Half-Shaft issue thread

[MountainBikeDude]

That is exactly what SC told me and the cause was in front drive unit gear.
I am talking only about the knocking issue when acc. decc.

I had the same, but it was actually fully resolved once the half shafts and hub assembly was replaced. No motor swap etc of any kind. At one point I had the front wheel off and rotating the rotor you could hear the knock and see the play in the drive line. Still, nothing internal on the motor was touched.

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[Jonger1150]

Jonger - Just a note on the temperature issue that you've noted...It's been unseasonably warm here (low 70s) and I have noticed a big increase in rattling/clattering from the front. It's a loose bucket of bolts. In the morning, after temps have dropped overnight into the mid 40s, the sound is much less. By the afternoon, it sound like the front end is going to fall apart.

To me, this must mean its lubricant and viscosity related.

Oh, it's related.

It's a shame they couldn't introduce a grease fitting into this.

 

[kyledmb]

Whatever the issue may be, Rivian needs to figure it out. This is my second R1T and the same issue is ruining the ownership experience. I'm giving my SC one shot to fix my issue and if they can't, I need to move on.

 

[shap]

Whatever the issue may be, Rivian needs to figure it out. This is my second R1T and the same issue is ruining the ownership experience. I'm giving my SC one shot to fix my issue and if they can't, I need to move on.

This is what they replaced on mine and fixed the problem (for now, 1 month running with it):

 

[shap]

As a side note, Rivian really has a serious problem with half shafts and dampers. Both of these parts are constantly being replaced, and as dampers, the price is astronomical (5k for front).

Mine were just replaced with V2 of dampers, I hope they will not leak (I do not off-road and roads are perfect where I live):

 

[Shaqdeez]

As a side note, Rivian really has a serious problem with half shafts and dumpers. Both of these parts are constantly being replaced, and as dumpers, the price is astronomical (5k for front).

Mine were just replaced with V2 of dumpers, I hope they will not leak (I do not off-road and roads are perfect where I live):

Dampers... I gave you a pass on the first one misspelled but then you did it 2 more times and THEN it's clearly spelled in the screen shot. Anyway...move on.

 

[shap]

Dampers... I gave you a pass on the first one misspelled but then you did it 2 more times and THEN it's clearly spelled in the screen shot. Anyway...move on.

Fixed it - autocorrect is a brutal thing

 

[kyledmb]

Fixed it - autocorrect is a brutal thing

Accurate. These dampers do often take dumpers.

 

[kyledmb]

I know this is long, but here is the context of my issues. I was going to give this to the Rivian tech. I often think they don't take the time to full understand the issue, and it results in problems persisting. Here we go...


The issues listed below started with around 800-1000 miles on the truck (on or about March 1, 2025). They range from intermittent to constant. At about 1850 miles, the OEM 22” Sport wheels were swapped with OEM 20” AT wheels in hopes that the increased side wall would help address ride harshness and steering shaking over uneven roads. This switch did not help. Both sets of wheels have been road force balanced and received values at or near 15lbs (Discount Tire). Tire pressure has been meticulously maintained at the Rivian recommended 48 cold PSI. The vehicle is kept clean and free of dirt and debris build up.

• Ride Harshness (intermittent). When encountering bumps or broken pavement at low speeds, the vehicle struggles to dampen the shock. It can be jarring and loud at times, and can make the suspension sound and feel loose (see Issue #3). Cycling through ride heights and ride feels (“exercising the suspension”) or resetting the vehicle computer seems to temporarily help this issue, but it always comes back after a day or two. This has been noticed diving over the same roads/bumps in the same suspension settings over a period of time.
• Vibration and shaking (constant). There is a constant vibration felt in the steering wheel, foot pedals, and even in the seat. This happens at all speeds, all ride settings, and all road types. On very smooth roads and <45mph, the vibration is less and the shaking more modulated. At higher speeds or uneven roads, the vibration is more intense and the shaking is more pronounced. There appears to be a rhythm to the shaking that corresponds with the speed of the vehicle. When going over bumps, the steering pulls and takes a good amount of driver input to keep the vehicle straight. This results in a loose and less confident driving experience. This issue was not present with <1000 miles on vehicle. The steering did not vibrate. The vehicle felt solid at all speeds and not dictated by the road surface.
• Front end suspension noise (intermittent). When driving over bumps, broken pavement, or into commercial entrances (dips from gutter-to-curb cuts) the front suspension makes a rattle or clatter sound like something is loose. This is specifically noticeable on the driver’s side wheel and only happens at speeds <30mph. The noise typically coincides with Issue #1 – Ride Harshness. When not experiencing ride harshness, this noise is not as noticeable. UPDATE: Recently have noticed that the rattling noise and loose/harsh ride is more prominent in warmer ambient temps (>70°F), as if the warmth is increasing the slop/play in some drivetrain component.

What do you all think might be my issue? Steering linkage? Halfshafts? Drive unit?

 

[CANCERDOC]

I know this is long, but here is the context of my issues. I was going to give this to the Rivian tech. I often think they don't take the time to full understand the issue, and it results in problems persisting. Here we go...


The issues listed below started with around 800-1000 miles on the truck (on or about March 1, 2025). They range from intermittent to constant. At about 1850 miles, the OEM 22” Sport wheels were swapped with OEM 20” AT wheels in hopes that the increased side wall would help address ride harshness and steering shaking over uneven roads. This switch did not help. Both sets of wheels have been road force balanced and received values at or near 15lbs (Discount Tire). Tire pressure has been meticulously maintained at the Rivian recommended 48 cold PSI. The vehicle is kept clean and free of dirt and debris build up.

• Ride Harshness (intermittent). When encountering bumps or broken pavement at low speeds, the vehicle struggles to dampen the shock. It can be jarring and loud at times, and can make the suspension sound and feel loose (see Issue #3). Cycling through ride heights and ride feels (“exercising the suspension”) or resetting the vehicle computer seems to temporarily help this issue, but it always comes back after a day or two. This has been noticed diving over the same roads/bumps in the same suspension settings over a period of time.
• Vibration and shaking (constant). There is a constant vibration felt in the steering wheel, foot pedals, and even in the seat. This happens at all speeds, all ride settings, and all road types. On very smooth roads and <45mph, the vibration is less and the shaking more modulated. At higher speeds or uneven roads, the vibration is more intense and the shaking is more pronounced. There appears to be a rhythm to the shaking that corresponds with the speed of the vehicle. When going over bumps, the steering pulls and takes a good amount of driver input to keep the vehicle straight. This results in a loose and less confident driving experience. This issue was not present with <1000 miles on vehicle. The steering did not vibrate. The vehicle felt solid at all speeds and not dictated by the road surface.
• Front end suspension noise (intermittent). When driving over bumps, broken pavement, or into commercial entrances (dips from gutter-to-curb cuts) the front suspension makes a rattle or clatter sound like something is loose. This is specifically noticeable on the driver’s side wheel and only happens at speeds <30mph. The noise typically coincides with Issue #1 – Ride Harshness. When not experiencing ride harshness, this noise is not as noticeable. UPDATE: Recently have noticed that the rattling noise and loose/harsh ride is more prominent in warmer ambient temps (>70°F), as if the warmth is increasing the slop/play in some drivetrain component.

What do you all think might be my issue? Steering linkage? Halfshafts? Drive unit?

This is a situation where you really need to take it to a service center and take the tech for a ride to demonstrate the vibration and harshness. Rivian switched to an AI tool to schedule appts and it is limited in descriptions of problems.

 

[kyledmb]

This is a situation where you really need to take it to a service center and take the tech for a ride to demonstrate the vibration and harshness. Rivian switched to an AI tool to schedule appts and it is limited in descriptions of problems.

Definitely. But I'm also a bit worried because of the hellish 19 month experience with my Gen1 Quad with similar issues. They didn't listen, threw parts at it and gave it back to me saying its fixed. It was never fixed. Its like they spend zero time actually diagnosing and communicating what the problem is. This can't be a sustainable service model for Rivian.

Also agree with the AI tool being limited. It's annoying, too.

 

[shap]

I know this is long, but here is the context of my issues. I was going to give this to the Rivian tech. I often think they don't take the time to full understand the issue, and it results in problems persisting. Here we go...


The issues listed below started with around 800-1000 miles on the truck (on or about March 1, 2025). They range from intermittent to constant. At about 1850 miles, the OEM 22” Sport wheels were swapped with OEM 20” AT wheels in hopes that the increased side wall would help address ride harshness and steering shaking over uneven roads. This switch did not help. Both sets of wheels have been road force balanced and received values at or near 15lbs (Discount Tire). Tire pressure has been meticulously maintained at the Rivian recommended 48 cold PSI. The vehicle is kept clean and free of dirt and debris build up.

• Ride Harshness (intermittent). When encountering bumps or broken pavement at low speeds, the vehicle struggles to dampen the shock. It can be jarring and loud at times, and can make the suspension sound and feel loose (see Issue #3). Cycling through ride heights and ride feels (“exercising the suspension”) or resetting the vehicle computer seems to temporarily help this issue, but it always comes back after a day or two. This has been noticed diving over the same roads/bumps in the same suspension settings over a period of time.
• Vibration and shaking (constant). There is a constant vibration felt in the steering wheel, foot pedals, and even in the seat. This happens at all speeds, all ride settings, and all road types. On very smooth roads and <45mph, the vibration is less and the shaking more modulated. At higher speeds or uneven roads, the vibration is more intense and the shaking is more pronounced. There appears to be a rhythm to the shaking that corresponds with the speed of the vehicle. When going over bumps, the steering pulls and takes a good amount of driver input to keep the vehicle straight. This results in a loose and less confident driving experience. This issue was not present with <1000 miles on vehicle. The steering did not vibrate. The vehicle felt solid at all speeds and not dictated by the road surface.
• Front end suspension noise (intermittent). When driving over bumps, broken pavement, or into commercial entrances (dips from gutter-to-curb cuts) the front suspension makes a rattle or clatter sound like something is loose. This is specifically noticeable on the driver’s side wheel and only happens at speeds <30mph. The noise typically coincides with Issue #1 – Ride Harshness. When not experiencing ride harshness, this noise is not as noticeable. UPDATE: Recently have noticed that the rattling noise and loose/harsh ride is more prominent in warmer ambient temps (>70°F), as if the warmth is increasing the slop/play in some drivetrain component.

What do you all think might be my issue? Steering linkage? Halfshafts? Drive unit?

Look, Rivian notorious for having very different problems with the same symptoms. So it is difficult to say what yours issues are.

1. Suspension firmness and clunking noises ... I afraid to say but most of them are normal. Unless you have a real specific noise that you can present here - it is difficult to analyze. Some people (aka me) will hear every clunk. Some (most of the drivers) will barely hear this. No solution exist - I had my front suspension replaced and nothing changed.

2. Vibrations on steering wheel - almost all Rivian have it and it is coming from wheels. Road balance help in 99% of the cases. 1% is when you have a defect tires or rims. I changed my wheels from 21" to aftermarket 20" and vibrations almost entirely gone (I do not see them below 85mph). I did have vibrations when I had 21". This is probably due to steering rack design. They do have a more heavy steering wheel that they may replace yours with. It can help to remediate the problem.

I hope it helps.

I think having 100k car the expectation is to have it perfect. My BMW X5 45e like this. It is very close to be perfect. Rivian is not there yet. They have long way to go, but they got a good truck overall.

My major concern with Rivian is having it after warranty (nobody knows the cost of after warranty repairs and you locked to Rivian SC).

As a side note, no car is perfect. In other thread I complained for a long time about phantom drain. I got used to my BMW loosing ...0% in 3 weeks. But recently I used Model Y and it also has a significant phantom drain. And with sentry mode expect 7% loss per day. With our gear gard you maybe lose 2-3% per 24 hours...

 

[kyledmb]

Look, Rivian notorious for having very different problems with the same symptoms. So it is difficult to say what yours issues are.

1. Suspension firmness and clunking noises ... I afraid to say but most of them are normal. Unless you have a real specific noise that you can present here - it is difficult to analyze. Some people (aka me) will hear every clunk. Some (most of the drivers) will barely hear this. No solution exist - I had my front suspension replaced and nothing changed.

2. Vibrations on steering wheel - almost all Rivian have it and it is coming from wheels. Road balance help in 99% of the cases. 1% is when you have a defect tires or rims. I changed my wheels from 21" to aftermarket 20" and vibrations almost entirely gone (I do not see them below 85mph). I did have vibrations when I had 21". This is probably due to steering rack design. They do have a more heavy steering wheel that they may replace yours with. It can help to remediate the problem.

I hope it helps.

I think having 100k car the expectation is to have it perfect. My BMW X5 45e like this. It is very close to be perfect. Rivian is not there yet. They have long way to go, but they got a good truck overall.

My major concern with Rivian is having it after warranty (nobody knows the cost of after warranty repairs and you locked to Rivian SC).

As a side note, no car is perfect. In other thread I complained for a long time about phantom drain. I got used to my BMW loosing ...0% in 3 weeks. But recently I used Model Y and it also has a significant phantom drain. And with sentry mode expect 7% loss per day. With our gear gard you maybe lose 2-3% per 24 hours...

I understand what you are saying. I think my issue is that I am not comparing my truck to perfection. I have documented a rapid deterioration in overall ride quality. I have 2500 miles on my truck and if you only judged by ride quality, it is unrecognizable to this truck in its first 1000 miles.

I get that if I picked up my truck from the SC on day 1 and it had vibration and shaking, and made some suspension noise, and was sloppy with bad steering controls, it may just be the way these trucks are. But my truck was solid, with a nice weighted steering feel. It handled imperfections almost as if you were riding on air suspension. There was no rattling suspension.

That's what kills me. I know what my truck was like just 2 months ago, and this ain't it.

 

[Jonger1150]

Look, Rivian notorious for having very different problems with the same symptoms. So it is difficult to say what yours issues are.

1. Suspension firmness and clunking noises ... I afraid to say but most of them are normal. Unless you have a real specific noise that you can present here - it is difficult to analyze. Some people (aka me) will hear every clunk. Some (most of the drivers) will barely hear this. No solution exist - I had my front suspension replaced and nothing changed.

2. Vibrations on steering wheel - almost all Rivian have it and it is coming from wheels. Road balance help in 99% of the cases. 1% is when you have a defect tires or rims. I changed my wheels from 21" to aftermarket 20" and vibrations almost entirely gone (I do not see them below 85mph). I did have vibrations when I had 21". This is probably due to steering rack design. They do have a more heavy steering wheel that they may replace yours with. It can help to remediate the problem.

I hope it helps.

I think having 100k car the expectation is to have it perfect. My BMW X5 45e like this. It is very close to be perfect. Rivian is not there yet. They have long way to go, but they got a good truck overall.

My major concern with Rivian is having it after warranty (nobody knows the cost of after warranty repairs and you locked to Rivian SC).

As a side note, no car is perfect. In other thread I complained for a long time about phantom drain. I got used to my BMW loosing ...0% in 3 weeks. But recently I used Model Y and it also has a significant phantom drain. And with sentry mode expect 7% loss per day. With our gear gard you maybe lose 2-3% per 24 hours...

It's a very ambitious suspension for a new vehicle. If the adjustable travel was 3 inches or less (like most air suspension premium rides) we likely wouldn't need the splines in the half-shaft, which would eliminate the chatter. We also wouldn't have the standard height vibration that develops over time. The inclusion of the half-shaft and 7 inches of adjustable suspension was a tall order for a new vehicle.

Rivian will learn from all of these issues and pivot to more reliable parts that require less maintenance. I'm sure they stole ideas from other companies, but it's not like there is a long roster of companies installing OEM suspensions like this to reverse engineer from.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

I know this is long, but here is the context of my issues. I was going to give this to the Rivian tech. I often think they don't take the time to full understand the issue, and it results in problems persisting. Here we go...


The issues listed below started with around 800-1000 miles on the truck (on or about March 1, 2025). They range from intermittent to constant. At about 1850 miles, the OEM 22” Sport wheels were swapped with OEM 20” AT wheels in hopes that the increased side wall would help address ride harshness and steering shaking over uneven roads. This switch did not help. Both sets of wheels have been road force balanced and received values at or near 15lbs (Discount Tire). Tire pressure has been meticulously maintained at the Rivian recommended 48 cold PSI. The vehicle is kept clean and free of dirt and debris build up.

• Ride Harshness (intermittent). When encountering bumps or broken pavement at low speeds, the vehicle struggles to dampen the shock. It can be jarring and loud at times, and can make the suspension sound and feel loose (see Issue #3). Cycling through ride heights and ride feels (“exercising the suspension”) or resetting the vehicle computer seems to temporarily help this issue, but it always comes back after a day or two. This has been noticed diving over the same roads/bumps in the same suspension settings over a period of time.
• Vibration and shaking (constant). There is a constant vibration felt in the steering wheel, foot pedals, and even in the seat. This happens at all speeds, all ride settings, and all road types. On very smooth roads and <45mph, the vibration is less and the shaking more modulated. At higher speeds or uneven roads, the vibration is more intense and the shaking is more pronounced. There appears to be a rhythm to the shaking that corresponds with the speed of the vehicle. When going over bumps, the steering pulls and takes a good amount of driver input to keep the vehicle straight. This results in a loose and less confident driving experience. This issue was not present with <1000 miles on vehicle. The steering did not vibrate. The vehicle felt solid at all speeds and not dictated by the road surface.
• Front end suspension noise (intermittent). When driving over bumps, broken pavement, or into commercial entrances (dips from gutter-to-curb cuts) the front suspension makes a rattle or clatter sound like something is loose. This is specifically noticeable on the driver’s side wheel and only happens at speeds <30mph. The noise typically coincides with Issue #1 – Ride Harshness. When not experiencing ride harshness, this noise is not as noticeable. UPDATE: Recently have noticed that the rattling noise and loose/harsh ride is more prominent in warmer ambient temps (>70°F), as if the warmth is increasing the slop/play in some drivetrain component.

What do you all think might be my issue? Steering linkage? Halfshafts? Drive unit?

I wonder if this is just the case of a singular, bad damper in the front corner of your vehicle? If you have one that's functioning as intended, but the other is say running in a more firm, or loose profile it could be the cause of the vibration issues (assuming the alignment is good). I had an issue in November where as I would drive over a bridge expansion joint, you could hear the front passenger corner wasn't right, but also the truck would immediately pull to that side as the vehicle was settling, not so much that it would overpower the driver, but enough that it would jerk you around on the rebound.

It continued to operate like that, but with no on screen errors etc for a little over a month. It wasn't until I was driving in Highest suspension through the snow, that it finally lit my dash up and limited performance etc. Fortunately after a couple reboots, I got it out of Rock crawl mode and down into Rally High. My turtle mode speed increased to 86? kph but you could tell all the dampers were wide open. At that speed on a winding highway, it's... interesting.

End result was a blown damper on the front passenger side, which was replaced along with a leaky rear damper line, front half shaft, and hub assembly due to corrosion. Vehicle was honestly better than new by the end of this repair. It finally eliminated the front end "rattle" and accel/regen tocking.

Nearly 4 months later, and no signs yet of any of it returning. Of note, they swapped the front damper for a Firestone supplied V2 damper. It is nice that some if not all the Gen 2 parts are able to be cross applied to Gen 1 repairs.

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