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Half-Shaft issue thread

lslick23

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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.
I have a Gen 1 dual motor and had the half shaft issue.
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Jonger1150

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I have a Gen 1 dual motor and had the half shaft issue.
Yup, they're good for 20,000 miles or less before the internal grinding noises and vibration under heavy torque.
 

HaveBlue

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They just need to be buying shafts from any supplier for the decades of cars on the road that don't have this issue. Start with Toyota...

The issue is where the CV enters the spindle upright and they rub on each other. Next tire rotation I'm going to have a good look because taking it to rivian isn't a fix. I can spray in the right spot and make the sound super horrendous lol.

I was fixing the convertible top on our BMW this weekend. More badly engineered parts with plastic gear boxes in this case.
 
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Jonger1150

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They just need to be buying shafts from any supplier for the decades of cars on the road that don't have this issue. Start with Toyota...

The issue is where the CV enters the spindle upright and they rub on each other. Next tire rotation I'm going to have a good look because taking it to rivian isn't a fix. I can spray in the right spot and make the sound super horrendous lol.

I was fixing the convertible top on our BMW this weekend. More badly engineered parts with plastic gear boxes in this case.
Has Toyota ever used half-shafts that have ball bearing splines that slide in a housing?
 

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Just a note for those getting a half shaft replaced, don’t let them do it without replacing the hub/bearing. Old hubs will be worn down and won’t mate correctly with a brand new HS, especially if you get an updated part. You’ll notice a periodic knocking on slow speed turns as the wheel rotates under torque. A new hub/bearing will mate much better than the old one that was probably being machined by the half shaft play.

I also recommend everyone who has this issue to report it to NHTSA. While we haven’t heard of one yet, a fully broken half shaft is a major safety issue.
 

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what's crazy, is just how dialed in the drivetrain feels after that work is done.
This has been my experience. New half shafts, hubs, dampers, gen2 subframe, jounce lines, and air compressor. Truck feels fantastic. I hope this lasts.
 

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This has been my experience. New half shafts, hubs, dampers, gen2 subframe, jounce lines, and air compressor. Truck feels fantastic. I hope this lasts.
mine goes into service in a week and I'm leaving it with them until they get it done right. What city did the gen 2 subframe get installed? I mentioned it to service and they had never heard of that yet
 

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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.
I'll try to remember to let you know in a few weeks when my vehicle goes in for power tonneau and check if the noises I hear when driving beside walls etc... I'm in a 2024 dual motor
 

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I'll try to remember to let you know in a few weeks when my vehicle goes in for power tonneau and check if the noises I hear when driving beside walls etc... I'm in a 2024 dual motor
Do you have continuous clicking?
 
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HaveBlue

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Has Toyota ever used half-shafts that have ball bearing splines that slide in a housing?
Toyota uses a tulip joint (2) on the inner That's what Toyota uses to manage the length.
Rivian R1T R1S Half-Shaft issue thread 1000038096


Rivian uses double CV and that interesting mess of ball bearings but the noise appears to be at the outer CV and spindle where the abs sensor is. Both appear to use a circlip to retain them in the differential.

Rivian R1T R1S Half-Shaft issue thread Screenshot_20250907_085350_Opera


Maybe the little balls are binding and hammering the spindle.
 
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HaveBlue

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This has been my experience. New half shafts, hubs, dampers, gen2 subframe, jounce lines, and air compressor. Truck feels fantastic. I hope this lasts.
If you do a full send(s) in sport mode, the tocking will come back. I doubt they will break on the street but off road all bets are off based on Toyotas and jeeps breaking them under the same torque values. Rivians torque numbers sound impressive but an ice motor with a transmission and transfer case that multiplies the torque is about the same when crawling.
 
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Jonger1150

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Toyota uses a tulip joint (2) on the inner That's what Toyota uses to manage the length.
1000038096.webp


Rivian uses double CV and that interesting mess of ball bearings but the noise appears to be at the outer CV and spindle where the abs sensor is. Both appear to use a circlip to retain them in the differential.

Screenshot_20250907_085350_Opera.webp


Maybe the little balls are binding and hammering the spindle.
Does the Toyota half-shaft have multiple inches of extended articulation? The half-shaft on a vehicle with 7 inches of adjustable height needs a half-shaft that can have variable lengths on the fly.

Something will get figured out. I'm surprised another supplier hasn't come through yet. To my knowledge they have never changed part numbers on this.

I think the fix is a design with a grease fitting that allows for regular regreasing. I think the grease thins and the spline gets worn out.
 
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HaveBlue

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Does the Toyota half-shaft have multiple inches of extended articulation? The half-shaft on a vehicle with 7 inches of adjustable height needs a half-shaft that can have variable lengths on the fly.

Something will get figured out. I'm surprised another supplier hasn't come through yet. To my knowledge they have never changed part numbers on this.

I think the fix is a design with a grease fitting that allows for regular regreasing. I think the grease thins out and the spline gets worn out.
It's more of an angular issue than extension. Off-road suspensions can handle 11" of travel. The limit becomes the ball joints and the angle of the CV.

Rivian R1T R1S Half-Shaft issue thread 126-2610_IMG


I agree something isn't getting lubed on the rivian.
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