GothicSunrader Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 I have a 1984 Nissan Sunrader in a 720 pickup (2.4). It's in pretty good shaped overall. Owned it 2 years. One problem that I struggle with, is that when I start out in first gear or even second gear it shutters and I have to really play with the clutch and the gas to get the shutter to go away, while slowly increasing my speed. Once the shudder goes away I can continue on to 2nd 3rd and 4th gear no problems. It doesn't always shudder. But it does enough to be annoying and it certainly need it to be fixed. It seems like a problem I can live with as well and I have for the last at least a year and a half as other problems have taken priority. Would someone please let me know what they think is the root cause of the this shudder. To me it seems like it's got to be somewhere in the clutch or drivetrain. Feels like something wobbling until it stops wobbling, so to speak 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicSunrader Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 (edited) Oops, typos above. Every "shutter" is supposed to say SHUDDER, as in vibrates or shakes. Edited February 23, 2020 by GothicSunrader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 6 minutes ago, GothicSunrader said: I have a 1984 Nissan Sunrader in a 720 pickup (2.4). It's in pretty good shaped overall. Owned it 2 years. One problem that I struggle with, is that when I start out in first gear or even second gear it shutters and I have to really play with the clutch and the gas to get the shutter to go away, while slowly increasing my speed. Once the shudder goes away I can continue on to 2nd 3rd and 4th gear no problems. It doesn't always shudder. But it does enough to be annoying and it certainly need it to be fixed. It seems like a problem I can live with as well and I have for the last at least a year and a half as other problems have taken priority. Would someone please let me know what they think is the root cause of the this shudder. To me it seems like it's got to be somewhere in the clutch or drivetrain. Feels like something wobbling until it stops wobbling, so to speak 🙂 Your clutch disc may be uneven or some oil or fluid has contaminated the disc. The only way to find out is to check it. It’s a PITA, but maybe a good excuse for a clutch change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicSunrader Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 The shaking is pretty violent until I get rolling up about 20 mph. Also problem is intermittent. Not sure if that helps in the diagnosis but that's what it does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Two things engine mounts and U joints. I would have a look at the U Joints first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicSunrader Posted February 24, 2020 Author Share Posted February 24, 2020 I crawled under and looked at the u joints. One of the three, the middle one definitely had some movement in it when wrenched on. Seems like that could be my culprit. Thank you to all who responded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 A bad U Joint may not have any play they can lose all of the lub and rust then lockup. Remove the entire shaft and check each one for play or binding. It would be a good ideal to check the carrier bearing and it's rubber mount too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicSunrader Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Maineah said: A bad U Joint may not have any play they can lose all of the lub and rust then lockup. Remove the entire shaft and check each one for play or binding. It would be a good ideal to check the carrier bearing and it's rubber mount too. Yes, thank you for these tidbits. My carrier bearing and especially the rubber mount look shot. I'll replace them too when I get the drive shaft off. Question: will the carrier bearing and rubber mount be the one that pulls up at RockAuto for a 1984 Nissan 720 2.4 (RWD). I've run into problems before ordering online for my Sunrader where the part my Sunrader has is not the same as the one listed for the stock 720 Nissan mini truck (eg, fuel pump). Here's what I find. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/nissan,1984,720+pickup,2.4l+l4,1210329,drivetrain,drive+shaft+center+support,12743 Not sure why it says the I.D. is 1.18". It is certainly bigger than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 1 hour ago, GothicSunrader said: Question: will the carrier bearing and rubber mount be the one that pulls up at RockAuto for a 1984 Nissan 720 2.4 (RWD). I've run into problems before ordering online for my Sunrader where the part my Sunrader has is not the same as the one listed for the stock 720 Nissan mini truck (eg, fuel pump). I guess, ideally, you'd find a supplier site that can use your VIN to find the correct parts. They exist for Toyotas and I assume also for Datsun/Nissan. Even if it only give you a Part Number, you can probably x-refence to Aftermarket parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Try NAPA (I haven't). You can select vehicle by VIN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicSunrader Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 Thx. Did as you advised. On Napa, inputting VIN, it shows a driveshaft for 110" wheelbase truck that is 66" long. My 21' rig is 142" wheelbase and driveshaft roughly measured 104". Am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Ah. The LWB truck would have had a 110" WB and would be used to build an 18' 'Shortie'. It would have been Sunrader that cut & stretched the frame & driveshaft for a 21 footer. Sorry, I've no idea what Sunrader might have done for a driveshaft. Linda S is the resident Nissan Expert. Perhaps she'll have an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 The U joints are probably the same as a Toyota (3/4") but I couldn't tell you about the carrier bearing. I would bet it's the same as the pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 I'm sure that however it was lengthened, Sunrader used as much of the original as possible to keep costs down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 Supplier site with part numbers for Nissan. https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/ Funny I never really thought much about how these manufacturers stretched the drive shaft. Plenty of people here must have worked on them at one time. Wonder if anyone has identified what extra parts were added. They would have used the same procedure for a Nissan. All of them who made motorhomes before 1986 had to because they didn't have an extra long wheel base. Sunrader never made any full sized Nissan Sunraders after 86. Only a very few V6 shorties. Other manufacturers did though. There are a few Odyssey's and a Nova Star that I know of and a couple of Four Seasons. Nissan never made an extra long chassis so they all would have to have been altered. No Nissan duallies after 1988 too. I'm no expert, I just remember weird stuff. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 Changing drive shaft length is old school stuff. For Toys the front shaft is stock from the transmission to the center bearing. The mfg stretched the rear shaft the same as the frame stretch. Just cut the shaft at the u joint flanges. Place them in a jig and weld in a new longer tube. Afterwards you have to re-balance the drive shaft If your company made enough MHs then you would just order finished shafts from a job shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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