POLL: vibration felt when slightly accelerating refresh Mode S Plaid or LR

[Duke846]

Joshua,

Did your tests reveal anything as to the vibration felt by many on the first drive of the day that disappears in a minute or two?

My Nokian s do that if it sits foe awhile

 

[n2mb_racing]

FYI. My SA said engineering has shipped a new set of revised half-shafts to my SC to test out on my car. They should be delivered next week. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[xEvoLveDx]

LOL my advisor just told me minutes ago that it is still under investigation and they are working with suppliers to correct the condition. They said it may take some time lol. I told them I've already waited a year and half hahah

 

[WilliamG]

FYI. My SA said engineering has shipped a new set of revised half-shafts to my SC to test out on my car. They should be delivered next week. I'll keep everyone posted.

Believe it when I see it. Part numbers!! Pictures of the old shafts next to the “new” ones!!

 

[n2mb_racing]

Believe it when I see it. Part numbers!! Pictures of the old shafts next to the “new” ones!!

We'll see.

Update from SA:

I misspoke when we talked, it’s same part same rev. just a tighter tolerance part from the supplier. The engineering team thinks this should help it.

That's interesting. I don't quite understand how the variability in the cars' geometries somehow trigger some vehicles to have the vibration while others don't, but I could see how a tighter CV joint could reduce the vibration. I'd also be interested in stuffing more grease in the CV joints, as someone mentioned earlier. But, I don't know how much will actually stay inside the critical surfaces in the joint, rather than just flinging to the inside of the boot.

 

[lbowroom]

We'll see.

Update from SA:



That's interesting. I don't quite understand how the variability in the cars' geometries somehow trigger some vehicles to have the vibration while others don't, but I could see how a tighter CV joint could reduce the vibration. I'd also be interested in stuffing more grease in the CV joints, as someone mentioned earlier. But, I don't know how much will actually stay inside the critical surfaces in the joint, rather than just flinging to the inside of the boot.

Afraid they’re addressing the symptom and not the cause

 

[n2mb_racing]

Afraid they’re addressing the symptom and not the cause

I think the half shafts are the piece of the car that is vibrating, because replacing them twice on my car caused the vibrations to go away temporarily. Unless that was somehow related to disassembly and reassembly, and not the part replacement.

Also, lowering the car reduces the half shaft CV joint angle and eliminates the vibration... So, again pointing to an issue with the design of the half shafts.

However, manufacturing variability in the half shafts doesn't explain why some cars have it and some cars don't. If that were the case, then I would expect that just swapping shafts once or twice would find a good set and cause the issue to go away. So, it must be related to some other manufacturing or calibration issue. I.e. My car has just slightly higher CV joint angles than the other cars that don't have the vibration. Maybe some extra shim in the motor mounts from the bend of my frame, or the ride height calibration is slightly different on my car... whatever.

 

[lbowroom]

If Tesla just decided that the stock ride height of the car should be 1-1/4” lower than it is now, would that be a problem for people?

 

[aerodyne]

However, manufacturing variability in the half shafts doesn't explain why some cars have it and some cars don't. If that were the case, then I would expect that just swapping shafts once or twice would find a good set and cause the issue to go away.

It might be the majority of the shafts are out of tolerance, but deemed "within spec"

We know that has happened elsewhere ..

 

[WilliamG]

We'll see.

Update from SA:



That's interesting. I don't quite understand how the variability in the cars' geometries somehow trigger some vehicles to have the vibration while others don't, but I could see how a tighter CV joint could reduce the vibration. I'd also be interested in stuffing more grease in the CV joints, as someone mentioned earlier. But, I don't know how much will actually stay inside the critical surfaces in the joint, rather than just flinging to the inside of the boot.

If they say there's tighter tolerances, where are they getting that info from?

 

[NeuroRad]

Lowering car does not resolve the vibration on my car. Shaft angle also doesn’t explain variability with weather. I’m absolute convinced now vibration is significantly less in warmer weather.

Warped half shafts must be a consequence of what’s causing the vibration.

 

[n2mb_racing]

Lowering car does not resolve the vibration on my car. Shaft angle also doesn’t explain variability with weather. I’m absolute convinced now vibration is significantly less in warmer weather.

Warped half shafts must be a consequence of what’s causing the vibration.

I'm pretty sure the shafts they pull out are not warped or visibly damaged in any way.

 

[WilliamG]

Lowering car does not resolve the vibration on my car. Shaft angle also doesn’t explain variability with weather. I’m absolute convinced now vibration is significantly less in warmer weather.

Warped half shafts must be a consequence of what’s causing the vibration.

It’s the angle front vs rear. You can feel the vibration change when cruising at around 40mph when you switch suspension height. Raising it makes it works (which ironically is the opposite of how my car behaved when new). With lowering links just on the front of my car and leaving the car in low, the vibration is better on my car, though still noticeable.

 

[aerodyne]

Can't find that this has been discussed before, but...

Has anyone looked at getting their half shafts balanced by a race shop?

Apparently, there is such a service, and mentions of it being done on Corvette forums.

 

[NeuroRad]

It’s the angle front vs rear. You can feel the vibration change when cruising at around 40mph when you switch suspension height. Raising it makes it works (which ironically is the opposite of how my car behaved when new). With lowering links just on the front of my car and leaving the car in low, the vibration is better on my car, though still noticeable.

I’m not quite sure I follow. It’s not like this is a RWD vehicle where changing front ride hight can effect rear pinion angle. If it was such a simple fix Tesla likely would have corrected it from outset or issued fix by now. I’m thinking its a more complex issue.

To above poster, if half shafts are coming out true why is Tesla replacing them in the first place?

 

[n2mb_racing]

To above poster, if half shafts are coming out true why is Tesla replacing them in the first place?

Because they don't have a clue what to do. They have stopped replacing them more than once now to try and correct this issue. I'm not sure why they did it twice on my car, but I wasn't going to tell them not to try.

 

[Propofoln]

Lowering car does not resolve the vibration on my car. Shaft angle also doesn’t explain variability with weather. I’m absolute convinced now vibration is significantly less in warmer weather.

Warped half shafts must be a consequence of what’s causing the vibration.

This is the root cause and explained in good detail here

Eliminate Inner Tire & Premature Half-Shaft Wear On Tesla X/S!

Finally you can properly align your Tesla Model S or X to completely eliminate inner rear tire wear and premature half-shaft wear!

n2itive.me

 

[WilliamG]

I’m not quite sure I follow. It’s not like this is a RWD vehicle where changing front ride hight can effect rear pinion angle. If it was such a simple fix Tesla likely would have corrected it from outset or issued fix by now. I’m thinking its a more complex issue.

To above poster, if half shafts are coming out true why is Tesla replacing them in the first place?

I’m not saying that the root cause is ride height. I am saying that ride height does affect the vibration. It’s easy to test, too.

This is the root cause and explained in good detail here

Eliminate Inner Tire & Premature Half-Shaft Wear On Tesla X/S!

Finally you can properly align your Tesla Model S or X to completely eliminate inner rear tire wear and premature half-shaft wear!

n2itive.me

You’re in the wrong thread. This is nothing to do with the tire-shredding issue.

 

[Propofoln]

I’m not saying that the root cause is ride height. I am saying that ride height does affect the vibration. It’s easy to test, too.

You’re in the wrong thread. This is nothing to do with the tire-shredding issue.

You obviously didn’t read it because it talks about half shaft issue

 

[n2mb_racing]

You obviously didn’t read it because it talks about half shaft issue

That article talks about the shudder in the previous generation S/X half shafts. This is a new issue, possibly related, but somehow different. I agree that reducing ride height does seem to mitigate the issue. However, so does turning off the front motor. So, I don't know what that means.