Replacement Vertex Center Driveshaft Support Bearing Bushing [PICS] [VIDEO]
#76
10-30-2014, 11:02 PM
I installed the replacement driveshaft I purchased from Colorado Drive shaft. It's a rebuilt driveshaft with the latest version OEM bearing. It was $400 after the exchange. Car drives super smooth without any issues. If I get another 100K miles out of this one, I'll be happy..
#77
10-31-2014, 11:29 PM
Thanks for the tip. Shaft just went out yesterday. Had the tube and zip lying around. Can't believe it worked. Time will tell how it will hold up.
I ordered the Driveshafts.com Carbon Fiber, one-piece unit. However, it won't be here for another 13 days. My mechanic Jimi and I was wondering what to do for my daily driver 955, in the meantime. After extensively researching the known repeated failures of the OEM Porsche center support bearing, we decided to conduct a little "experiment."
Jimi has a strong motorsports background and is great with improvising fixes on-the-fly. He was part of Ivan Stewart's Baja 500 Pit crew, during their successful 1997 season. Intending to do this "experiment" as cheaply as possible, until my carbon shaft arrives - Jimi noticed the thin, 2mm rubber membrane of the stock part was always prone to fail, given the weight of the car, the elements exposed to and torque generated....a grossly under-engineered part. He proposed to insert eight 3/8" thick Kevlar-reinforced, coolant hose pieces, cut in 1.5" slices. The hose slices were to make up for the torn rubber of the existing stock center support bearing assembly. Once the old rubber was trimmed out - Jimi carefully inserted the hose slices in a circular fashion. He stated the eight pieces will effectively center the Cardan Shaft, and keep it there. He then zip-tied each slice together, in series. Finally, he wrapped more zip ties, looping around the entire circumference of the support carrier shell. The end result looks like Cheerios circling the entire bearing support:
Jimi was able to perform this operation in 20 minutes. The total cost, including zip ties is about $12. Now came the shakedown test. We went on a 900-mile drive, from Southern CA to Northern CA Wine Country, and back. During the entire trip, there were zero vibrations present. I first thought Jimi's fix would make the center support too stiff, sending some NVH into the cabin. Nope. The P!G even did several hard 120mph pulls, on the long stretches of Interstate 5. There was nothing. The only vibrations present was from the slight steering shimmy of the worn Michelin Latitude Diamaris tires, we previously were well aware of. I was amazed at how well this performed. Jimi kept emphasizing the eight circular hose pieces create a far more robust solution, offering 5x+ the support rubber over the stock center supports. He further stated the extra length of the hose slices even facilitates the fore/aft "float" of the Cardan Shaft. This man thinks everything out! Before embarking on our test cruise - we had all four wheels lifted up and spun all wheels at a constant 3500rpm, and the shaft was dead steady. He even went on to say if two or three pieces were to suddenly come off, or even collapse...the part would still work. As a precaution - he told me at the first sign of vibration - simply pull over and tow back home, for inspection. It certainly is NOT pretty....but everything gets obscured by the carrier base cross-member.
I'm anxious to see how long this fix can work. So far so good.....STAY TUNED!!!
Jimi has a strong motorsports background and is great with improvising fixes on-the-fly. He was part of Ivan Stewart's Baja 500 Pit crew, during their successful 1997 season. Intending to do this "experiment" as cheaply as possible, until my carbon shaft arrives - Jimi noticed the thin, 2mm rubber membrane of the stock part was always prone to fail, given the weight of the car, the elements exposed to and torque generated....a grossly under-engineered part. He proposed to insert eight 3/8" thick Kevlar-reinforced, coolant hose pieces, cut in 1.5" slices. The hose slices were to make up for the torn rubber of the existing stock center support bearing assembly. Once the old rubber was trimmed out - Jimi carefully inserted the hose slices in a circular fashion. He stated the eight pieces will effectively center the Cardan Shaft, and keep it there. He then zip-tied each slice together, in series. Finally, he wrapped more zip ties, looping around the entire circumference of the support carrier shell. The end result looks like Cheerios circling the entire bearing support:
Jimi was able to perform this operation in 20 minutes. The total cost, including zip ties is about $12. Now came the shakedown test. We went on a 900-mile drive, from Southern CA to Northern CA Wine Country, and back. During the entire trip, there were zero vibrations present. I first thought Jimi's fix would make the center support too stiff, sending some NVH into the cabin. Nope. The P!G even did several hard 120mph pulls, on the long stretches of Interstate 5. There was nothing. The only vibrations present was from the slight steering shimmy of the worn Michelin Latitude Diamaris tires, we previously were well aware of. I was amazed at how well this performed. Jimi kept emphasizing the eight circular hose pieces create a far more robust solution, offering 5x+ the support rubber over the stock center supports. He further stated the extra length of the hose slices even facilitates the fore/aft "float" of the Cardan Shaft. This man thinks everything out! Before embarking on our test cruise - we had all four wheels lifted up and spun all wheels at a constant 3500rpm, and the shaft was dead steady. He even went on to say if two or three pieces were to suddenly come off, or even collapse...the part would still work. As a precaution - he told me at the first sign of vibration - simply pull over and tow back home, for inspection. It certainly is NOT pretty....but everything gets obscured by the carrier base cross-member.
I'm anxious to see how long this fix can work. So far so good.....STAY TUNED!!!
#78
02-01-2015, 03:11 AM
Hi Guys - don't mean to bring up an old tread. I have a 04 CS with 75K miles that the drive shaft is gone in the center mount bearing. This is my second drive shaft installed at the dealer. First being installed at about 35K. Has there been any others that have used this product for more than the actual new drive shaft, which is about 50K of driving give or take. Reneisannce as I have been reading this post, came across that you had a transmission out. Hopefully this was not in effect of the Vertex mount installed. A new drive shaft from Vertes is about $550 with the OEM mount. Where the support mount is about $400. So the question is, is it worthed to pay the $550 and just worry about a drive shaft replacement further down the road or pay the $400 and have other issues?
Last edited by joeadzz; 02-01-2015 at 03:14 AM.
#79
02-01-2015, 09:43 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Palm Desert, CA
Posts: 246
Rep Power: 21 
My hose/ziptie fix is going on 12,000 miles. Last inspection......everything looked untouched! Jimi said this will easily outlast ANYTHING Porsche makes!
#80
02-28-2015, 10:48 PM
I am going to include the cut up pieces of hose and zip ties in the tool/repair kit in my cayenne. That fix can be done anywhere to get you where you are going and home again. Gotta love it.
#82
06-28-2015, 12:24 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Palm Desert, CA
Posts: 246
Rep Power: 21
Yep! I sold the carbon shaft to a Rennlister and made $50 on it. Jimi fix now has 13,008 miles....and still looks unfazed.
#85
03-13-2016, 10:59 PM
It's now been 25,000 miles since I installed the Vertex. No problem whatsoever. Car runs great. I only replaced the mount. Didn't touch the rubber donut, nor did I reseal the bearings. Kept the job simple - Don't fix what's not broken.
#87
07-10-2016, 05:07 PM
5/8" hose, 1.5" long zip tied to the carrier and to each other, just like Jimi's.
took longer to move my old bug out of the garage and get the p!g in and on ramps than to get it all in place. I did spend 25 min straight scraping rubber off the carrier and bearing. 0 vibration, at any speed.
THANKS Zuffenhausen955 for giving this fix to us. I'll update as time and miles zip by....
#88
07-11-2016, 06:21 AM
I have an '09 957 CTTS and am new to Cayenne ownership and have not yet spent much time under the vehicle,. The Lindsay Racing site says their carbon and aluminum shaft sets are for '03-'08. Does this mean the design on my '09 has been changed and I won't experience this failure at some point? Thanks.
#89
07-11-2016, 09:43 AM
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Palm Desert, CA
Posts: 246
Rep Power: 21
Same Center Bearing to 2010
Same design. Bound to fail. Jimi fix is permanent solution. I have 44k/mi on mine, and it still looks untouched. I returned my one-piece carbon fiber shaft because Jimi fix saved me $1200.
