2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Want fries with that shake?

[Rhondasway]

This subject is soooo old for all of us, but bear with me. I have had a shake (feels front-end) for some time. HAD the death wobble but did the following: shocks, brakes (including rotors, calipers, pads and lines), Luke's link. No more wobble, but that shake is still there. Feels like there is a very intermittent bind in front on braking (NOT the brakes).

I had it to a shop to check all front-end components before I replaced what I did, and everything else is tight except a slightly loose steering tie rod end. My steering is a bit loose too, and I have a used steering box I haven't put in yet. Don't want to right now...

Does not feel or sound like a bearing to me (could I be wrong?).

Could it be the U-joints at the wheels? I've heard they can be bad even when they feel tight.

Could it be my front locker? I have hardly used it at all.

Could it be actual axle damage from the locker?

I can't just keep chasing parts on this, but it's making me a little nuts.

 

[fox]

how about tires?

 

[Dave M]

What about track bar. That is the most likely next to steering box. Get under the truck and look for slop on either end as steering wheel is turned. My Luke Link TB end keep loosing up so I went 3rd gen. Any movement even 1/8 inch is bad.



I'd recommend a 3rd gen SS bracket and 3rd gen Adj track bar... . lots of options on track bar brand but get rid of the stock failure prone joint on track bar with a 3rd gen bolt thru bushings on tb. I had a loose pitman arm.



Didn't notice it till I replaced steering gear with PSC 3 turn. Steering stabilizer. Maybe time for a DSS... can't hurt and will protect steering box. Control arm poly bushings. Front shocks... Bilsteins.

 

[Rhondasway]

how about tires?

Ah yes. I have Dick Cepek tires which were fine installed new, then when this started I had them rotated and re-balanced with no difference. No visual clues on them either, and I just had a Les Schwab guy look at them too in case I'm missing something. There is some cupping on passenger outside...



Put Bilsteins on last summer, Luke's link on track bar (no more death wobble), and new steering dampener... Everything else looks tight. It is not coming directly from steering, there's just a generic shake that can be more or less noticable.

Thanks for the input. Anything else? That little intermittent bind on braking (slight bind, release brake, re-apply brake and it's gone) makes me curious.

 

[fox]

Is this shake tire speed, or driveshaft speed, or even engine speed?

The next thing I would do is to have someone drive it while you are driving next to it, to watch.

OBTW, you did look for any foreign objects under it? Look for ricers and v8 diesels too!!!!!

 

[RRees]

Loose/worn motor mounts?

 

[Joe G.]

I had a symptom like that. It turned out to be a slight belt separation on one of the tires.

 

[Hammer]

I had a symptom like that. It turned out to be a slight belt separation on one of the tires.

I had a similar issue with mine late last Fall after we had just rotated and rebalanced my tires. They were checked and rechecked on a standard spin balancer and yet nothing showed. Yet when you drove down the road it had a constant unsettled feeling which I never could locate. My tire shop finally got a load force balancer in which places 2000lbs of load force on the tire while balancing them and BINGO,there was the problem. While under load the belts were moving side to side inside the tire and it was a deal where they did not do it all the time. I would be willing to bet as Joe said its belt serparation... ... Andy

 

[Rhondasway]

Is this shake tire speed, or driveshaft speed, or even engine speed?

The next thing I would do is to have someone drive it while you are driving next to it, to watch.

OBTW, you did look for any foreign objects under it? Look for ricers and v8 diesels too!!!!!

Now that's funny right there! :-laf And let someone else drive it? You just gave me an aneurism!

Great suggestions, guys. I towed some horses yesterday (not just the ones under the hood), and the problem was noticeably worse. As I focus more, I notice that it seems to kind of shake harmonically, you know, like harder for several seconds, then much less, then much more. It does remind me of a driveline out of balance, but would it still do it rolling at 60mph and throwing it into neutral? Definitely more speed-related than rpm-related.

I'll check the motor mounts anyway. Will a problem be obvious?

Now, the tire idea gets me thinking too. I've wondered if simple visual inspection and Les Schwab balancers would pick up all problems. Could it act this way if it were a tire, or would that just be constant with speed? Tires would be a simple solution, but a shame since I really like these tires and they're not down to the belts yet... I guess I should borrow some rims and tires and just swap 'em out to test.

Thanks so much for all the diagnoses. I'd like to get it figured out before it bites me.

 

[fox]

I bet it is going to be tires.

And, I wasn't serious about letting some one else drive!!!!!

The tire,belt issue sometimes doesn't show without weight on it.

BTW, how fast have said tires been???

 

[Hammer]

Rhonda...

A simple inspection or standard tire balancer would not find it,at least it didn't on mine. It wasn't until they spun them on a Hunter GSP9700 road force balancer that we found them. The Hunter's ability to simulate road conditions caused the belts to00000 move on the balancer which we seen on the screen. We got them the best we could and some days they are smooth as silk and do not wiggle at any speed and other days they will shake you apart and drive you nuts. I looked the best I could for you on Hunters site and it seems most of the Les Schwab dealers have them,maybe they will find it for you... ... ... Andy



Here is a link to help you find a shop with a balancer like this.....



Hunter GSP9700 Wheel Vibration Control System

 

[RSimmons]

I had a similar intermittent vibration between 60 to 70 mph. I just adjusted the rear axle hub bearings and it seems to have cured it.

 

[PRout]

BTW, how fast have said tires been???

Bingo - This was my first thought also. Also, wondering about the hard launches in 4wd (its curious there has possibly recently been a locker installed - wondering if this symptom was present before that install), might be a slightly untrue front axle? All good input here. Good luck!

Wondering if the centramatic balancers would help?

 

[RSimmons]

Centramatics actually made mine worse. They made me start looking for tire mount or out of round conditions and led me to the hub bearings.

 

[Rhondasway]

BTW, how fast have said tires been???

Weeeeeellllll, the speedometer only goes to 120...

The locker or tires don't have a significant number of launches, and it's so hard to say when it came on... It's just been sort of creeping up for, well, maybe 8+months? I did have some down-time in there last fall which made it much more noticeable.

Sounds like the easiest thing is to get the tires properly checked. Thanks a lot Hammer for checking into that for me. Can't do this week, but will soon.

I did not know that those bearings could be adjusted. I have so much to learn! I haven't done the work myself on diff-related issues. Also had rear clutches replaced almost a couple years ago now.

Thanks again for all the input. Gimme a little time and I'll at least see if I can rule tires out...

 

[PRout]

RSimmons may be on to something too. Might want to post in the competition forum also if you haven't already. Lots of knowledge & similar situations there (as you know). From reading of your past achievements you'll beat this one too. . Nice job pavement princess - we're rootin' for ya.

Right. . sure hate just throwing money at it when someone else has already BTDT.

 

[Rhondasway]

Well, I made some diagnostic progress then went to post and my TDR account had expired! Sheesh! Okay, back on track...

So I took it to Les Schwab and they ran the tires on the Road (load) balancer and bingo! I guess they're supposed to be below 35lbs (of I don't know what, the guy couldn't explain it to me). 3 were below, and one came in at 82lbs. They couldn't tell if it's the tire or rim, so I have to find another rim, have it checked then mount the tire on it if it's good and check again. Why they didn't pop the tire off and at least check the rim I don't know...

So, $91 later and we might be onto something! Now I just have to locate a rim for diagnostics... That tire had been on l. front so we rotated and it's on r. rear now. Feels different.

Thanks again you guys!! TDR: still the best diesel resource going!

 

[McCRam]

IT would be cheaper to swap the tire to one of the good wheels than to buy a new wheel. Unless you want a new wheel. But to mount and rebalance a couple of tires shouldn't be more than 30 bucks. I am trying to fix a shaking tire my self. turned out one of my wheels got bent somehow and wrecked my new tire.