Low speed vibration (1 Viewer)

[fordoford]

I know driveline vibrations have been talked about a number of times on here, but through my searches I’m having a hard time finding a situation similar to mine.

I see most occur at driving speeds, whereas mine is exclusively at very low speeds, under 10 mph being the worst. I notice it most in stop and go traffic, usually when I’m not pressing the accelerator, just coasting between maybe 1-10 mph. Hitting the brakes doesn’t make it worse or better either. It feels like an entire driveline shake, and can be relatively violent, aka non car minded people would notice while in the car with me. Engine idles completely fine, and car drives strong at all other speeds. It’s been going on for a while, and seems to be getting slightly worse as time goes on. Can’t remember exactly when it started, but not noticeably after any modifications or other work being done.

Let me know any other info that could be helpful and any places I should look. Thanks!

 

[67azcruizr]

do you feel the vibration in your hands (front end) or more in your seat (drivetrain)

any chance you hit a pothole and damaged a belt in one of your tires?, or maybe threw a weight?

did the vibration gradually increase/show up?

did you check your wheel bearings, tie rod ends or suspension link bushing(s)

any accompanying noises when taking deep turns?

 

[ppc]

Good possibility that the viscous coupler in the rear extension of the transfer case has seized. I would remove the front driveshaft lock the center diff and take it for a test drive.

 

[fordoford]

do you feel the vibration in your hands (front end) or more in your seat (drivetrain)

any chance you hit a pothole and damaged a belt in one of your tires?, or maybe threw a weight?

did the vibration gradually increase/show up?

did you check your wheel bearings, tie rod ends or suspension link bushing(s)

any accompanying noises when taking deep turns?

I’d say vibration is more in the seat, but feel it in the wheel also. Kind of just feels like it’s from everywhere, hard to explain. Could have hit a pothole but not sure. How do I go about figuring that out?
As far as I can remember it was gradual as I don’t recall a certain point in time when it started. Will check those things you mentioned, thanks for the advice.

I do have somewhat of a steering wheel wobble when making turns sometimes, but no noises.

 

[fordoford]

Good possibility that the viscous coupler in the rear extension of the transfer case has seized. I would remove the front driveshaft lock the center diff and take it for a test drive.

Will check on this when I get the chance. I would need to be in 4lo to lock the center diff, and my concern is I won’t be able to get to the driving conditions needed to induce the problem in 4lo. Any way to work around that?

 

[BILT4ME]

Will check on this when I get the chance. I would need to be in 4lo to lock the center diff, and my concern is I won’t be able to get to the driving conditions needed to induce the problem in 4lo. Any way to work around that?

When the VC fails, it typically fails in the "locked" configuration, so the thought here is it may be acting like the CDL is locked, when in fact the VC has failed.

 

[BILT4ME]

Your descriptions could be MANY things.

Can you possibly create a video, upload to YouTube and provide a link here? That may help us understand what the issue is.

Is it a shake, a wobble, a grind, a noise, or other? There are many things to think about.

How about giving us more info like:
Make
Model
Year
Miles
Recent service

 

[Marco Lau]

From my experience, vibration at stop and go at low speed points to many things, but one of them being transmission on its way out. That happened to me before my A440F took to the ghost. Hopefully that is not the case for you.

 

[ppc]

Will check on this when I get the chance. I would need to be in 4lo to lock the center diff, and my concern is I won’t be able to get to the driving conditions needed to induce the problem in 4lo. Any way to work around that?

To lock the CDL in high range without having the dash switch:
Place truck in low range until the CDL light is on and it has locked the CDL.
Put it back in Park and shut it off.
Remove the 30A DIFF fuse in the lower right of the fuse block by your left knee.
Restart the truck and place the transfer case into high range.
The CDL light should remain on.

 

[Malleus]

I know driveline vibrations have been talked about a number of times on here, but through my searches I’m having a hard time finding a situation similar to mine.

I see most occur at driving speeds, whereas mine is exclusively at very low speeds, under 10 mph being the worst. I notice it most in stop and go traffic, usually when I’m not pressing the accelerator, just coasting between maybe 1-10 mph. Hitting the brakes doesn’t make it worse or better either. It feels like an entire driveline shake, and can be relatively violent, aka non car minded people would notice while in the car with me. Engine idles completely fine, and car drives strong at all other speeds. It’s been going on for a while, and seems to be getting slightly worse as time goes on. Can’t remember exactly when it started, but not noticeably after any modifications or other work being done.

Let me know any other info that could be helpful and any places I should look. Thanks!

Bring it by the house and we'll look at it together.

 

[ZetheGSD]

Yeah out of the many potential failure points here I would also recommend checking the front drive flanges. Vibration on slow decel makes me think the flanges are about to strip with a bunch of play. Could be birfs as well potentially.

I have had multiple Solid axle swapped Toyotas that have done this with lose uni joints in the front shafts causing this exact concern.

 

[fordoford]

Bring it by the house and we'll look at it together.

That would be awesome… I’m up in Boone but will be back in Charlotte December 9th I believe. If that day would work for you I’d love to get a hands on opinion from someone who knows these better than I do. Let me know and no worries if that doesn’t work

 

[fordoford]

Your descriptions could be MANY things.

Can you possibly create a video, upload to YouTube and provide a link here? That may help us understand what the issue is.

Is it a shake, a wobble, a grind, a noise, or other? There are many things to think about.

How about giving us more info like:
Make
Model
Year
Miles
Recent service

Out of town currently and couldn’t replicate the problem properly yesterday for a video. It’s definitely a shake. Through the whole driveline.
97 LX450 with 240k miles. Most recent service was tires about 10k ago, and rebuilt passenger side axle about 10k ago also

 

[BILT4ME]

Out of town currently and couldn’t replicate the problem properly yesterday for a video. It’s definitely a shake. Through the whole driveline.
97 LX450 with 240k miles. Most recent service was tires about 10k ago, and rebuilt passenger side axle about 10k ago also

I'm guessing you have a slipped belt in a tire or two.

 

[Malleus]

That would be awesome… I’m up in Boone but will be back in Charlotte December 9th I believe. If that day would work for you I’d love to get a hands on opinion from someone who knows these better than I do. Let me know and no worries if that doesn’t work

That'll be fine.