Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) terrible vibration @ 60mph

[JGMiller]

I am having a rough time chasing a vibration that starts at 60 mph, and does not go away, but continues to get worse. I have done several alignments and they have not made any difference. I have installed new load range E tires, & new front shocks trying to correct with no luck. Should not be a balance issue as I am running Centramatic balancers.

I see that several claim that caster may be the issue? Not sure where it is set now, but I had it in 2 reputable alignment shops, and both said there is no issues with the front end of the truck.

Any help would be great!

 

[Mundgyver]

Can this vibraton be felt up through the steering column? Is it side to side, meaning does the steering wheel vibrate or rock back and forth?



Doe is feel like it is low frequency vibration or a high frequency. This would be refering to the speed of the vibration like a loping for low or a hum for hi if you get my meaning.



How many miles on the truck, year make, tire size, suspension mods, etc.

 

[JGMiller]

Yes, vibration can be felt through steering column. The steering wheel vibrates, it feels like I have thrown a tire balance weight, or tires are severly out of balance.

Thought the truck signature would show, sorry.



1999 24 valve, 3/4 ton, 4wheel drive, 75,000 miles, club cab,short bed with banks power pack, 2 gauge piller with banks EGT and banks pyro, AFE air intake, ATS stage IV transmission, Triple lock torque converter, and triple lock controller,Mag-Hytec Double Deep pan, 255/85-16 load range E kelly tires, Mickey thompson alcoas, Centramatic wheel balancers, DSS, DT adjustable track bar, skyjacker dual steering stabilizer, warn 9. 5ti winch, warn transformer mount, & skyjacker D25 2" leveling coils

 

[Mundgyver]

How are the drive shafts looking. Do they have their balance weights on them?? Front one in particular??

 

[nps]

Did you take the factor hub/rotor clips off before installing your aftermarket wheels? Most aftermarket wheels don't have the hollows behind the wheel like the factory wheels. If the tire shop didn't remove them, the wheel may not be flush against the hub/rotor. Happened to me - peel them off and all is good.



Driveshaft U joints are also suspect.

 

[JGMiller]

Both sound like a possible candidate, will look at tomorrow.

 

[LOtero]

Well vibrations can be a pain to fugure out, alignment is very unlikley to cause a vibration it would have to be way out to cause any type of vibration, tires and driveshafts are most likley your cause. even with centramatics there can still be a tire problem. it could be out of round like a high spot on the tire or a flat spot, those problems usually come in around 60 to 80. before and after that speeed they dont usually vibrate. to check the tires for an out of round problem lift them off the ground and spin them, you should be able to see it hop up and down. keep in mind some hop is normal.

driveshafts can be out of balance or u-joint failure, just drove a customers truck yesterday with a vibration at 60. the front shaft had a bad u-joint.

good luck

 

[MarkMiller]

I would pull the centramatics and check them. Make sure the weight is free all the way around. Even run down the road without them and see if that helps. Its free to check them.

 

[2-ND TIME]

terrible vibration @ ???/

Well I hate to tell you this but what you likely have is an arc in the electrical system likely the PDC. Mine has been doing this since new. I have some scope readings on readers rigs. But I have done tires balancing, the new tires are worse, the other thing is possable rims out of round but measured them some years ago, drive shaft balancing, steady bearing, u-joints, several times.



So good luck. Oo.

 

[sfritts]

I had a bad u-joint on the drivers side got the same results, but the hard part is you couldn't tell the joint was bad until I pulled the axle. just 1 cap had lost all of its bearings and when you tried to turn it , it would feel tight enough.

 

[JGMiller]

I found my issue, I removed the centramatics and the problem went away! When I inspected them I found that the front ones had somewhat solidified, and the material inside does not move freely as the others do.

I sure am glad that i did not spend a lot of money chasing this one, thanks for the input!

 

[Mundgyver]

How did you figure out the Centramatic material had solidified and will Centramatic cover it under warranty or are you beyond that



Did you cut it open or what. I am curious as I run them.



Glad you found the problem, what are you going to do now??

 

[JGMiller]

I have yet to contact Centramatic to resolve this issue.



You can tell that they have begun to solidify by simply rotating them by hand, the good ones sound like an Indian rain maker, and the bad ones hardly move at all using twice the force!



As far as what to do now, I am not sure! I suppose that if they cover them (replacement) I will run them again. I am shocked to find this though as they only have 65,000 miles on them.



I will let you know what they (centramatic) have to say.

 

[Mundgyver]

Yes please, I will be very interested. I have somewhere around the same mileage on mine. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[CStewart]

Whatever happened with you and Centramatic? Did they take care of you?



Chris