink since.

Here's the info.....
PIP 3420B dated 10-25-05
Document ID 1717272
Covers the 03-06 SSR
Driveshaft P/N 15247556

Have them order a new prop shaft under warranty, while you can. If it starts tinking after the warranty expires, then go see Dennis Rhinehart for his.

Regards,

Mikereplacement.

GM flat out refused to fix mine at all. Said they are now considering the sound normal....Don't that beat all?
 
#4 ·
Amazing

Was it GM that refused to do it, or the dealership?

You can call GM Customer Assistance at 1-866-932-4368 and open a ticket on this.

They've been replacing them on this reference for a long time, they have already set the precident.....

We've got several GM sevice guys on the forum..... what say you, guys?????

Mike
 
#8 ·
Was it GM that refused to do it, or the dealership?

You can call GM Customer Assistance at 1-866-932-4368 and open a ticket on this.

They've been replacing them on this reference for a long time, they have already set the precident.....

We've got several GM sevice guys on the forum..... what say you, guys?????

Mike
You are right Mike, it would be the dealer that refused to do it, not GM.
 
#5 ·
I am going to repeat an earlier warning (see threads using "donut" as the search word):

Do NOT allow a Chevy dealer to "fix" your problem by replacing the driveshaft with one that has the "donut" weight on the front end of it. That composite donut, made of steel and ribber, eventually (and sometimes not so eventualy) becomes unbalanced due to degradation & extrusion of the rubber, and srats damaging first the tailshaft seal and then the tailshaft housing. Do not accept that as a "solution" or you will be sorry. I am not sure if some or all Chevy dealers are still doing this bad idea fix.

Jim G
 
#9 ·
I have not seen a warranty claim for the "donut" moving or becoming unbalanced on the replacement shaft. It is a similar concept to the engine harmonic balancer (steal and rubber) but turns alot slower.
 
#6 ·
I've been on this board for a long time and still don't know what the hell this "tink" thing is. When I shift my gear from R to D there is a very very small "ping" that sounds like a "zing". Is this it? Can someone please explain this?


If this is it, it doesn't bother me at all. Do I have to worry about it?
 
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#7 ·
Yes, this is it.

Do you have to worry about it (if the sound does not bother you)? We're not sure. I THINK it may cause faster than normal u-joint wear, and that would explain why it gets more pronounced with odometer miles, eventually occurring during normal transmission shifts.

Jim G
 
#10 ·
41Chevcoe: When the donut unbalances, the "symptom" that the dealer mechanic finds is either a leaking tailshaft seal or a cracked tailshaft housing (if it went too long febofore the owner reported it). Most mechanics simply replace the seal and do not look any further.

The only reason I got all the inside details on it is because of what happened on my own SSR.

The mechanic at the Atlanta area dealership that repaired my own SSR when it started to leak tranny fluid out of the tailshaft, was alert enough to note that the splines on the shaft looked damaged. He thought it was just a case of a bad machinging job from the factory, and replaced the driveshaft with yet another donut-equipped one. Then fate intervened. Dennis Reinhart contacted me and said he thought he had a cure for the driveshaft tink (he does). He offered me one of MMC driveshafts, and when Randy and I installed it, Randy, who is SUPER detail oriented, noted that the donut on the shaft that he removed was already starting to show rubber deterioration and extrusion.

We quickly realized what was happening. The donut rubber deteriorates with time for some reason in this applicaiton (could be simply an inferior grade of rubber used, or inadequate balancing of the composite donut assembly). When it does, it becomes VERY unbalanced, and since it is SO heavy (check it out!), it starts to shake the tailshaft area pretty effectively. The first victim is the tailshaft seal. The second is the splines. The third is the tailshaft housing.

I'm going to say it yet again and hoepfully for the last time: If you have one of these donuts on your SSR, get the shaft replaced. If your GM dealer won't equip you with a non-donut shaft, BUY a Denis Reinhart metal matrix composite shaft and spare yourself lots of grief.

Jim G
 
#15 ·
Jim G,

My SSR has not had this changed. Do I have the donut thing or is this the replacement for the original?

Also, now that I have the supercharger, can they say no to the repair?

Do you recommend getting this Reinhart matrix anyways for my SSR? The sound seems quite minor to me but I only have 15000 miles on it. How much does the part and labor cost in case GM not paying for it? ( I have an extended warranty)
 
#13 ·
No. It is quite visible when you look at the foreward end of the driveshaft, right behind the transmission. If you do a search on this webste using "donut", I think you will find a photo that I posted a very long time ago.

If you have my e-book, the donut is also visible in the top left photo on page144.

Jim G
 
#12 ·
your choice

As Jim G has stated the info about Dennis Reinhart, they now offer a less expensive version of the driveshaft, which is the one that I have in the '03. I had approached GM about paying for it after they installed the donut and it did the same thing after 1000 miles. They declined, and I ended up buying the Reinhart shaft myself, and had the dealer install, my tech did not charge me for the install, because of the previous shaft.
That was almost 7000 miles ago, and not one tink from the new shaft, I don't even think about it, until I see threads on the forum addressing the problem.
It been the best move that I have made.....No More TINK.....:party
 
#21 ·
The tink that occurs initially only on chnages from Park to forward or to reverse, left untreated, turns into a tink between gears too.

After that, we don't know. I would GUESS shorter u-joint life. and some unwarranted shocks going to both the tranny and the rear axle as a result. Enought to cause serious harm? I just don't know.

Jim G
 
#22 ·
where do we get this Reingart thingie? How much?

Can we have the Dealership pay for it under the extended warranty ( I doubt it)?

Would the dealership at least install it under warranty?
 
#23 ·
redSSR loaded: Do a search on this forum using "Dennis Reinhart": All your questions have been answered so many times before on this forum it seems silly to ask someone to retype the same info all in again! :)

No Gm won't pay for it. Don't bother trying to induce your dealer to install it. It takes all of 20 minutes. Just pay someone generously $40 to do it right and under your supervision instead.

Jim G
 
#25 ·
I checked with my service writer for my Corvette about the tink on my SSR and he told me that the donut is not doing any good and he sees SSR's back with the above described symptoms and sometimes seals and shafts are damaged. I will be in the shop for my SSR next week - I'll post the results. He told me they think its the aluminum shaft not holding up as well as steel shafts as they have it happening on other Chevy's that have the aluminum drive shaft. He told me that the Silverado's after 2005 went from steel to aluminum and they are not lasting, especially in the 4x4 diesels. So its not only the SSR truck.
 
#26 ·
Dreaded Tink

:yellow: :yellow:

Took my slingshot in to the dealer tuesday for the dreaded tink. Gave them the part number and TSB on it the friday before and the parts were in on monday. Installed new driveshaft on tuesday. Had 8100 miles on it, so far i've driven it 50 miles with new shaft.....no more tink.......KNOCK ON WOOD!! Can't tell you how much having all that information at my finger tips facilitated in the ordering and install on a new one. I actually sounded like I knew what the heck I was talking about. :reddevil Also had a slight raddle in the right side Bose door speaker, replaced at the same time as driveshaft. Sounds great. Hats off to this forum and the people who make it up!
 
#27 ·
Drive Shaft "tink"

After a complete rear end rebuild and four drive shafts the problem still exists.
A new shaft lasts about three months and then begins the "tink".
I have been told it is a defect in the vendor supply company quality control of
the shaft inner and outer aluminum tubing. The "tink" is apparently a flexing
of the inner and outer tubes due to the "gusset welding" on either end of
the double tube. Other factors may cause the flexing to start. Once it begins
to "tink" replacement is the only fix.

I am going to install number five before the warranty limits out. I understand
if the problem is not fixed replacement continues warranty or not! One gentleman is on number nine!

It is just sloppy for a high end vehicle from GM. Much like the A/C that was not properly inspected at the factory and both problems are given to the dealers.
 
#28 ·
Sooner or later (later in your case, by the sounds of it :) ), you'll get tired of the return warranty trips, and will also start to be concerned about what the driveshaft failure is doing over time to the tailshaft on the transmission, and will at least consider buying the metal matrix composite driveshaft from Dennis Reinhart. That appears to SOLVE the problem. Mine now has over 22,000 miles on it with no tinks or other issues.

Jim G
 
#32 ·
Sooner or later (later in your case, by the sounds of it :) ), you'll get tired of the return warranty trips
I'm getting my first driveshaft replacement shortly (ordered today) under warranty. I might get tired of the trips eventually, but for now it's going back for other reasons anyway (alternator, wiper fluid sprayer, door handles, roof mat, you name it) so I figure I'll send the message to GM that there's still a problem by making them replace it at least the first time. We'll see what happens in the long run.
 
#30 ·
Mine has been getting louder for the last 1000 miles. I was going to take it in and let the dealer replace it under warranty but just decided that replacing it with the factory model was just a band-aid since it will tink again and maybe cause some damage to the transmission.
I decided to buy the one from Dennis Reinhart. Just ordered it a couple of minutes ago. Thanks for keeping this subject going.
 
#31 ·
Driveshaft

The driveshaft on my '04:black: had the same problem, I took it to the dealer several times when it was under factory warranty and it took them about 3 to 4 times of replacing the driveshaft before the problem was eliminated. The noise never got any louder through the wait of it being fixed. Just thought I would share that with you.

Jose
 
#34 ·
Driveshaft

If the material the shaft is made of is transmitting noise and you change it to a
different type to hide the noise have you fixed anything??? other than the tink.
I've only been around 18 wheelers and the auto business for 44 years and if you
want to hear drivetrain noise try driving any brand of 18 wheeler. You have to have a small amount of back lash in the gears be it trans and rear end. With back lash you are going to get some noise when you load and unload those gears.
My SSR has a SMALL amount of this noise and being a 6 speed I'll live with it.
I run ROYAL Purple fluids in all my personal vehicles and have had great results
without any kind of consumption on any of them. I do not have any $$$ interest
with them in any way.:black:
Just my .02
 
#35 ·
Tom: In most cases you are correct, BUT in this specific case of the SSR, there is evidence that long term use of the factory driveshaft, once it begins making noise, CAN leads to failure of the transmission tailshaft seal. If not repaired soon after that, the next casualty is a crack in the tailshaft housing itself.

My own SSR experienced the seal failure, before I switched to the Dennis Reinhart shaft. Other Fanatics have had the tailshaft housing crack.

There is a POSSIBILITY that these problems only occur with the version of the factory driveshaft that has the heavy dampening "donut" at the front end of the shaft (There is a donut and a nn-donut version of the factory shaft, and both failures I have personally seen involved the donut version of the shaft), but why take the chance, especially if a specific SSR is already outside of warranty.

Anyone wanting the explanation on the donut version need only usde search on "donut" to find it.

Jim G
 
#36 ·
Stayed Stock

After reading about all of the issues with the tink and problems with replacements, I was advised by my trusted Goodwrench guy to stay stock unless it was a big problem, which its not. He advised that if there was a proven fix available before my warranty expires, this December, have it installed then. Frankly, the tink isn't bad, I don't even notice it much, and I'm not aware the original one causes drive line problems, is this sound advice? I was told that Rhinehart didn't make the shafts for us any longer also. Just wondering...
 
#37 ·
Now Normal

Ok,

I have had 5 drive-shafts on my 04 SSR. All replaced under warranty. ( GM understood this was a problem). Chevy extended my warranty to 10 years (I complained so much). I had a TSB regarding this problem. Now I am being told a new TSB has been issued. This new TSB says the tink is normal. Well congrats to Chevy. They can extend any warranty as long as they issue a TSB saying the condition is normal. Hats off. They also know that this donut shaft will cause drivetrain failures, odds are, not until most warranty's have expired. GM will realize we are NOT stupid. Nor are we ( SSR Fanatics ) indigent. We will buy more vehicles. These new ones will cost more than yes even what we payed for this so called Flag ship. I will say this, I will Never again give GM one dollar of my money. They think I'm stupid. Lets see in 10 years when they don't exist. For this very reason. Bad customer service.
 
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