Hi Guys,
New to the Bonneville forum! Just picked up a 2001 for my daily driver. The tranny was bad and so I had it rebuilt. I had noticed prior to tranny repair that it had a shake in the front end that started about 40MPH. I limped the car home and then had it towed to get the tranny rebuilt. The mechanic told me the shake might be because of the trans trouble. After the tranny was rebuilt, there was a little shake, but just like a tire out of balance. Took it to my regular mechanic and he replaced the tie rods, did an alignment, and checked everything over.
Well, I got the car back and no shake!! Drove it about 20 miles to his house and then home. So we go out to dinner last night and get the car up to 40MPH and start to feel a shake again!! It feels like it is on the right front, but really don't have steering wheel movement. So, I call my mechanic and tell him what happened. He thinks it is the transaxle.
I was thinking of doing this repair myself, because the mechanic wants $200 to do it and I can get the part from Autozone for $60.
Any suggestions/advice??
Thanks guys!!
Gary

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Gary
2001 Bonneville SLE 3.8
2000 Grand Am GT
1999 Sunfire 2.2
1994 Thunderbird 305k on orig motor!
1991 F350 CC
2001 Tahoe 5.3

The part you are referring to is the CV Axle. The transaxle is the transmission itself on this car, or at least that's what it's commonly called.

It's not too hard to put in, you'll need a 34 MM socket for your axle nut (can rent from AZ; impact is the best tool for that), a 13mm socket, extension and ratchet to get the wheel hub off, a decent prybar to get the axle out of the housing.

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Cool! Thanks for the info! About how long will it take for someone who has never done this? Also, do you think this is what is wrong? One more question, will an alignment need done afterwards?
Gary

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Gary
2001 Bonneville SLE 3.8
2000 Grand Am GT
1999 Sunfire 2.2
1994 Thunderbird 305k on orig motor!
1991 F350 CC
2001 Tahoe 5.3

I would say 2 hours, it really depends how rusty and stuck your parts are. It could be what's wrong, but I can't make any guarantees. No alignment is needed.

Also, I wouldn't get an axle from Auto Zone. If you have a NAPA nearby, that's who I would recommend.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Note that front-end shimmys are not uncommon on these cars, and are often difficult to eliminate completely. Many of us just learn to live with them, others go nuts replacing parts in a holy quest to slay the issue. Only some of the latter group are successful.

Some have had luck with RoadForce balancing their wheels. Others by replacing CV axles or tie rod ends, or by a combination of things.

Don't really have any specific advice, just wanted to throw out some general info and let you know that your car is not unusual in this way.

Ken_W

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2000 SSEi "Gypssei" - 206k miles - Light Bronzemist Metallic - stock
1999 Grand Am GT - 168k miles - Red - stock DEAD -- transmission died
2004 Pontiac Montana Ext 2WD - 207k miles - Blue Black Metallic - stock

It should come apart easily as the trans shop should have had all of this apart with the trans rebuild.

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2002 Bonneville SLE 128k miles aka "Frankenbonnie"
Intense PCM w/2004 improved trans shift points/180 fans-stat/+3deg timing advance/DTC inhibit
Transmission Cooler
Upcoming changes - Hi Flow Cat/Exhaust - Cold Air Kit

1993 GMC 'Burb aka "Zombie Assault Vehicle" 230k miles