Driveline Vibration at low speed! Help Please!!!!

[Haney]

I have a 03 Quad, 4x4, Auto, that I pull my 12K lb 5er with..... Truck has been problem free for the 70K miles I have owned it. It has 109K miles on it. Earlier this year, I noticed that when I am towing my camper and travel down the interstate for a while (5O + miles) then exit off for gas or to change roads, I get a really bad "shuddering vibration" in low speed turing or pulling back out straight after a stop. It really feels like a limited slip differential that is not "slipping". I have had the cover off my diff a couple of times and the pattern looks good as does the fluid with no metal chunks. I have used synthetic oil and even some Mopar additive the second time and it is still there.



Not very noticable if not towing and only does it after driving for a while.



Anyone have this problem or an idea on how to correct. Could it be u-joints or transfer case? Really feels like the rear though.....



Thanks,

 

[04blackcherry]

Do you have the 2 piece drive shaft? I had the same issue. I was good at speed, but as soon as I decelerated it felt as if I were driving on railroad ties. It was a frozen cap on the center u joint. There was no obvious sign of anything wrong when I went under the truck. The only thing I noticed was the bad joint was slightly warmer than the others. I just got quoted $58 a piece for u joints and $120 to balance it.

 

[Scooby]

I switched to a single piece driveshaft and my vibes are gone. BTW I had two u joints slinging grease when I went to change the shaft.

 

[amsoilman]

I have a 03 Quad, 4x4, Auto, that I pull my 12K lb 5er with..... Truck has been problem free for the 70K miles I have owned it. It has 109K miles on it. Earlier this year, I noticed that when I am towing my camper and travel down the interstate for a while (5O + miles) then exit off for gas or to change roads, I get a really bad "shuddering vibration" in low speed turing or pulling back out straight after a stop. It really feels like a limited slip differential that is not "slipping". I have had the cover off my diff a couple of times and the pattern looks good as does the fluid with no metal chunks. I have used synthetic oil and even some Mopar additive the second time and it is still there.



Not very noticable if not towing and only does it after driving for a while.



Anyone have this problem or an idea on how to correct. Could it be u-joints or transfer case? Really feels like the rear though.....



Thanks,

To me it sounds like you have a worn out "Outer" U-Joint on the front axle, as you say it happens in a turn.

 

[wcjp]

Check the temp of the Ujoints. Mine were all solid. However, when empty the middle rear was 98deg while the transfer case and axle Ujoints were 78deg after arriving at work. The middle Ujoint was toast, one of the others also had signs of failure. By the way, if your rear Ujoints are factory, they're held in by plastic.

 

[04blackcherry]

My '04 u joints were held in with snap rings. They looked OEM to me.

 

[Prairie Dog]

My stockers were held with snap rings too but the new one-piece is (was) glued with provisions for snap rings.

 

[AH64ID]

On the 04 it could very easily be a front shaft as there are no hubs to keep them from spinning all the time. I think it's a u-joint, and would start at the front and work back.