Hi all,

First post, but I have been reading lots of useful information with regard to our problem. 2002 X-type 3L sport, 94000 miles.

So initially we thought it was bent wheels, as we took the vehicle to local tire shop to get them balanced and they said 3 out of 4 wheels couldn't be balanced due to being bent. So we finally found a guy breaking a 2005 X-type, brought all 4 wheels (very nice condition), put them on and still whole car vibration.

So after reading a bunch of threads, yesterday I jacked the rear end up, got underneath and found two Allen head bolts holding the drive shaft to the rear differential were missing and a third was halfway out. We picked up two new bolts from local hardware shop installed them tightened all of them up, but still vibration is there (no different).

Under the vehicle where the drive shaft flange bolts to the rear differential, there was a lot of black grease splattered on the silver heat shield and oozing out of the flange/diff area.

So I'm thinking perhaps the drive shaft is now bent?

Thanks in advance

 

if you replace the driveshaft, you can not buy just any x type shaft....they go by VIN#....around $150 inc shipping on ebay (used)

 

Thanks for the advice

 

OK looks like we cured the vibration, took out all the allen head bolts, replaced them with new ones realigned the drive shaft, torqued everything back up and eureka vibration gone smooth as a kitten!!!!

Now onto the next problem, new thread

 

@Gorhad I too have a vibration in my car that happens around 50 mph. I have had all my tires balanced, paid to have one of my rims fixed because it was bent and i still have this vibration. How difficult of a task was it to replace the hex head bolts holding the drive shaft together and what do you mean you had to "realign" the drive shaft. I've very interested in try to do this same repair to my car.

 

Its actually pretty easy, other than being on your back under the car. I downloaded this Technical Bulletin from this fantastic site called jaguarforums.com

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...-vibration-pdf

The bolts are actually allen head grade 8, M8 x 1.25 x 4 inches i believe. The bulletin is a step by step guide and is very easy to follow.

 

That is a great step by step guide thanks for the link. Only thing I'm worried about, and i don't want to get into something that is over my head, is having to replace the gasket from the rear differential flange. I haven't got my hands dirty yet to determine if this would be something hard to do. Did you have to replace your gasket if so I'm guessing you got the gasket from Jaguar. Oh and can i find those allen head bolts at any hardware store?

A question I probably should have asked before hand was if your car had similar symptoms mine has. Mine only vibrates between 50-55 MPH. Did your car shake at a specific speed or was it all the time?

 

Firstly get under there and see whats going on, in that have a look to see if any bolts are missing or loose then take it from there.

No i just cleaned it all around and the surrounding areas and for now its perfect. We can now see what she can do lol.

Non of the auto parts shops locally had the gasket thats why i decided to clean it up etc. The bolts i got from Ace Hardware. To be honest what i did was to also put lock washers on.

It was fine around town below say 45/50 mph but then when you accelerated up the ramp to join the highway then thats when it started, it was that bad i honestly thought it was going to vibrate to bits. It would then vibrate up thru 60/70 but we didnt go any faster as it was quite worrying.

PS do you have a second person with you it helps as a watcher like in weight training looking for any possible trolley jack probs etc. Be careful make sure the vehicle is correctly and doubly supported OK?