Is that to stop rattles when you turn up the volume?
what did you do to your Sonic today?
- Thread starter firstorbit84
- Start date
cherokeefrogg
New member
Yes and no. The main one going from floor to ceiling angled towards where my rear view mirror use to be was to stop my windshield from flexing back n forth a minimum an 1/8th" most likely more. It destroyed the seal and water would leak when it rained. The 2nd one was to stop any movement my box would do when playing anything below 30hz.
It did stop quiet a bit of rattle I could hear inside but now it's destroying my doors and hatch even though they have sound deadener. I don't hear it but everyone else sure does
Dingleberry69
Member
Replaced the differential in the transaxle while the transmission is still in the vehicle. Differential carrier bearings died, and the gears were badly worn, had about 30 degrees of rotation of the wheel before the small gears contacted the next tooth, and a lot of end play on the passenger side cv axle. Was noticeably weeble wobbly right where the shaft entered the diff.
The fun part was sourcing all the parts, original parts are unobtanium, so had to cross reference the bearings, seals and replacement differential assembly to find suitable replacements. A month later and parts are finally starting to trickle in from various transmission rebuild shops and rock auto. What a nightmare this turned out to be, but hopefully the elves in there will stop hammering after this is all said and done. The vibrations were “HEAVY”. Like something was playing the sledgehammer right under the floor under the pedals.
The fun part was sourcing all the parts, original parts are unobtanium, so had to cross reference the bearings, seals and replacement differential assembly to find suitable replacements. A month later and parts are finally starting to trickle in from various transmission rebuild shops and rock auto. What a nightmare this turned out to be, but hopefully the elves in there will stop hammering after this is all said and done. The vibrations were “HEAVY”. Like something was playing the sledgehammer right under the floor under the pedals.
Totally agree with your take—ABS and stability control in some cars (including the Sonic) can be overly intrusive, especially when you're already in control. It’s like the systems don’t trust the driver. That lurch when ABS kicks in is jarring and definitely not confidence-inspiring. But you're spot on—good winter tires and actual driving skill make all the difference. It's always satisfying to cruise past overconfident SUV drivers sliding around while you're planted in a little FWD hatch!
Wow, that sounds like a serious undertaking—props for tackling it with the trans still in the vehicle. Tracking down those parts must’ve felt like a treasure hunt through transmission crypts. That kind of end play and gear wear definitely explains the "sledgehammer" vibes. Hopefully the new setup smooths things out and the floorboard concert finally ends.
Funny enough, after jobs like that, I always find myself craving a greasy reward—usually a burger or shake. Thankfully, there are a bunch of Sonic Locations near me, so I can roll straight from the garage to a cherry limeade therapy session. Hope your first post-repair drive is smooth and well-earned
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