That's right ... another driveline vibration

[hearingyourlies]

Alright guys, I'm just about at wits end, so i'm gonna be as thorough with this as possible.



Approximately 2k miles ago, while driving down the highway out of nowhere the truck started a low-decibel humming. At lower speeds, it went away (below 55).



Got home, my friend came over, we put it in reverse and drive several times and there was some serious clicking coming from underneath. Off to the mechanic, who removed the driveshaft, put in new universals, and slapped it back in. Clicking gone.



Guess what?! Above 55 mph, vibration persists.



Took it back, he suggested replace the yolk from driveshaft to transfer case. Guess what? Still there, and it seems to have actually made the vibration even more prevelant by tightening up the rear end slop.



All I'm left with is the thought that 1) I have a torque converter off balance hence the above 55 vibration or 2) the driveshaft is out-of-balance.



However, I don't want to start throwing money at this and I know this is a relatively common problem.



I have 78k miles, and the tires are perfectly balanced TOYO MT 35's. They have been on for almost 20k miles with no problems. Wear indicates no problems.



The vibration happens under load or not under load, in drive or in neutral ... so I really think that eliminates a transmission problem.



Any ideas guys? I'd really like to hear from someone that has solved this ...

 

[HBarlow]

My '06 developed a highway speed vibration between approximately 62 to 65 mph when it was only one year old and had 135,000 miles on the odometer. I was on the west coast and pulling trailers daily and ran it for a few more days. Then it started losing transmission fluid out of the back of the case.

Finally, even after stopping to dump three or four quarts of ATF in along I-40 it could just barely limp into Flagstaff with the torque converter slipping badly. I had to give up my good-paying load and limp it to a local dealer.

Ultimately James Northrum, a Texas rebuilder did a full DTT rebuild and learned what the problem had been. An aluminum or soft metal sleeve that looked a little like a toilet tissue roll in the transmission tail housing had slid out of place on the tailshaft. It was the tailshaft bushing used to center and support the tailshaft. When is slid out of the pressed in location it allowed the tailshaft to wobble and create the vibration. The wobble then took out the tailshaft seal and began dumping ATF.

 

[JApol]

I have put two sets of joints in my rear driveshaft. I repalced both for hiway speed vibrations. After the install of the first set the vibration went away for a little while but came back. About 5K later the vibration had progressed so I went and did another set of joints but they did not take out as much vibration. I went to a driveline shop, pulled the drive shaft and had them balance it. An hour and $50 I had a drive shaft that went from . 20 to . 02 on vibration. 25K miles later still no hiway speed vibration.

 

[TBartlett1]

It's possible the driveshaft threw a weight.

I would inspected it closely for signs of a missing weight.

I would also raise the raer wheels up & see if there is any runout at the tailshaft bushing.

 

[hearingyourlies]

Please explain this statement in laymen's terms haha ... .

"runout at the tailshaft bushing"

 

[HBarlow]

I think he was describing a visible wobble at the transmission output shaft.

 

[JDKammin]

I bought my 04 a year and a half ago with 47,000 miles on it. I would notice a bad vibration above 55 mph. Knowing there were problems with factory u-joints, I replaced them, but did not fix the vibration. Ended up having the driveshaft balanced and the machinest welded two balance washers on one end and one balance washer on the other end. There were no visible signs of any previous balance washers.

 

[hearingyourlies]

I'm really hoping its the driveshaft ... I really can't afford transmission or converter work.

Wouldn't the problem still existing when coasting in Neutral eliminate both these possibilities though?

 

[smitty3500]

I have had a vibration/hum with my truck for about a year now. I took it to the local Dealer where I know the tech who is one of the best around.

My Vibration / Hum is felt faintly at 65mph then again and more pronounced at 76-77mph. The Vibration is not linked to my Southbend Clutch/Flywheel b/c I can place the truck in neutral and let motor reach idle speed and the vibration/hum is the exact same.

Dealer replaced the Rear and Front Shaft with Brand new units and still present. They then replaced front Axle U-Joints. Rechecked and road forced balanced all 6 tires and still there.

I know many people will say and joke "just dont drive at 76mph" and I do not that often, but when on the open highway that is just about 10mph over on most roads and gets hella annoying.

I have given it a few more months and it is still present so I will be making an appt with the dealer again later this month and going to just leave the truck and tell them to keep it and fix.

I truly think the Vib is coming from the Trans or TransferCase. We shall see.

 

[sag2]

Are you going to try and repair it or is the dealer? If the dealer is, does he have a vibration analyzer? I use a MTS 4100, but many dealers have a less expensive but just as accurate version called an EVA (for electronic vibration analyzer). Many Ford and GM dealers had them as well. If you have access to one it will tell you the source of the vibration. Most are first order (balance) and some are second order (angle). Until you know the type of vibration you are just guessing.

If your going to try, the first order is the easiest to do yourself. First remove the front shaft to eliminate that as a cause. Then measure the run out of the rear shaft, no more than . 008 at the ends, and . 015 in the center. If you don't have a dial indicator, harbor freight has one cheap that will get you close enough. Phase the shaft to get the run out as low as possible. Some shafts can only be phased 180 degrees, and some 90 degrees. Don't forget that you can phase the front of the rear shaft, but if you ever remove it again be sure you mark the yoke to the splines so it goes back the correct way.

Next get four hose clamps that fit the ends of the shaft. Start with one clamp at the rear of the rear shaft and place the head of the clamp anywhere. I usually line it up with an existing weight. Use a crayon or sharpie and mark the rotation of the shaft and the starting point. Go drive it and use your assometer to determine if the vibration is better/worse. Then move the clamp 90 degrees, drive again, and repeat until you have been in all four positions. If one position is better, add a second clamp and fine tune by starting at the same position as the first clamp, then move it about 30 degrees at a time either side to find the best spot. You might not make it better with two at one end, so if not remove the second clamp and move it to the front of the rear shaft and repeat. I find two exits about a mile apart if possible where I can safely pull off the exit and move the clamp. Take a piece of cardboard to lie on and a nut driver. Shouldn't take more than an hour. If it is a first order vibration this method will work if you take your time. If it does not respond to the clamps, it may be a second order vibration and that requires changing drive line angles. VERY FEW trucks will have second order vibrations at highway speeds.

 

[macdaddy]

I have had a vibration/hum with my truck for about a year now. I took it to the local Dealer where I know the tech who is one of the best around.



My Vibration / Hum is felt faintly at 65mph then again and more pronounced at 76-77mph. The Vibration is not linked to my Southbend Clutch/Flywheel b/c I can place the truck in neutral and let motor reach idle speed and the vibration/hum is the exact same.



Dealer replaced the Rear and Front Shaft with Brand new units and still present. They then replaced front Axle U-Joints. Rechecked and road forced balanced all 6 tires and still there.



I know many people will say and joke "just dont drive at 76mph" and I do not that often, but when on the open highway that is just about 10mph over on most roads and gets hella annoying.



I have given it a few more months and it is still present so I will be making an appt with the dealer again later this month and going to just leave the truck and tell them to keep it and fix.



I truly think the Vib is coming from the Trans or TransferCase. We shall see.

I have read all these posts and always thought the "Hum" was what ever. Mine has done it from day one. Mine seems to start at 71 mph through just under 75. Never really thought of it as a vibration.



I guess ive gotten used to it, feels good when I sit in the seat a certain way too



Mac

 

[sag2]

The "drone" you hear is the interaction between the normal third order (firing frequency) engine vibration and the first order (balance) drive line vibration. You can't change the third order vibration but you can change the first order by balancing the shaft. Most trucks had it at 68-73 mph.

 

[hearingyourlies]

Okiedokie guys.

Driveshaft balanced.

Now, the vibration doesn't start until 70 but continues after that ... . HELP!!!!

 

[sag2]

How was it balanced? Off the truck at the drive line shop or on the truck as I described?

 

[MMeier]

I have read all these posts and always thought the "Hum" was what ever. Mine has done it from day one. Mine seems to start at 71 mph through just under 75. Never really thought of it as a vibration.



I guess ive gotten used to it, feels good when I sit in the seat a certain way too



Mac

Hmmm... interesting, mine just started the same exact thing here recently. Had tires balanced and rotated, still there, so it wasn't that. Driveline shop said everything is ok there too.

 

[hearingyourlies]

At the shop off the truck.

To be honest, I really don't understand the instructions you gave ...

 

[smitty3500]

My hum/vibration is still present very faintly at 65-66mph and then very noticable at 76-77mph but faster it does go away.



My truck will be going back to the dealer when my friend and head tech returns from vaction after the 1st week of October.

 

[JApol]

At the shop off the truck.



To be honest, I really don't understand the instructions you gave ...

The method he talkes about makes the bolt of the hose clamp the blance weight.

I have never used this method but given enough time I'm sure it would be quite effective.

 

[sag2]

At the shop off the truck.



To be honest, I really don't understand the instructions you gave ...

Sorry i was not clear with the instructions. Using the hose clamps gives a system balance, it balances the output shaft, drive line, yoke and pinion as a complete assembly. It is good as long as the shaft is replaced in the same position if you ever remove it. You can balance the shaft off the truck, but until you measure the run out (out of round) of the shaft installed in the truck and reduce it to the minimum, then balance the shaft with the clamps you will not repair the drone.

 

[hearingyourlies]

So how does one measure run out? Sorry, this is all new to me ... .