I have been chasing a vibration on my wife's lx470 since we bought it 3 years and 40,000 miles ago. I had actually chalked it up to the 8 year old set of michelins that were on it. Its more of a grrrr or drone that you feel in the floorboard and only over about 60mph. Replaced the tires last week and the noise/feel is still there. Finally decided to pull the drive shafts one at a time and drive it with the CDL button pushed. No change or possibly a little worse with the front drive shaft out. Noise and vibration completely gone when I pulled the rear drive shaft and ran only on the front. So, here is were I need advise. Both the spiders on the rear drive shaft feel perfectly smooth and there is absolutely no play in them. The rear is a little more free than the front, but even if I pry on them the they have absolutely no slop. Also, the weights are welded onto the drive shaft, I could not find anywhere that one may have came off. The two parts are in phase and the factory? paint marks on the flanges are lined up. I searched a lot of old post and found people cautioning changing u-joints when there not bad. A few ended up with vibrations worse than they started with and at least one ended up having to replace the whole drive shaft assembly. Is it possible that the drive shaft has been out of balance since it was new and the previous owner just ignored it? Is it possible that it just went out of balance on its own? It has never been off road and there are no marks on it that would make you think it could be bent. Or, could this be indicative of a bigger problem with either the bearing on the output of the transfer case or the input of the rear differential that only really gets noticed with the drive shaft in? What about rear wheel bearing, would they only make noise if the drive shaft is in? We don't have any decent drive shaft shops withing 50 miles or I would just go get it balanced and see what happens. Thanks...
Advise on vibration/u-joint
- Thread starter bwallen149
- Start date
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Find a local drive shaft shop to check the balance of the shaft. Have you greased the u-joints and slip joint regularly?
- Thread starter
- #3
Since 50K when we bought they have been greased regularly but it was vibrating when we got it. Do drive shafts just go out of balance without throwing a weight or getting hit. I just called a drive shaft shop an hour away and they want me to leave the shaft with them. I hate to drive an hour each way twice but I guess that may be what I have to do....
Have the DS checked by a shop.
Just cause there is no play does not mean that joints are good.
Also check diff pinion n TC flange for any play (up n down).
Check your TC rubber mounts make sure it's not toast.
Just cause there is no play does not mean that joints are good.
Also check diff pinion n TC flange for any play (up n down).
Check your TC rubber mounts make sure it's not toast.
If the vibration completely went away when you pulled the rear drive shaft you seem to be will on your way to isolating the problem. If it were me, i would make the drive or look for someone closer. Where are you, maybe someone cant point you to a closer shop?
- Thread starter
- #6
I will check the differential flange and TC flange...Never thought about the TC rubber mount...I will check that as well. I am in Bloomington IN, we have one local driveshaft shop but I swore them off when they messed up the driveshaft in my 80 series. Specifically told them to use Toyota joints and to not mess with the phase (front shaft on a fj80 is out of phase). Instead they switched the shaft and put in Spicer u-joints.
wildsmith
SILVER Star
I've changed UJ's on my 100 without problems, can't see why a driveshaft shop would have any trouble doing it if they need doing. If you've lived with the vibration for 40000 miles, that and your description suggest it's not really bad so you might be looking for play you can't easily measure on your bench even with a pry bar and is probably the rear UJ.
- Thread starter
- #8
Decided to put new U-joints in, test, and see if it still needs balanced. Do the new u-joints come with an assortment of snap rings? Kinda hard to know what size you need until its all together.
wildsmith
SILVER Star
The OEM U joints I've bought have only ever come with one thickness of snap rings and they've always been a good enough fit and should cover the majority of cases. You can always order an alternative size if you find that's needed.
Did you ever get these resolved? This was a long time ago and I’d guess you no longer own the rig, I’m about 150 miles north of Indy and having the same issue on my ‘05. Next times on my parts cannon list are rear prop shaft assembly and transmission mount.
