93 front shaft pix

Hey guys need help. Son called yesterday and said front end is POPPING ocassionally when turning so he calls tonight freaking out that its popping almost all the time. I'm obviousily thinking cv's but not sure. Anyway does anyone have any good pix off the front drive shaft? I thought I could talk him through removing the shaft till I get there (were driving up at xmas) then I can check it out. I'm assuming the brav will still drive without front shaft??. Any help would GREATLY be appreciated. Thanks (I searched this and the how to forums but didn't find anything)

don't bother taking off the front drive shaft. even if it is the CV joint is going south pulling the shaft won't help much. bad CV's usualy aren't a safty issue, should be safe to drive as is until you get there.

Thanks Eric. You don't know how my son drives .lol. so if I understand you correctly if one of the cv's lets loose it won't cause any problems? Will the car still move? can't the axle just fall out? I've doon cv's on my wifes' voyager and also on older rabbits but not on the bravada's. Also after posting last nite my son called me and said on his way home it didn't make any popping noise, so I'm thinking something else is wrong.

A couple of years ago, I was driving thru Montana and started noticing a "clicking" when turning corners, first thought was CV joints, but wasn't really sure, took it into a really small Chevy dealer in White Sulfur Springs, the mechanic hopped in the seat and we took a drive, when it finally started making noise, he instantly said it was a Universal in the rear drive shaft, took it to the shop and left it, went and had lunch and returned about a half-hour later, he had already changed it and only charged $42!, saved the original equipment old one and it was all powder that fell out of it, no trace of lube (factory units have no grease fitting) problem solved cheaply......

Thanks Silver(hiho?lol) Thanks< my son is pretty sure the noise is coming from the front but can't tell which side, but now (as of today) it's only making the noise once in awhile so I'm thinking it's not the cv's and maybe (hopefuly) it's the sway bar.

Silver is for my hair, 39 is year of birth, might take a look at the front driveshaft universals also, my noise came and went and was really hard to identify as to location.....

Thanks silver.Didn't mean anything bad with the hiho it just popped into my head. Hopefuly like eric said it won't become a major issue before we get there at xmas. My biggest concern is that the car doesn't just stop moving, both of our sons share it and they both work(only car)

Thanks Silver(hiho?lol) Thanks< my son is pretty sure the noise is coming from the front but can't tell which side, but now (as of today) it's only making the noise once in awhile so I'm thinking it's not the cv's and maybe (hopefuly) it's the sway bar.


you can test the sway bar bushings for noise by bouncing the vehicle. they also make noise when braking hard coming into the driveway, as my load leveler demonstrated the other day. going to have to get around to those someday.

Thanks eric. Do the sway bar pop or squeak? I just find it odd that the popping was so bad,any turn he made no mater how hard it was, it would pop. Now it is very intermittent that's why I'm thinking something besides cvs. Iwould think once they start to pop they keep it up till they either go or are replaced.

Thanks eric. Do the sway bar pop or squeak? I just find it odd that the popping was so bad,any turn he made no mater how hard it was, it would pop. Now it is very intermittent that's why I'm thinking something besides cvs. Iwould think once they start to pop they keep it up till they either go or are replaced.

worn bushings will generaly just squeak, but could make a popping noise when extremly cold and rode hard. the first time i heard the load levler bring her rig in hard i thought it was the brakes. the bushings are a quick, easy, cheap fix and probabaly long overdue on a '93.

i had a popping noise when turning as well, turned out my transfer case was getting low on fluid

Well we are getting ready for the trip to Cincy.I just found the how to replace cv shafts in Auto Zone site. It states to use a hub press to push axle out of hub.Has anyone replaced their cv's? and do I need the press or can I use a brass hammer/punch to get them out.Thanks to all for all the input.

I used a square bar I had laying around...1X1X6 long, strong C-clamps and some old sockets the same diameter as the axle with the libral use of hammer on the bar center. Tighten the clamps on the bar holding the socket against the axle-hit the bar-retighten the clamps-hit the bar, you get the idea...
I loosened the hub bolts but didn't remove then completely until I had to, to finish sliding the hub off the axle.
Of course a borrowed tool designed for GM SUV hub pulling would be slicker and much faster.

Thanks Chris but I'm not sure how you positioned the c clamps- you put the socket against the axle, the bar across the socket and the c clamps pulling on the bar so as to push the axle through the hub, so one foot of the clamp is on the bar, where do you position the other foot of the clamp (and how large of a clamp?). The device shown in the how-to had three legs that attached on the wheel studs with a screw through the center thus pushing the axle. Dave

With the rotor removed, the "foot" of the c-clamps were positioned behind the hub wheel flange where they could get a good foothold. I used one 6" and one 8" C clamp(s).
Tell ya what Dave, since you're not at your own shop, I'd get the proper puller to save time and a finger or two.

Thanks Chris, thats probably what I'll do. I hope AZ has one to let me use cause I was going to buy the cv's there.

It might pay for them to accomodate your request...you know, one hand washes the other.

Auto Zone has "free rental" program for tools. You pay the full price for the tool up front and return it within 30 days for a full refund. Put it on the credit card and have them refund it to the card for no money out of your pocket.

Well we are here in Cincy. Checked the Bravada out, did the tight right and left turns while accelerating and no popping sound at all but when I did a hard accellerating when going straight I heard a clunk/pop under my feet only did it once could not get it to repeat. Could this be coming from the front diff? I noticed quite a bit off oil on the front diff haven't checked the fluid level yet and what type of fluid goes in there and in the transfer case? the book I have states 80w90 for the diff and dexII for the trans case Thanks for all the help guys

Might want to check the rear crossmember that the transmission mounts to. Where the crossmember attaches to the frame, there are two ruberized mounts. Very common problem, easy to replace. Available at most auto parts stores. They call it a torsion bar mount and usually runs under $20.00 per side.

Thanks old master. I was driving the bravada earlier today and can't seem to pinpoint what actually causes the noise, sometimes it will clunk/bang when making a left turn into a parking space,it did it once when pulling forward,slight left turn after backing out of a parking space. But it seems to be coming from forward of where you rest your feet on the front floorboard. Does this still sound like it could be these torsion mounts? We leave here on sunday and I wanted it fixed before we left. Thanks to all for all the help.

I would really urge you to pull the forward driveshaft and check the universals, factory ones had no provision for lubing them, I went nuts trying to idendify the same clunk you have before a mechanic found the rear universal on rear driveshaft was toast, driving with the window open gave absolutely no clue to its location......

Thanks old master. I was driving the bravada earlier today and can't seem to pinpoint what actually causes the noise, sometimes it will clunk/bang when making a left turn into a parking space,it did it once when pulling forward,slight left turn after backing out of a parking space. But it seems to be coming from forward of where you rest your feet on the front floorboard. Does this still sound like it could be these torsion mounts? We leave here on sunday and I wanted it fixed before we left. Thanks to all for all the help.

Sometimes it's very difficult to determine where a certain noise eminates from, but you just described the classic symptom of a worn torsion bar mount. To check them, grasp the crossmember, close to the frame, and see if there is play, up and down, (you may need to use a small pry bar). If there is excessive movement, they need replacement.

If the torsion bar mounts are ok, another thing to check would be the stabilizer bar mounts. First generation "T" body does not use end links but rather a solid rubber bushing mounted to the lower control arm on each side. Not very common that they go bad though. Hope this helps.

With the hood up, put the trans in drive, hold the brake and gradually apply the accelerator pedal and see if the drivers side of the motor rises more than 1/2" . If so then the drivers side motor mount is shot. Try the same thing again in reverse for the passenger side mount.
Now I'm going out onna limb here. I've cabled mine on more than one occasion & currently have a heavy radiator clamp holding the drivers side motor mount together on my 406 SBC 4spd. powered hot rod and enjoy reving it up and dumping the clutch.

Thanks for all the replies guys but I think the problem is in the front diff. I checked the motor mounts-ok- the front sway bar bushings are worn as are the torsion bar mounts but there not the problem either. I finally heard the sound, it mainly happens(and not all the time)when decellerating from a high speed and I can also make it happen by downshifting early,it sounds like gears that should be meshing but are slipping/jumping.. I pulled the front drive shaft and couldn't get it do make the sound anymore and found the front diff low on lube and leaking. I'm going to pull an axle today and check the cvs just to verify. I have a couple of questions- with the tranny in neutral,front drive shaft out and rear wheels on the ground should I be able to spin the front shaft yoke at the trans case? and can I remove both cv axles and front drive shaft and still drive the car without any problems?

"with the tranny in neutral,front drive shaft out and rear wheels on the ground should I be able to spin the front shaft yoke at the trans case? "

The cutaway pics of the transfer case layout looks like a planetary setup where 1 in and 2 outs make a solid drive and leaving any one of the three out make slippage...think of it as a standard rear differential with the input at the pinion(input)shaft and both axles as output. Your test will prove or disprove this theory. If there is any slippage, it'll be tough because of all the transfer case gear friction to get to the clutch hub slippage inside the transmission(neutral gear). Set your parking brake and scotch the wheels...be safe, we can't get any help from flat-daddy's.

Thanks Chris, I was wondering if there was a problem in the tcase but it sounds like its ok and do you know if I can drive the car with both cv axles and the front dshaft out? I'm running out of time on this trip and thought if I pulled those shafts it could wait till next time I'm here.

I don't know if it'll work or not....that would take one of the 3 parts out of the planetary. That's why I said your experiment would prove/disprove what I think I see in the cutaway.

Do not allow the vehicle's weight to load the front wheels, or attempt to operate the vehicle, when the drive axle(s) or hub nut(s) are removed. To do so may cause the front wheel bearing inner races to separate, resulting in damage to front brake and suspension components and/or personal injury .

Ok guys. I removed the front dshaft and drove it around a little while. Seemed to drive ok and no noise so it will stay this way till I can return and get into the front diff. Thanks to everyone for all the input. All have a safe and happy new year.

Thanks Rammer,
The front hubs contain sealed bearings as well as the tone ring for the ABS and support the CV shafts as well as the wheels and weight of the vehicle.
I'm not sure the rear differential is getting 100% of the power from the transmission or if it's split with the transfer case and only the friction from the viscous clutch is keeping it from basically freewheeling.
Let's hope the rear differential is solidly "connected" to the trans like a 2WD and the transfer case is pulling power off that connection.

I thought I had read in a previous post that someone had removed the front axles and dshaft because of a problem they were having but when I searched for it I couldn't find it, but I understand after looking at the front axles how I couldn't leave them out and drive the car. Hopefully with the dshaft out it will be ok till we get back there in a couple of months. Thanks again everyone for the help.

I have a 93 Olds Bravada with a bad & dry front differential. Is there anyway to add fluid and it be ok? I took it to a garage and they told me it was out of fluid, and I need a new front differential. I can do the work myself if someone tells me what I need to do.

I have a 93 Olds Bravada with a bad & dry front differential. Is there anyway to add fluid and it be ok? I took it to a garage and they told me it was out of fluid, and I need a new front differential. I can do the work myself if someone tells me what I need to do.


This thread has been dead for over a year. If you go the the Blazer problem diagnosis section and start a new thread there, (you can copy and paste your question from here) you'll have much better luck getting a response to your question. Thanks