[JimGnitecki]

Hey guys: It's been 2000 miles since Chevrolet replaced my driveshaft under warranty, and the tink has NOT returned - at least yet!

Of course, the fact that I am running a 4.56 rear axle versus the stock 3.73, means that my drivesaft is spinning 22.2% faster than stock at any given road speed, and since the power transmitted to move the truck along at any given speed remains the same, and since power = torque x rpm / a constant, the TORQUE under average conditions (NOT under hard acceleration!! )has been reduced by 22.2%.

Do you suppose that the 22% reduction in torque transmitted was enough to make the difference by reducing dramatically the aluminum driveshaft's "windup" under load followed by sudden release whenever you take your foot off the gas?

Jim G

 

[Gary's 04]

Hey guys: It's been 2000 miles since Chevrolet replaced my driveshaft under warranty, and the tink has NOT returned - at least yet!

Of course, the fact that I am running a 4.56 rear axle versus the stock 3.73, means that my drivesaft is spinning 22.2% faster than stock at any given road speed, and since the power transmitted to move the truck along at any given speed remains the same, and since power = torque x rpm / a constant, the TORQUE under average conditions (NOT under hard acceleration!! )has been reduced by 22.2%.

Do you suppose that the 22% reduction in torque transmitted was enough to make the difference by reducing dramatically the aluminum driveshaft's "windup" under load followed by sudden release whenever you take your foot off the gas?

Jim G

Jim, I would't suppose that unless there was a another SSR with stock gears and your new driveshaft to use as a comparison. The "tink" might be from fabrication and may be different, that is whether it tinks or not, dependent on the individual fabrication. When I raced, some of the aluminum driveshafts would "tink" and the next install would not on the same car with the same gears (4:56, 4:88, or 5.13s) I am personally not worried about any "tink" in the SSR. My $.04 worth.

 

[Marc NY]

Great research!

Hey Jim,

I have been following all your threads for some time now with great interest. I commend you on your excruciating detailed, complete, thorough and exhaustive experiments. I appreciate that you have been reporting back to us with all your latest findings. I am very impressed with all your skills and mechanical knowledge.

However, I have formulated some interesting conclusions on my own. Mind you it is not scientifically based but very conclusive none-the-less. Here are the results of my own personal findings.

The "tink" noises are not created by the pre-fabrication of the drive shaft but from a different vendor's salvage lot. Whether it tinks or not, is irrelevant and interdependent only in the perception of the individual’s own mind. It is important to remember that it is a by product of the culmination of ambient temperature given to exposure to intense heat along with the higher atmosphere mixed in with the percent of humidity along with the wind chill factor and air temp.

I have also established if the moon is at half phase along with the alignment of the stars it should work flawlessly. OH yes all that depends if you are in Day Light Savings time vs. Stand Time zones. Again I know that my theories aren’t scientific but then it sure makes more sense to me now. :lol

Actually Jim I am very impressed with your topics and all your research. It is just short of awesome and your findings and calculations are very exhaustive. I constantly find myself wondering how much free time a guy like you can have when you are so busy and active with all these tests? Please keep up your great efforts we all really do appreciate what you have done and shared with us. :thumbs

 

[41chevcoe]

Driveshaft speed wouldn't effect the "tink" as most of the driveshafts make the noise when put in gear(drive or reverse) without even rotating. The replacement driveshaft has been very successful repair.

 

[Marc NY]

... The replacement driveshaft has been very successful repair.

HI 41chevcoe,

I believe you are correct and I am hoping mine... that only has a few hundred miles on it will stay quiet! :angel

 

[mikepowell]

I agree with you Mark, Jim is awesome!

also is there any bullitens on this problem I could point out to my sevice advisor guy?
thanks :flag

 

[dingbat]

Jim-
I troubleshoot for a living. When you take into account all the items that were changed on your car it is very difficult to isolate exactly what went right.
I feel that the tink sound we hear is caused by the shaft acting as an echo chamber/sound amplifier and it is just amplifying the normal gear slop. By replacing your gears you may have tightened them up just enough to remove the slop. Then again, Marc may have something with the moon phases.

BTW. I was at the dealer a couple days ago and the service rep told me they have the tink on most of the SSRs and also on the Trailblazers. They are waiting on word from Chevy on a new fix.

 

[JimGnitecki]

Dingbat: Actually, my rear end gears are now theorized to be slightly too LOOSE in the backlash adjustment!

Motive Gear agress with my theory.

It is based on the following:

The noise I hear reduces somewhat after a few miles after each startup, and it disappears altogether after the SSR is driven at high highway speeds (65 mph or higher) for at least several miles. It returns when the vehicles has cooled down.

This suggests that the noise diminishes and then disappears with increasing temperature of the gears (they get hotter at high highway speeds). That in turn suggests that the gears get quieter because they are EXPANDING slightly with temperature, and taking up excess backlash clearance.

The installer set the backlash clearance to .008" per Motive Gear's instructions. The instructions suggest .008 as the target, and .006" as the minimum.

Buy Yukon gear suggests 0.004" for THEIR ring and pinion.

The installer wants me to bring it in again next week and he will adjust the clearance tigher and see if the noise reduces again or disappears.

Marc: I just like mechanical physics and vehicles a lot, like to play with them in my insufficient spare time, and am very analytical in my approach. The result is what you see . . .

Jim G

 

[41chevcoe]

Backlash is not a factor in the driveshaft "tink" because you can put the transmission in drive which preloads the gear set (takes out the backlash) and with your foot still on the brake, step slightly on the accelerator and you will hear the "tink". (shift to reverse, hold the brake and accelerate slightly and you will hear it again)It is probably a stress noise in the aluminum driveshaft. The "tink" and the howl (whine,moan) at 50 MPH are two different issuses.

 

[Gary's 04]

Backlash is not a factor in the driveshaft "tink" because you can put the transmission in drive which preloads the gear set (takes out the backlash) and with your foot still on the brake, step slightly on the accelerator and you will hear the "tink". (shift to reverse, hold the brake and accelerate slightly and you will hear it again)It is probably a stress noise in the aluminum driveshaft. The "tink" and the howl (whine,moan) at 50 MPH are two different issuses.

41chevcoe -- I agree, I've changed out too many with the same setup and some drive shafts "tink" and some didn't.

 

[dingbat]

Backlash is not a factor in the driveshaft "tink" because you can put the transmission in drive which preloads the gear set (takes out the backlash) and with your foot still on the brake, step slightly on the accelerator and you will hear the "tink". (shift to reverse, hold the brake and accelerate slightly and you will hear it again)It is probably a stress noise in the aluminum driveshaft. The "tink" and the howl (whine,moan) at 50 MPH are two different issuses.

I don't know about everyone else but mine "tinks" when I put it into reverse with my foot still on the brake. I don't give it any gas at that point. I find it hard to believe that there is any stress at all on the shaft at that point. Also if you tap the shaft with a metal object you will get the exact same tinking sound.
And if the replacement driveshaft has been a successful repair, how come so many of us that have had them replaced still have the "tink" come back after a few hundred miles? It might have been a success for some, but if it doesn't repair the problem in ALL cases it isn't successful.
In addition to the sound when going into reverse I have started noticing it at other times when letting off the gas or accelerating. It seems to act like the noises from bad u-joints. I still feel it is gear play amplified by the holllow shaft.

There was talk a while back about Chevy designing a shaft with baffling material inside. I think if it was filled with foam to deaden the echo effect it would solve the problem. If GM wants to use my SSR as a test I will gladly volunteer.

 

[JimGnitecki]

Dingbat: I DID have the foaming done at my own expense, so it is POSSIBLE that that is what actually solved the problem for me long term. Although, I have to also report that right after I got the new driveshaft installed by Chevrolet, and BEFORE I got the foaming done, the tink was gone.

Too many variables at work here to analyze well.

Jim G

 

[41chevcoe]

Hi Dingbat

Yes there is torgue on your driveshaft as soon as you put it in gear,in most cases enough to make a "TINK",no much different than a bad "U" noise.Doubt GM will experiment with your driveshaft as there is an improved replacement driveshaft that will be installed under warranty that will cure the "TINK"


George

 

[dingbat]

Hi Dingbat

Yes there is torgue on your driveshaft as soon as you put it in gear,in most cases enough to make a "TINK",no much different than a bad "U" noise.Doubt GM will experiment with your driveshaft as there is an improved replacement driveshaft that will be installed under warranty that will cure the "TINK"


George

I had the new improved driveshaft installed under warranty and it did in fact stop the tink. For about 200 miles! After that the tink came back. There are others on this site that have replaced theirs and the tink has come back. If you replaced yours and it fixed the problem, more power to you. But the "NEW, IMPROVED" driveshaft is NOT fixing the problem in all cases.

Jim-
Your replacement may have stopped the tink noise, but I feel that if you didn't foam it you would have had the noise come back within a few hundred miles. I do agree with you on the too many variables to really pinpoint the cure.

 

[41chevcoe]

HI Dingbat

How long ago was your driveshaft replaced? The dealer may have replaced it with a driveshaft that was not improved, maybe they should replace it again, no harm in trying another one.

George

 

[dougnc]

I'm not really a car guy, but I've noticed you guys are always buying different exhaust pipes and stuff to make the SSR noisier.

Can't we do that with the tink? Tell people it's an after market add on to make the SSR sound more like a race car?

"Yea, I got the "Tink" add-on from Bighonkingloud Mufflers Inc. It was on special."

?

 

[dingbat]

HI Dingbat

How long ago was your driveshaft replaced? The dealer may have replaced it with a driveshaft that was not improved, maybe they should replace it again, no harm in trying another one.

George

Driveshaft was replaced in November. It was supposedly the new design. It was different from the original in that it had a doughnut around the front part of the shaft. Unless they have come up with design #3, I don't think another would help. The service rep at my dealer has told me they have several with the same problem and several Trailblazers also with the tink. They are waiting on a permanent solution from Chevy.

Doug-
see my post here

I just went out to the SSR and jacked up the rear end. With my hand on the rear end yoke I was able to move the driveshaft about 10-15 degrees from stop to stop. This is pretty much normal gear play. The movement and stopping produced almost the same sound as the "tink". I'm sure my hand acted as a bit of a muffler. The shaft also held a tone like a tuning fork for several seconds!!!! I go back to my original theory that the shaft is amplifying the sound of the normal gear play.

 

[JimGnitecki]

That would explain why foam filling my drievshaft stopped the noise.

Jim G

 

[JoeFargo]

tink?

OK, so I'm half deaf, can't see, barely can walk, am older than Santa. Given all this stuff, so what if it tinks? I can't tell if mine does or does not. I don't really care either. I must be missing something here. What is the big deal about a tink? Does a tink make the SSR go slow? Or fast? Or use more gas? Or wear out faster?

I love my SSR as much as any other car/truck I've ever had, but nevertheless, it is a CAR. It is not going to be perfect. There's plenty of creaks, groans, klunks, etc to go around. I've never had a vehicle that didn't have some kind of issue.

I don't get it. :angel

 

[Marc NY]

The Annoying Tink drove me crazy...

... I must be missing something here. What is the big deal about a tink? Does a tink make the SSR go slow? Or fast? Or use more gas? Or wear out faster?
... It is not going to be perfect. There's plenty of creaks, groans, klunks, etc to go around. I've never had a vehicle that didn't have some kind of issue.

I don't get it. :angel

Hey Joe F,

I happen to agree with you on a lot of what you said up there... however I for one extremely dislike that sound. It became very grating on me when I was able to hear it all the time. :smash

When I use to hear those “tinking” sounds it kind of made me feel like the SSR sounded cinchy :skep even though it doesn’t seem to affect the performance of our SSRs one bit at all.