Droon at 2,100 RPM

[Bill Littlefield]

Not all have it

This drone thing sound pretty wide spread but just for the record, not all have it. I for one have not had any drone or vibration. That tells me that there is something different on some of the trucks and therefore, they should be able to fix it.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I don't have it either. I really feel for you guys that do. If anybody in my area ever wants to make some comparisons to my truck I'd be happy to help.



Scotty

 

[DPKetchum]

Tell them(dealer) to call STAR And they my get more educated. My friend said he did'nt notice it in his. When I picked up on his noise he thought it was just normal diesel noise. Also he has 3. 73 gears with 48re trans. He dosent hardly get in the 2100 rpm range like I do with 4. 10s and 6speed. My noise starts right at 60 and hangs there till 70. 2100rpm for my buddy is nearer 70! Mine in 5th gear at 2100 to 2300 will about run you out of truck. Dealer told me STAR was very aware of DRONE and was working on it. By the way, to try to make me happy was informed that REP told them to replace my front driveshaft but not for drone. To see if it would help with the TINGLE when DRONEING in pedals and steering. BUT I BET IT DONT FIX SQUAT. I'll try to leave a open mind. Well see.

 

[ttreibel]

Mine seems quieter now

When I first got my RAM I had the vibration doing about 65-70 mph in 5th gear with my 3500 SRW QC shorty S. O. 5 speed mostly when climbing grades with little or no payload. I noticed it because I had some loose change in the small holders by the drink holders and it started to really vibrate. I only noticed it a couple times.



I talked to my brother the resident expert I thought it was an out of balanced drive line he said that was a good posibility but don't worry because it was hardly noticeable and has to get way worse to do damage.



Every car or truck I have driven extensively has exhibited some strange vibration or harmonic resonance at one speed or gear combination or another. The worse was my 1976 VW Rabbit with the sun roof open in 3rd gear at 29MPH to 33 MPH the whole car would turn into a giant sub-woofer and vibrate your ear wax right out.



Now I have 12K on the truck with 200+ miles of off-road 4X4 driving and the vibration seems to be gone. I guess it's broken in now. I do get a harmonic resonance with all 4 windows all the way down at 45MPH or better but the cab sure gets a blast of fresh air!

 

[DPKetchum]

One other note. We keep talking about 2100 rpm plus in gear etc. Mine does IT in neutral also. Just bring the revs up slowly and at 2100 its like a switch is turned on and there it is,keep bring revs up and can feel it get worse and then start to subside.

 

[CSilkowski]

For those of you who don't have the 2,100 rpm creature, I'd have your local dealer check it out because there must be something wrong with your truck



I am changing my exhaust this weekend and will let the forum know if it improves the issue.

 

[WadePatton]

Originally posted by DPKetchum

. By the way, to try to make me happy was informed that REP told them to replace my front driveshaft but not for drone. To see if it would help with the TINGLE when DRONEING in pedals and steering. BUT I BET IT DONT FIX SQUAT. I'll try to leave a open mind. Well see.

That's called "throwing parts at the problem". Makes the customer feel like they're really trying and every now and then it fixes a problem. Why I don't care about warranties.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Originally posted by DPKetchum

One other note. We keep talking about 2100 rpm plus in gear etc. Mine does IT in neutral also. Just bring the revs up slowly and at 2100 its like a switch is turned on and there it is,keep bring revs up and can feel it get worse and then start to subside.

If I bring the revs up this way (in neutral) it vibes at about 1200 but then quickly smooths out. At 2000 - 2100, it perfectly smooth.

 

[CSilkowski]

I installed a complete 4" exhaust system from the turbo and a Dynaflow muffler on Friday and the drone is almost nonexistent (even with the A/C on!). I am very pleased. I don't understand though if it is such an easy fix, why doesn't D. C. install a true 4" exhaust from the factory??



Chris

 

[DPKetchum]

I wanted to do this to my truck. (used same system on my 1993w250)but was told it would make it worse! If it really helped etc. I'm game!Whose system did you use?I talked to a Banks sales guy and he indicated it made the droone worse!What gives? I want to change exhaust for performance resons anyway! Was told that a straight threw muffler made droone much worse! Open to suggestions.

 

[CSilkowski]

DP,



I installed the Banks system. Picked it up Friday afternoon from their factory in Azusa, CA and installed it myself in 2-3 hours. Although the drone is substantially reduced, the new system does increase the "in cab" decibels. So in my opinion it is a trade off - a reduction in drone and vibration, for a throaty sounding exhaust. What I really like is no more vibration through the accelerater pedal. The sound before and after is very similar until you get above 2,000 rpms and then you can hear the difference in the exhaust, but again... no vibration like before at any rpm! If you are thinking of doing it yourself, I'd strongly recommend a saws-all to take out the existing exhaust system.



Chris

 

[WadePatton]

Like somebody said before, change it.



So much for the wisdom of the Banks salesman.

 

[Shooter]

If you look at the exh. sys , you will notice about 50 ( well maybe a couple less ) hangers. Each one has a rubber isolator. The isolators are very hard rubber ( cheap ) and if the engine is running and you dive under you can feel the exh vibration ( engine ) right through the exh hanger to the rubber wana be isolators into the body/ frame side of the hanger.

I think they have it trussed up to tight.

JMHO

 

[jman]

I have this wonderful drone also at about 2000-2100 rpm. You have to drive either 50 or 75 it seems like. Mine is a lot worse with the A/C on. It will drive you absolutely crazy. They dash vibrates and buzzes and you can feel it in the pedals and steering wheel. I also have a little howl at about 65-70, but it goes away at 75 and it is a very quiet ride at this speed. I was hoping to see some TSB's before I take it in so I don't get the run around or told it is "normal".



Are there any TSB's yet for these symptoms?



TIA

 

[DPKetchum]

No tsb's>I think It would HELP to at least call D. C. or go to your dealer and request that it be called in to Star and documented. The more that is the more Action might be taken. I insisted that a work order be written and Star called and it documented and the FACTORY REP involved so I could be told normal or? What I got was WERE working on that and that it could be pulled up in D. C. history(not dealer history)from now until doomsday if a fix did come out. I never got a straight answer to WHAT they were trying to address other then it was TURBO releated. They claim If rev-ed to 2100 plus rpm and feeling/montering the turbo that the vibrations/ hum can be felt at the TURBO itself. I've got a entire new exhaust being shipped in (BANKS)and will see what affect this has. MY friend with a 2003 2500 H. O. 48re and 3. 73 gears said he didn't know what I meant by drone/tingle feeling. Well its much harder for him to hit 2100 rpm. Any way I took him for a ride and he said WOW I can feel that in the floor board as well as hear IT. His is a 3/03Mexico truck mine is a 1/03 Mexico truck but their not apples to apples either. His does it but not any where as pronounced.

 

[goodwid]

IMO I think it is speed related, through the first five gears everything is smooth right up past 2100 rpm. It is only in sixth gear running at about 70 mph that I get the vibration throughout the truck.



I went to the dealer and they replaced the drive shaft, however that didn't do much, but it did solve the minor shudder I had around 65-70 mph.

 

[WadePatton]

Originally posted by DPKetchum

No tsb's>I never got a straight answer to WHAT they were trying to address other then it was TURBO releated. They claim If rev-ed to 2100 plus rpm and feeling/montering the turbo that the vibrations/ hum can be felt at the TURBO itself. I've got a entire new exhaust being shipped in (BANKS)and will see what affect this has. MY friend with a 2003 2500 H. O. 48re and 3. 73 gears said he didn't know what I meant by drone/tingle feeling. Well its much harder for him to hit 2100 rpm.

They don't know crap. There are already a few folks on here who have CHANGED THE EXHAUST--YET RETAINED THE FACTORY TURBO and have no more DRONE.



It's ironic how some smart people have to act dumb to keep working for a company.

 

[MMeier]

AND get paid big f'n dollars in the process!! (OOPS)

 

[Car_nut57]

From working with several customers with this problem it does seem to be a frequency problem at least partially. Change the exhaust and or intake air flow and it is reduced and moves the rpm that it happens. Last night I was speaking with one of our customers who is an excellent observer and he had just gotten back from a trip and said he thought maybe part of this is throttle position related. He happen to notice that by changing the exhaust to an Aeroturbine and experimenting with our new Turbo Air Guide (TAG) that the drone vibration became much less, but also moved in rpm which seemed to coincide with throttle position. He also feels that it has been a combination of the exhaust and TAG which have virtually eliminated his drone vibration.



Another thought that comes to mind is maybe this is part of break-in. Does the drone/vibration change or become less after say 10-20K?

 

[WadePatton]

Resonance at particular frequency causes vibration to become sound--which is a freq.

Originally posted by Car_nut57

Another thought that comes to mind is maybe this is part of break-in. Does the drone/vibration change or become less after say 10-20K?

This is not a brand new thing with the 03's! There have been drone issues with 2G's since way back. That's how I know so much. I've read a bunch about it and experienced it on my truck, and it changes EVERY TIME you change exhaust components. Quit making it so hard.



That's why in every thread concerning aftermarket exhaust or exhaust mods to stock system, SOMEBODY asks about or reports on the DRONE issue.



Have a dronefree day.