Vibration and play

[chillman88]

I've had a vibration for a while and it's getting worse. Starts out about 55 or so and gets progressively worse. I've spoken with a few people and gotten some good advice but figured I'd post here too.

I was told to check my u-joints. I did today. I couldn't feel any binding or sticking except just a little tiny bit at the yoke. I really don't think it's enough to cause any vibrations yet. However...

I have play in the yoke.

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I'm pretty sure that's slipping on the splines, which means the yoke is shot. The pinion bearings are tight. No slop in any direction, just the rotational slip. It turns smoothly with the wheel off the ground. I should add the pinion was loose when I got the truck, we replaced the seal and tightened it up and it's been fine so far.

There's a trace of slop between the tabs for the u-joint caps too, allowing a little side to side play. I'm sure that's not helping.

What else should I check? I'm leaning towards sending the driveshaft out for balancing.

Should I try replacing the yoke first before sending the driveshaft out? I'm sure it needs to be done anyway.

Steering seems fine. I can let go of the wheel and it doesn't pull or wander. I had the front tires balanced and repacked the bearings and it made no difference.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Yes. I say to replace that yoke first.

 

[chillman88]

Yes. I say to replace that yoke first.

I just wish they weren't so darned expensive! Cheapest one I've found is $170 on Amazon. Just have to double check the u-joint dimensions before I order.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0078U8G60/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_S1XFSF8K4VD8H7C2C11B

 

[chillman88]

I just called the shop that's about an hour away. He charges $50 to balance so it's going there either way. That's worth the peace of mind at that price.

Now I just have to get the ball joints done in the other truck so I can drive it down.....

I'll be ordering that yoke as soon as I verify the u-joint size, although I'm pretty sure they're 1350 joints.

 

[Greenie]

High speed vibration can be difficult to solve. I tried Centramatic wheel balancers - they go one between the wheel and the hub and automatically apply weight to counteract an out of balance wheel/tire. No joy. I bought new steel wheels thinking one was bent or out of round . No joy. Took the truck to a driveline balancing shop. No joy.
What finally solved the vibration was good, heavy tires. Michelin XPS RIB truck tires. 57 pounds each - that mass spinning did the trick. Goodyear Wranglers were the worst - the truck came with General highway tires which were very good at high speeds as well.
I found that from the time I bought the truck new that merely removing and replacing a front wheel for brake work would start a vibration if the wheel wasn't replaced exactly as it came off. I'd mark the wheel and one stud so the wheel went on exactly as it came off. Rotating the wheels every 5K miles was hit or miss - if the truck vibrated after the rotation I would change the wheel position on the hub until it smoothed out. The front axles were critical - the rear axles didn't matter.
I hate a vehicle that vibrates at highway speeds.

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[chillman88]

I hate a vehicle that vibrates at highway speeds.

I'm so used to it between my truck and the truck I drive at work, but it gets old FAST!!! It feels like it's going to fly apart at 70, it's nasty!

My past experiences tell me that I don't THINK it's the tires, but it could be. For the $50 I'll balance the driveshaft just to eliminate the variable from the equation. This is a dually so the wheels only clock one way anyway because of the alignment pins.

I can try new tires down the road if I need to.

 

[Big Bart]

Some thoughts.

1) While you are in there replace the u-joints.
2) Drive shaft imbalance is very different than wheel balance. It also usually seems to come and go. It usually seems to be more pronounced. It feels like it is coming from the middle of the truck. So if your steering wheel is not shaking it’s not the front tires. If it’s the rears it will feel more like the tail of the truck.
3) Things to try.
a) If the drive shaft is dirty, muddy, or has a glob of grease clean it off.
b) You can try putting the drive shaft on 180* opposite. On the axle yoke.
c) Try putting the tranny side yoke in a different. Pull turn 180* and replace.
d) Look to see if something hit the driveshaft and dented, bent, or knocked a weight off.
e) If you did anything to the driveline geometry. Lift kit, new axle, reinstalled the tranny, might be The cause.
f) If you have a center support bearing check it for wear or a bad rubber housing.

If it changes its driveline related.

Some other ideas.
1) See if your wheels are missing any weights or the tire is seperating or ballooning.
2) Check your shocks, perhaps one tire is bouncing at that speed.
3) See if your rims are clean. We have been off roading in mud, it stuck to the rim, acted like a wheel weight causing a out of ballance.
4) If stick check to see if you see pieces in the bell housing. Perhaps the starter ring, clutch, pressure plate, etc is broken and out of balance. But the truck should do it in neutral at the same rpm.

 

[subway]

let me look around, I might have an extra yoke from when I combined 2 axels to make one good one for my truck a few years back.

 

[chillman88]

let me look around, I might have an extra yoke from when I combined 2 axels to make one good one for my truck a few years back.

Yeah let me know. I have one coming but with the clutch out now I really don't care about the yoke yet. If you have one I could send this one back.

 

[Ohiorandy]

Lots of good info from Big Bart. I have had vibration issues with u-joints that had zero play. Could find no other causes so took out the u-joints and upon inspection were bad. Replaced and no more vibration.

 

[DOE-SST]

Had similar vibration on two different IDIs. Turned out to be the tires. Two Cooper radials that had more than 50 % tread left and an almost new Hankook tire. Big-O dealer that sold them to me refused to make it right. The outer tread was separating from the inner tread but wasn't really noticeable by eyeball. Spinning the front tires against a piece of chalk revealed the bubbles.