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The shudder problem: Current status (end of February 2020)

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I'got the new front half shafts installed for about 1k and there's some kind of vibration return, dough it's not exactly the same as before and I could live with it if it does not get any worse, it's not that auditable as before, it more like distant vibrations you feel in the steering wheel.

Fingers crossed that it doesn't get any worse....
Fred, interesting. Was that outside of the 2 year warranty? Was that with the latest Service Bulletin ( SB-21-39-001)? The service center I use in Belgium is not really showing any sense of urgency to replace mine.
 
I've put 2,866 miles on the new half shafts and 870 miles on the new clevis; so far so good. Clevis was updated per the notes, but part number wasn't listed. I looked myself and saw it was the old clevis. I brought it up and they replaced it with the new clevis hence the difference in miles. Both are the same part number, but the updated version has round flanges. The bushing looks different too, but I'm not sure. It might be one of those things like the Model 3 rainbow glass where it's the same part number, but looks different.

There was an initial $83 test drive to confirm the shudder, which was waived. They also resealed the area around the front upper control arm ball joints with urethane under goodwill. I believe someone here figured this out already. I no longer hear creaking backing down my driveway while turning. The bulletin was covered under warranty, but would've been covered under qualification per the test drive. This was at Santa Clara, CA.

My problem was shudder under any level of acceleration, 40 mph range, 60 mph range, and all ride heights, especially standard upwards. Imagine pushing a cart over those truncated dome tiles in front of Target to the smooth asphalt. It felt like that after the fix lol
 
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I had the second replacement of my half shafts last month on my December 2019 2020 Model X (just under 40,000 miles.)

It is MUCH smoother now than it ever has been.

Interesting note, It was recommended to lower the suspension height to minimize the vibration, so I dropped it down to medium low (basically 2 out of 5) and about a month later my wife noticed something funny with my tires. I got down and looked and all four of them had worn through to the belt on the inside edge of the tread! That's right, four tires ruined, one of which had only 10K miles on it. $1250 later and I have a new set and a new alignment when I got the shafts replaced.

Now I am skittish about changing the height of the ride but so far, I cannot see any premature wear. Fingers crossed.
Almost three months later, my tires look great!
 
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So, I've had the "refresh" shafts, installed with the latest and greatest service bulletin back in late June, in my '21 Long Range Plus for almost 7000 miles now, and the "shudder/vibration" as it existed back when it had the old shafts has not returned, not even a little bit. I've been driving around at standard height a lot lately trying to squeeze a few thousand more miles out of my original front tires before replacing them, and still no vibration at all.
 
My shudder problem has returned already. My December 2016 X P90D had the shudder and a bit of grinding noise when flooring it, so I had the half-shafts/clevis mounts replaced under warranty in early September. I confirmed the part numbers were matching the newest May 2021 service bulletin "Replace Front Drive Unit Halfshafts". After 6 weeks of driving in standard suspension height and flooring it maybe 30 times, the shudder returned, along with a bit of grinding sound. So I dropped the suspension to "Always Low" now and I didn't feel the shudder. Will test it again this week. On a positive note: Driving in Low suspension feels the same as standard height, I don't notice any comfort difference.
 
Its a shame that the X has defective front drive systems in them from design. Even worse for those buying a performance, no telling what happens to the plaid X front drive system, it will most like explode on acceleration. Tesla replaced my 2018 X half shafts at 7000k miles, again at 23000 mikes, again at 40000 miles, I have been driving it while never flooring it from a stop or during a tight turn and at 85000k miles it is starting to happen again. Would I ever buy another X? Hell no!
 
My shudder problem has returned already. My December 2016 X P90D had the shudder and a bit of grinding noise when flooring it, so I had the half-shafts/clevis mounts replaced under warranty in early September. I confirmed the part numbers were matching the newest May 2021 service bulletin "Replace Front Drive Unit Halfshafts". After 6 weeks of driving in standard suspension height and flooring it maybe 30 times, the shudder returned, along with a bit of grinding sound. So I dropped the suspension to "Always Low" now and I didn't feel the shudder. Will test it again this week. On a positive note: Driving in Low suspension feels the same as standard height, I don't notice any comfort difference.
I'm really beginning to think the "solution" is always-low plus 3rd party adjustable camber arms. Not free, but sounds like a better trade off than what the X originally came with.

If you take this to the extreme, you could also use lowering links so that the computer thinks it's always in "Low" but your actual height corresponds to "Very Low". (If I understand, the lower you go the the less acute of an angle the CV joints have to accommodate.)

If, as you say, the suspension still has adequate travel for ordinary road conditions in this setting, that's really the optimal way to go to allow both max power and (with third party camber arms) correct alignment that doesn't eat tires.

[Obviously this scheme only works if you do an alignment , including the all-important camber adjustment, while the car is at the height you intend to drive at. ]
 
Not sure if I’m in right spot. Anybody feel the new 2020 model x “Raven” Rides/drives shitty?

I had over 100k miles on my 2015 85D, loved the way went down the road. Have had this x since December and feel it just doesn’t go down the road nice, not a confident drive. Sure it’s a performance and goes like a mad gorilla but if your just driving it’s work, feel like she just won’t track down the road straight. Anybody else feel this way? I have a service appointment next week to trying to have some the wind noise and rattles taken care off. I asked them to have an alignment. We will see if it gets done. And yep mines had the shutter since I left the parking lot.
 
Don’t get to hopeful, whistling, rattles, vibrations, and shutting is all part of the Model X ownership. If I had not bought it with unlimited charging and an extended warranty, I would have dump it like the defective Fords of my past auto purchasing experiences.
 
My shudder problem has returned already. My December 2016 X P90D had the shudder and a bit of grinding noise when flooring it, so I had the half-shafts/clevis mounts replaced under warranty in early September. I confirmed the part numbers were matching the newest May 2021 service bulletin "Replace Front Drive Unit Halfshafts". After 6 weeks of driving in standard suspension height and flooring it maybe 30 times, the shudder returned, along with a bit of grinding sound. So I dropped the suspension to "Always Low" now and I didn't feel the shudder. Will test it again this week. On a positive note: Driving in Low suspension feels the same as standard height, I don't notice any comfort difference.
I have a May 2016 X P90D currently at 68.4K miles with the fix done at 64.1K miles. No shudder so far. I haven't floored it, however.
Its a shame that the X has defective front drive systems in them from design. Even worse for those buying a performance, no telling what happens to the plaid X front drive system, it will most like explode on acceleration. Tesla replaced my 2018 X half shafts at 7000k miles, again at 23000 mikes, again at 40000 miles, I have been driving it while never flooring it from a stop or during a tight turn and at 85000k miles it is starting to happen again. Would I ever buy another X? Hell no!
It's said that the refresh has a completely new drive train so I'd be curious to see what people report back with.
I'm really beginning to think the "solution" is always-low plus 3rd party adjustable camber arms. Not free, but sounds like a better trade off than what the X originally came with.

If you take this to the extreme, you could also use lowering links so that the computer thinks it's always in "Low" but your actual height corresponds to "Very Low". (If I understand, the lower you go the the less acute of an angle the CV joints have to accommodate.)

If, as you say, the suspension still has adequate travel for ordinary road conditions in this setting, that's really the optimal way to go to allow both max power and (with third party camber arms) correct alignment that doesn't eat tires.

[Obviously this scheme only works if you do an alignment , including the all-important camber adjustment, while the car is at the height you intend to drive at. ]
I wished it was like this from the factory, especially since Very Low is still higher at 6.1" than the Model 3's 5.5". I never scraped in the Model 3.
 
It's said that the refresh has a completely new drive train so I'd be curious to see what people report back with.
Here's a guy with a Plaid S:
Rationale for the above:

1) Change/improvement has been so small for me the last three releases;
2) Would enjoy production firmware (2021.40.5.1) features more then beta FSD right now, such as active road noise reduction ("ARNR")- more useful (to me, anyways)
3) 10.x series releases are hard on my Plaid's steering and braking components.... And I just had my half shafts replaced due to that vibration issue
4) Large efficiency hit using beta FSD, when combined with the cold and rain here
5) I can always opt back in, at any time, per the reply I received from Tesla betafsd team (see below)

"Hello Xxxx,

FSD Beta 10.4 will be removed from your vehicle shortly. To ensure you do not receive future Beta updates, please go to the Autopilot UI and select Controls > Autopilot > Request Full Self-Driving Beta, which will trigger a pop-up which will then present you with the Opt-Out button. You can opt back into the FSD Beta queue at any time by selecting the Request Full Self-Driving button.

-FSD Team"
emphasis mine.
 
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Came back with miles driven, Tesla replaced my 2018 X half shafts at 7000k miles, again at 23000 mikes, again at 40000 miles, I have been driving it while never flooring it from a stop or during a tight turn and at 85000k miles it is starting to happen again when accelerating to highway speed.
 
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Came back with miles driven, Tesla replaced my 2018 X half shafts at 7000k miles, again at 23000 mikes, again at 40000 miles, I have been driving it while never flooring it from a stop or during a tight turn and at 85000k miles it is starting to happen again when accelerating to highway speed.
What about the intensity of the shudder itself when it came back? Was it the same as it was or did it gradually get worse?
 
What about the intensity of the shudder itself when it came back? Was it the same as it was or did it gradually get worse?

It gradually gets worse with miles driven I believe. Also when traveling highway speeds, after new tires install twice, there is a harmonic vibration when cruising between 85 & 90 mph on new interstate surfaces. Tesla service told me it was the tires, so they shaved and balanced the first brand-new tires and charged me, after the second set, the X had the identical vibration at the same highway cruising speeds. I believe the combination of the cars weight, torque, design, rigidity, and performance marketing all contribute to the poor quality of the model X. They should probably discontinue the model or do a complete redesign. Shuttering at any level of acceleration is unacceptable in a new car at any price point. As much as I love the Tesla brand, I am embarrassed to share the Model X driving experience after spend so much for it, no wonder they don’t let you drive it before signing. I get it now.
 
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