Vibration Help (1 Viewer)

[Markuson]

It may not make sense - it’s what resolved my issue. I had no vibration before spacers and new Ridge Grapplers. Three balances, last was a road force balance with no resolution in vibration. Removed the spidertrax - almost no vibration. The spacers were installed properly and torqued to spec. Some people love them some spacers, for me it’s a non starter.

it makes me wonder if perhaps there is an underlying issue that exists on its own…where the added leverage of your spacer extending outward a bit may be simply bringing it to a noticeable level. Would be interesting to see if you can feel anything under hard corning, where weight/stress gets added to the our side & see if you can reproduce the vibration without them.

I don’t claim to have the answer, but I would be slow to assume that removal of the spacers has removed the issue.
It could be that the issue is still there, but not as glaring without them.

 

[Supra88]

I’d be hesitant to concede that improper torquing trashed the LCA bushings. That’s a lot of work and high dollar parts to change out especially if you’re unsure that’s the problem.

Jack the front end up and maneuver a long (4’+) pry bar around and through the front suspension components. There should be little if any play in all directions.

Check spacers again and/or remove them. As I recall there is a .5mm overbore on the hub. Clearances can stack and cause vibrations

Okay I spent some time under the front end. How much axial play is allowable on the axle? When I move the passenger side axle radially the whole diff support moves on the bushing. Here's a video:


Is this a bad bushing or axle moving too much?

 

[Supra88]

More videos:

 

[04UZJ100]

That axial movement appears to be the CV riding in the C clip groove internally which is acceptable. How about the LCA bushings - any movement from them?

 

[Supra88]

That axial movement appears to be the CV riding in the C clip groove internally which is acceptable. How about the LCA bushings - any movement from them?

I haven't found a good way to see if the LCA bushing are moving. When I put a floor jack under them directly, the whole vehicle lifts, and there's no movement in the bushing.

The passenger side axle "housing" coming off the diff is moving up and down on the support bushing. I would expect that to be tight.

 

[Supra88]

Took off the Spidertrax wheel spacers. No change.

The only thing I'm seeing is the diff axle housing bushing moving more than I think it should. It could very well be normal.

I hate to throw parts at it, but that's where it looks like I'm ending up.

Any other ideas or insights would be appreciated.

Just to recap: low speed intermittent seat of the pants vibration. It started after a botched alignment when they maxed the wheels/axles forward and didn't torque the LCAs down enough. The driver's front side of the LCA slid down while driving and sheared off the cam alignment tab.

 

[04UZJ100]

Took off the Spidertrax wheel spacers. No change.

The only thing I'm seeing is the diff axle housing bushing moving more than I think it should. It could very well be normal.

I hate to throw parts at it, but that's where it looks like I'm ending up.

Any other ideas or insights would be appreciated.

Just to recap: low speed intermittent seat of the pants vibration. It started after a botched alignment when they maxed the wheels/axles forward and didn't torque the LCAs down enough. The driver's front side of the LCA slid down while driving and sheared off the cam alignment tab.

Does it still vibrate when coasting in neutral? How about low speeds in low gears? For example 1st gear at 30mph.

How low is low speed? Replicate in reverse?

 

[Supra88]

Does it still vibrate when coasting in neutral? How about low speeds in low gears? For example 1st gear at 30mph.

Good idea I will try that.

 

[Supra88]

Does it still vibrate when coasting in neutral? How about low speeds in low gears? For example 1st gear at 30mph.

How low is low speed? Replicate in reverse?

No change in what I would describe as a "wobbly" vibration at low speeds. When I say low speed, I mean 5 mph, pulling of your driveway speed slow. It gets less pronounced the faster I go. Wife sat in the passenger and driver's seat and says it's worse on the passenger side.

 

[04UZJ100]

There is nothing rotating with enough inertia at 5mph to cause a low frequency vibration. Regardless of how loose it may be, even if the alignment is horrific.

if the engine were causing the vibration you would feel it Idling in drive/park/neutral etc.

At 5mph I’d examine condition of brakes. Warped rotor? Seized caliper? Grossly out of round tire? Are you simply feeling the knobby-niss of new tires??

 

[04UZJ100]

Does it change when driving in circles of different directions at low speed? Happen in reverse?

 

[Supra88]

Does it change when driving in circles of different directions at low speed? Happen in reverse?

No change with circles or reverse. Pulled the rock warriors off and put the 20" tundra wheels on. Same vibration.

 

[Sandroad]

So something is moving around that feels like a vibration at low speed and smooths out or stops moving around at higher speed. This is quite a puzzler. Your best bet is to just give the truck to me and then go buy another one to start over on a build. I'm free to come pick it up tomorrow.

Or alternatively, do you by any chance have a GoPro camera you could duct tape under there to see if you can capture what's moving when it isn't supposed to?

 

[04UZJ100]

No change with circles or reverse. Pulled the rock warriors off and put the 20" tundra wheels on. Same vibration.

View attachment 2428841

Did you check for signs of seized brakes or warped rotors?

 

[Supra88]

So something is moving around that feels like a vibration at low speed and smooths out or stops moving around at higher speed. This is quite a puzzler. Your best bet is to just give the truck to me and then go buy another one to start over on a build. I'm free to come pick it up tomorrow.

Or alternatively, do you by any chance have a GoPro camera you could duct tape under there to see if you can capture what's moving when it isn't supposed to?

No go pro, but nothing zip ties and an iPhone can't do!

 

[Sandroad]

Good job on the iPhone videos. Hopefully a suspension guru will spot something. Not a suspension guru, but it did seem to me the far left bolt on the drivers side video (with the 2 white marks no longer lined up) had some unusual movement.

 

[Supra88]

Good job on the iPhone videos. Hopefully a suspension guru will spot something. Not a suspension guru, but it did seem to me the far left bolt on the drivers side video (with the 2 white marks no longer lined up) had some unusual movement.

Thats the LCA the alignment shop didn't tighten down that subsequently slid down and sheared off the cam tab. It happened when my son was driving, the steering wheel suddenly went sideways on him. It probably bounced around for 10 miles until we had it towed back to the shop.

 

[linuxgod]

Do you ever feel like the brakes have too much travel sometimes, particularly after turning one way or the other (like backing out of your driveway), but other times the brakes work fine?

If you are feeling a wobble at low speed, I would jack up the front tires, pull the wheels, and then properly re-torque the front CVs. The 39mm nut needs to be torqued to 148 ft/lbs, then loosened, then re-torqued to a final spec of 251 ft/lbs. If someone just put an air gun on it and tightened it then you front wheels are what's wobbling.

 

[Supra88]

Do you ever feel like the brakes have too much travel sometimes, particularly after turning one way or the other (like backing out of your driveway), but other times the brakes work fine?

If you are feeling a wobble at low speed, I would jack up the front tires, pull the wheels, and then properly re-torque the front CVs. The 39mm nut needs to be torqued to 148 ft/lbs, then loosened, then re-torqued to a final spec of 251 ft/lbs. If someone just put an air gun on it and tightened it then you front wheels are what's wobbling.

I don't think my axles have ever been serviced. They're original.

 

[Supra88]

I have some new data to report:

The problem does seem amplified with the 17" tires versus the 20" tires. It could be my imagination, but my wife thought the same so it must be true.

Driving the truck hard in circles, clockwise and counterclockwise produces no vibrations. Although my wife almost threw up.

I'm questioning whether my suspension can handle the amount of weight I'm carrying and the extra rubber (new tires) threw it over the edge.

Here's my suspension set up:

OME 2701x in the front with 91005 struts.
OME 2721x in the rear with nitro sport shocks.

No idea what the 'x' is for? I have a spare lift set consisting of 2701 fronts and 2722 rears.

I can push the rear of the truck down easily, unlike when I had Slee heavies and Slee rear bumper on my 100 it was difficult to cycle the suspension.

I have an ARB rear with swing outs and spare tire, plus ARB front, winch, sliders, etc. Is the 2721x spring too light?