Diagnostic help
 

Yes I've searched, any help with diagnosing is appreciated.

Things I know:

• CV axles okay
• Potential leak in rack and pinion, but power steering fluid consistently full
• New sway bar linkages
• New brakes
• Drive shaft greased
• No visible issues
• Nothing noticeably loose

Symptoms:

• Terrible forward shaking (in steering wheel?) at 20 mph and above
• At speed, forward loud squeal, when removing foot from accelerator pedal, but stops when accelerator is pressed again.
• Press clutch pedal, squeal and steering wheel shake disappear.
• Coast in neutral, squeal and steering wheel shake disappear
• Low speed decelerate, forward clunking up

I recon its the needle bearings in the front axle. there are even products out there to replace the needle bearings with just a shell bushing thing.
https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-85...e-bearing.html

When you hit the clutch, drive is disengaged and everything is free to do its own thing. same when accelerator is let go.
Clunking would probably be worn bushes in the suspension and knuckle area, which have possibly worn out because of the needle bearing vibration.

My needle bearing was reduced to shards of metal. I had just a slight vibration, nothing like what OP reports. There is more than that going on. (There is only one, on the driver side. The pax side is a beefy ball bearing, and usually not a problem.)

Well hang on, just because yours failed and didnt cause these issues, doesnt mean all failures are exactly like yours. A complete failure like yours gets everything out of the way, but a worn part grabs and releases a bit like a sprague clutch.
Id say it would be wise to check it out, but dont get fixated on it.

Except that I researched that particular fail when it happened to me and I read LOTS of experiences just like mine and NONE like his, so I stick by my position.

In any case, it remains a possibility, but he should expect to find other problems as well. I think that's fair.

I respect and appreciate ur confidence, but its just so simple to check. Its litteraly a matter of wobbling and twisting the inner driveshaft cv housing and listening and feeling for noise and freeplay.
its the steering shake on engine brake deceleration that suggests fron driveline. But someone already said wheel bearings, thats the first place id look, but its already been mentioned.

All,

Thank you for the insights!