Half-Shaft issue thread

[Captblue]

this is all they need to grease the half shaft. Normal vehicles have this 5 cent part. I guess they figured is a $ maker once out of warranty.

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[Ceejay]

I have the infamous low speed scraping sound and a service center visit coming up. Rivian actually identified it on a test drive after replacing the 12V battery. I never noticed it. Yesterday when driving along side a building I could hear the echo from it and recorded it for the SC.

Most likely it's the half-shaft wore through the lubrication. (My Guess).

Gonna need a retro redesign for these half-shafts. That ball bearing design is pretty cool -- but the lack of a grease fitting is what's leading to all the problems. Not sure if half-shafts typically have that -- but we need it.

Reading your description of the sound makes me wonder if that is what I have. A couple of weeks ago I started to hear what I thought might be a little rock caught in the brake or something; could only hear it when driving slowly beside a building or barrier.
Could you please send me audio of your sound?

 

[Jonger1150]

Reading your description of the sound makes me wonder if that is what I have. A couple of weeks ago I started to hear what I thought might be a little rock caught in the brake or something; could only hear it when driving slowly beside a building or barrier.
Could you please send me audio of your sound?

95% likely it's the half-shaft.

 

[Jonger1150]

So the warranty on this part is 50,000 or 4 years.

So after mile 50,000 hits -- I see these are available on eBay for around $500 each. I wonder if any brave shop would be willing to replace these if we supply the part.

I'm not spending $4000 every 15,000 miles. My biggest concern is not the slight noise they create when worn out -- it's the high torque vibration when in any height at or above all-purpose.

 

[Noplacelikeloam]

This is the reason I will sell this truck a few months before warranty. This is the reputational storm coming to the brand in a couple of years. They have to fix this.

 

[Gandy14]

I have the infamous low speed scraping sound and a service center visit coming up. Rivian actually identified it on a test drive after replacing the 12V battery. I never noticed it. Yesterday when driving along side a building I could hear the echo from it and recorded it for the SC.

Most likely it's the half-shaft wore through the lubrication. (My Guess).

Gonna need a retro redesign for these half-shafts. That ball bearing design is pretty cool -- but the lack of a grease fitting is what's leading to all the problems. Not sure if half-shafts typically have that -- but we need it.

That was how I first noticed the "CLICKING" with my windows down and in a drive thru where the sound bounced off the building's. DM R1T last week had the Ting Washer's done after Mobile Service determined the issue and it did nothing. Sucks that I need to go back and I feel its not cool that I have to be firm with them next time to FIX the issue

 

[DaveA]

So, Rivian replaced my half-shafts, but really no change in the way they sound, tbh. A little less clicking maybe. The bigger concern is that I took it in for that and replacing the windshield, and when I got it back it now pulls hard to the left and steering wheel wobbles left to right at slow speed and ride is now wobbly. They now want to charge me for the alignment, etc, to the tune of $675. Very annoyed.

 

[Gandy14]

Thanks for the update. I’m back in 10 days after the Ting Washers didn’t take from 10 days ago at service. Talked to them yesterday and said I will just leave it with you until it’s fixed. One owner said he got all the usual done (hub, half shaft, washers) but the Gen 2 Subframe seems to have helped the most. A year in and happy so I mentioned that to the service center.

 

[DaveA]

Thanks for the update. I’m back in 10 days after the Ting Washers didn’t take from 10 days ago at service. Talked to them yesterday and said I will just leave it with you until it’s fixed. One owner said he got all the usual done (hub, half shaft, washers) but the Gen 2 Subframe seems to have helped the most. A year in and happy so I mentioned that to the service center.

They said my sub frame welds were fine...charged $290 for the full inspection. LOL. Was $200 a while back. Slowly scraping back the pre price hike discount us early adopters got.

 

[SeaGeo]

This is the reason I will sell this truck a few months before warranty. This is the reputational storm coming to the brand in a couple of years. They have to fix this.

FWIW, I don't believe these issues are present for the vehicles with the Rivian made motors. It's very common (I suspect present in every) on the gen1 quad vehicles, but I haven't really heard of it, or experienced it, on the dual motor builds or the tri motor vehicles.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

Thanks for the update. I’m back in 10 days after the Ting Washers didn’t take from 10 days ago at service. Talked to them yesterday and said I will just leave it with you until it’s fixed. One owner said he got all the usual done (hub, half shaft, washers) but the Gen 2 Subframe seems to have helped the most. A year in and happy so I mentioned that to the service center.

Welded OG Gen 1 Sub frame to Gen 2 cast retrofit
I had the Gen 2 sub frame put in around this time last year, and the vehicle felt perceivably more stable after. My issue was it would click/ting when the rack was turned hard to one side and maneuvering at low speed over driveway let downs.

They went through a couple of other potential causes before finally landing on the front subframe and a broken weld. but all of those were done on the singular service visit. took I think 2-4 days total. That completely went away and hasn't returned.

Half Shaft
It was when I got the half shaft, wheel hub assembly, and somewhat unrelated front right damper replaced in January that it completely eliminated the play I would experience between accel/regen at low speeds. The vehicle felt so tight and precise in the transition between both especially from a stop that I was just in awe of how good the vehicle felt. Unfortunately, it's been slowly returning now. Gradually around 5-6 months, and has become more perceptible since. Not as bad as it had become prior, but I can tell it will eventually.

I am curious if somehow it was only localized to the passenger side before, and when that was replaced the problem went away. I wonder if it's now the drivers side that's exhibiting the same issue (2.5 years on) and if once that is replaced, it will eliminate the problem all together, or just band aid it for another year or so until the passenger side goes again?

There has been chatter both here, on Reddit and in some Rivian centric YouTube videos, that Rivian is working to find a more permanent solution. I hope that's true, because it really detracts from the driving experience, especially in urban settings where stop and go traffic is more prominent.

 

[Gandy14]

FWIW, I don't believe these issues are present for the vehicles with the Rivian made motors. It's very common (I suspect present in every) on the gen1 quad vehicles, but I haven't really heard of it, or experienced it, on the dual motor builds or the tri motor vehicles.

Mine is 2023 DM R1T with these issues

 

[NitroNick]

My 2024 R1T DM just had half shafts and ting washers replaced. Slowly just got a new metal on metal click when steering reaches a certain angle...

 

[Noplacelikeloam]

So the warranty on this part is 50,000 or 4 years.

So after mile 50,000 hits -- I see these are available on eBay for around $500 each. I wonder if any brave shop would be willing to replace these if we supply the part.

I'm not spending $4000 every 15,000 miles. My biggest concern is not the slight noise they create when worn out -- it's the high torque vibration when in any height at or above all-purpose.

So in 2026 there will be a flood of used 2022 Rivians flooding the market. ;-)

 

[Jonger1150]

Half Shaft
It was when I got the half shaft, wheel hub assembly, and somewhat unrelated front right damper replaced in January that it completely eliminated the play I would experience between accel/regen at low speeds. The vehicle felt so tight and precise in the transition between both especially from a stop that I was just in awe of how good the vehicle felt. Unfortunately, it's been slowly returning now. Gradually around 5-6 months, and has become more perceptible since. Not as bad as it had become prior, but I can tell it will eventually.

I am curious if somehow it was only localized to the passenger side before, and when that was replaced the problem went away. I wonder if it's now the drivers side that's exhibiting the same issue (2.5 years on) and if once that is replaced, it will eliminate the problem all together, or just band aid it for another year or so until the passenger side goes again?

There has been chatter both here, on Reddit and in some Rivian centric YouTube videos, that Rivian is working to find a more permanent solution. I hope that's true, because it really detracts from the driving experience, especially in urban settings where stop and go traffic is more prominent.

The half-shafts need the ability to inject grease into them. Ideally a new design entirely.

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