Vibration...

[enodirt]

2000 Ram 2500 with 160K miles.

Recently noted heavy general vibration in cab with truck in park, neutral or drive. Trying to find a starting point to troubleshoot. I'm thinking engine mounts?? Thoughts welcomed.

 

[DavidC]

Check your damper

 

[DavidC]

https://fluidampr.com/troubleshooting-harmonic-balancers/

 

[enodirt]

will do this weekend. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Joe Mc]

I installed the Fluidampr on mine probably 10+ years ago, stock one was OK but showed signs of breakdown of the rubber and slight movement from the outer ring and inner hub. Immediately noticed smoother idle and much smoother operation at all rpms. One of the best $435.00 spent on my truck.

 

[KATOOM]

As soon as I have $450 sitting in my pocket and I have nothing else to spend it on...I think I'm going to order a Fluidampr.
I've just been reading/watching threads for years where there's this very polar responses which keeps me from getting one. Meaning, some people claim a world of positive gains and some state that they felt nothing. $450 is a lot of money for feel good seat of the pants maybe's...

 

[Chief USA]

I just had fluid dampers installed on both of our trucks. Didn't notice a lot of difference of any kind but after 17 years running the same OEM dampers, I did not want to take the risk of one of those OEM dampers failing. Peace of mind has a value all its own. Just ask those who decided to do the KDP mod on their engines. Probably didn't notice any difference but obtained the peace of mind of not waiting for the front timing case and valve train to grenade.

 

[KATOOM]

Probably didn't notice any difference but obtained the peace of mind of not waiting for the front timing case and valve train to grenade.

I'd agree...except I've never ever heard of this happening. Although what a failing damper will do is cause the journals to wear prematurely due to excessive crank harmonics.

 

[Joe Mc]

enodirt - been following another thread regarding wheel hop/vibration and the initiator found loose trans mount bolts. Although he replaced rear shocks and a few other things at the same time he tightened up the trans mount bolts he now has no more vibrations. Cheap and quick fix if trans mount bolts are loose. If not, there's a piece of mind that at least that's good.

 

[enodirt]

enodirt - been following another thread regarding wheel hop/vibration and the initiator found loose trans mount bolts. Although he replaced rear shocks and a few other things at the same time he tightened up the trans mount bolts he now has no more vibrations. Cheap and quick fix if trans mount bolts are loose. If not, there's a piece of mind that at least that's good.

Removed the harmonic balance and cleaned it up over the weekend. Noted the rubber was pliable (not dry rotted or falling out). Did recently have the trans. rebuilt. Took it back to mechanic to have everything double checked. Still searching................ Thanks for the replies.

 

[ChrisWilliams]

I replaced my damper with a stock damper last year at 110k miles. Wished I had done it at 70k because it really made a difference. I had driveline vibration at low rpm, rattling at low rpm under load, like when starting off at idle or idling up a parking garage ramp, and the engine would shake at idle. I had intermittent vibration at speed from 50 to 70 mph that would rattle your teeth. I replaced the driveshaft carrier bearing and u-joints and rebalance the tires with no change. My truck is a 6 speed so I could feel vibration and oscillation in the shifter. My damper didn't look bad so I was skeptical, glad I changed it. Now truck runs smooth at idle, low speed, and highway speeds. It even shifts better. I couldn't spend the extra dollars on a fluid damper especially since I wasn't sure it would fix the problem so went with a stock damper for $200.

 

[Mark31]

I bit into the hooplah and bought a dampr a bunch of years ago. It came with a family of chirping crickets that drove me up the wall and I took it off. I tried it again in two or three years and the same thing. The worst money (by far) that I've spent on my truck. Some people on the forum then got miffed at me because I didn't like it. I probably will get some BBI injectors sooner or later, but this believing everything is "new and improved" took a serious hit because of this boat anchor.

 

[KATOOM]

I bit into the hooplah and bought a dampr a bunch of years ago. It came with a family of chirping crickets that drove me up the wall and I took it off. I tried it again in two or three years and the same thing. The worst money (by far) that I've spent on my truck. Some people on the forum then got miffed at me because I didn't like it. I probably will get some BBI injectors sooner or later, but this believing everything is "new and improved" took a serious hit because of this boat anchor.

What brand harmonic damper was this? Crickets???

 

[Mark31]

What brand harmonic damper was this? Crickets???

The only one that has dampr as part of its name. Invisible crickets--couldn't find them--chirping all the time. I wasn't the only one.

 

[KATOOM]

The only one that has dampr as part of its name. Invisible crickets--couldn't find them--chirping all the time. I wasn't the only one.

Well thats VERY important information since I've never heard this before. The information...not the crickets.
If that company damper makes noises like that then that would definitely give me reason to not want one.

Did you call the company and find out if this noise is normal?

 

[Mark31]

Katoom, I tried "spitting into the wind". If I remember correctly, the complaints came mostly from gen 3 owners, who, I think, can use a "better" 6.7 damper.

 

[KATOOM]

I'm going to see if I can find anything regarding this noise...

 

[Mark31]

Katoom, there is an archive thread started by Got HO? ----My Fluidampr saga, Feb 7, 2012--- in 5.9 engine and transmission forum

 

[KATOOM]

I cant find any such thread with that title and date on TDR... Do you have a link?

 

[Mark31]

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/my-fluidamper-saga.235324/