Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) UN-nerveing vibration Continued!

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Some of you may remember that a month or so ago I posted about a vibration between 40-45mph and at 60mph.



Well I replaced the rear u-joint at the axle after finding the cross straps loose.



Then I had my tires balanced TWICE! since then and I still have the same problem.



I was in Ohio last weekend and on my way back just across the Kentucky line I experience Death Wobble! :--) :{



VERY SCARY!



Had a guy look at my truck last night, had me move the wheel back and forth and he said my track bar has about a 1/2" of play in it! I just put it on last Aug. or so when I got tires. Its the lifetime Moog Track from Advance Auto Parts. I'm gonna see if I can dig up the reciept and find out what to do about that.



I'm wonding if my track bar can be the cause of this ANNOYING vibration? It'll shake what seems like the front end but if you really concentrate its moving the whole truck up and down. One of the two times I balanced my tires I did it on a road force balancer. Each tire had that 50lbs+ of road force. Let me add that my tires have less than 5K miles worth of thread on them, they already have 30K miles already on them. Could my tires be what's causing this? I figured even if they were balancing them would take care of the problem, but I guess not. The last time I did it I took it to my tire guy and he deals with everything from cars to trucks on 44's.



Looking for some feedback here guys so fire away.

 

[krs]

you don't say whether or not you've had an alignment done... .

 

[Got Smoke?]

Originally posted by KRS

you don't say whether or not you've had an alignment done... .

I had an alignment done last year when I got the new tires.

 

[JoshPeters]

I'd replace the track bar and get new tires. 50lbs of road force can cause a definate vibration. I have less than 25lbs on all 6 of mine.





Josh

 

[Todd G]

I'd say tread separation may be the cause. Very common on worn tires, like BFG's. I have the same size tires with comparible mileage and have the same problems.

 

[MCharlebois]

tract bar

i put a moog in and lets see --6k later its got a half inch play-put the replacement in this weekend-keep that reciept handy

 

[braible]

u-joints

hi mark , i had to replace the front axle joints. so you might want to check them out . because i have done everything you have done. now if the u-joints are tight moving one way and loose in the other way . that will cause a vibration. so if you did replace them all ready. then they were put in wrong. they have to move freely in both directions. hope this helps



Brian

 

[chrleb1]

I've been having the same problem with my truck. I have installed a Luke's link and the problem is just as bad as before i installed it. I'm thinking now that it could be the tie-rod ends, so i am checking all of the steering joints.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Re: u-joints

Originally posted by braible

hi mark , i had to replace the front axle joints. so you might want to check them out . because i have done everything you have done. now if the u-joints are tight moving one way and loose in the other way . that will cause a vibration. so if you did replace them all ready. then they were put in wrong. they have to move freely in both directions. hope this helps



Brian

First thing I replaced when I bought the truck 2 years ago.



No problem till now.



I think that its my tires, 50lbs road force is extreme I know. I have too much going on this week, so next week I'm gonna get new tires. I don't have much tread left on these anyways.

 

[JJW_ND]

Don't give up on those tires...

I just had one of my tires rotated about 180 degrees to get the tire force down from 55 to 12 lbs. Smooth as glass again. I have been running the counteract for over 35K miles. It has been very smooth from day one. THe last few weeks, I could always feel a pretty good "shimmy" in the sterring wheel and see the movement in the Tcase shifter. It would clear up some but come and go.



Had just the one tire that far off. The rest were between 12 and 18lbs. The fancy Hunter balancer checks for road force and balance. I think around 25 - 30 is getting up there to expect a smooth ride. This balancer can check rims versus the tire and give you how much road force each is causing. I have less them 6/32 tread left, but they still balance out and will make the winter (Siped of course!)



jjw

ND

 

[Got Smoke?]

Re: Don't give up on those tires...

Originally posted by JJW-ND

I just had one of my tires rotated about 180 degrees to get the tire force down from 55 to 12 lbs. Smooth as glass again. I have been running the counteract for over 35K miles. It has been very smooth from day one. THe last few weeks, I could always feel a pretty good "shimmy" in the sterring wheel and see the movement in the Tcase shifter. It would clear up some but come and go.



Had just the one tire that far off. The rest were between 12 and 18lbs. The fancy Hunter balancer checks for road force and balance. I think around 25 - 30 is getting up there to expect a smooth ride. This balancer can check rims versus the tire and give you how much road force each is causing. I have less them 6/32 tread left, but they still balance out and will make the winter (Siped of course!)



jjw

ND

I had thought about that. Rotating the tires on the wheels. I may stay after work tomorrow, or just take one off during my lunch to see if it would would be worth doing all 4. Cause we have done it before and it didn't make the difference than it claimed.





I've only got about 6 or 7/32 tread left myself.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Well I broke the pass. front down today twice and neither time did it help.



Once to match the tire wheel..... that didn't work.



Once a complete 180* ..... didn't work either!



Finally we just took all the weights off and rebalanced it and it was 53lbs out still, but balanced.



We also did the other front tire and it was 5Xlbs out as well but we got it balanced.



On the way home I noticed that the front end vibration is nearly gone!Oo. However I still felt a good deal in the seat so I know I need to re-balance my rear tires tomorrow.