Yet another vibration thread!

[doctorjj]

I have searched and read until blue in the face.

Here's my story. Started having a vibration that seemed to be in the driveline. Checked the u-joints and the rear one was bad. Initially part of the vibration was better, but not ever gone. Now it's getting worse. I have re-changed the u-joints with NO effect. I have checked both the TC flange and the differential flange by hand and they both feel tight with no wiggle up and down or side to side and no in-out. I took out the rear driveshaft and drove around in FWD. The vibration was GONE when I did that, so I know it's somewhere in the rear driveline. It seems to be worse above 60 or so and especially with minimal to no load. Strong acceleration or deceleration lessens it. I jacked it up and the cranked it up to about 70. The driveshaft looked super smooth. The only vibration I could see was the passenger side rear tire, but I have to think it's not just a tire since the vibe was gone when I had the rear driveshaft out.

Could it be a bad bearing in the axle? How about the pinion? Can you feel it by hand if it's gone bad? Can the driveshaft look smooth yet still be the culprit? Help!!!!!!

 

[cabron]

it's probably a stretch, but have you greases all the driveline zerk fittings?

 

[doctorjj]

Yes. I greased the u-joints multiple times, as I've changed the front one 3 times and the back one twice. I greased the slip yoke, then read that overgreasing it might be bad, so I cleaned some of it out and even ran it with the nipple off for a while to sling out and extra. No effect.

 

[billstoyshop]

Sounds like the driveshaft is out of phase= Make sure the yokes are lined up perfect. =The drive shaft may have been taken apart and the splined end reinserted back in the incorrect place. Make sure the u-joints line up with each other ft. to rear. meaning the caps should be on the same plane. If not, remove the short splined yoke and rotate the shaft untill perfect cap alignment is made. The yokes on the 60 should also match ft. to rear. Good luck Bill (toyota master tech and NVH specialist)

 

[doctorjj]

Good thought, Bill, but that's one of the first things I checked. Sorry, I forgot to mention that in the first post.

 

[billstoyshop]

Do you have a lift kit installed? Check drive line angles ( the angle between the shaft and the Pinion and between the shaft and the out put shaft shaft of the transfer. These angles MUST be the same or you will get viberation from uneven shaft speed. Also a check for flage runout may be in order . Heavy load and unload deflections may change the angle and reduce the viberation. Typical problems like this on happen often on a lift kit install. The pinoin shaft rotates up with the lift and presto = Viberation. If this is the case a simple ft. caster shim put under the spring pack will correct the angle and let you get on with life . Bill

 

[doctorjj]

No true lift kit, but my rear shocks do have springs on them that boost up the back a little. It used to sag. I've had those shocks on for a while, though. The onset of the vibration didn't correspond to me putting on the new shocks. Do you think that could still be it though? My dad suggested pinion angle as well. I don't know?

 

[billstoyshop]

Sounds like the rear u-joint failure might have been the result of this underlying problem. The flange angles should be very close for optium smoothness - easy way to check these angles is with a magnetic angle gauge (hardware store) Remove the shaft and stick the guage on the flange ft. and rear. then lok at the readings Different =Bad -------Same=good----- Just eye ball it to start and then get the guage if you need it . P.S. Are the joints free and correct and are they oem or aftermarket? Bill

 

[FJ60Cam]

Does it make noise? I put a used third in the rear with a bad pinion and it sounded like I had mud tires on.

When my u-joints were bad it just vibrated without much noise.

 

[doctorjj]

No noise. I haven't checked the angles, yet.

Billy,
So the rear differential is obviously lower than the TC. Should the TC flange be pointing down toward the diff and the diff up toward the TC so that the U-joints are straight? Is that what you are saying?
The u-joints are free. I made sure and did that before I installed them. They are new aftermarket. The last one I put in was a GMB and said made in Japan.

BTW, thanks everyone so far for all your help.

 

[DaveWest5150]

are you sure it is in two wheel drive and not dragging the front around?
I mean are you sure the hubs are unlocking and that the front driveshaft is not turnning?

 

[doctorjj]

I can tell a difference when I lock or unlock the hubs when I turn the wheels going slow. Also, I can tell the difference when I kick it into and out of 4wd. If you have the hubs unlocked and hit the 4wd button when you are going slow ( like 3 mph) it will grind, so I know the hubs are unlocking, because if you have the hubs locked and then kick it into 4wd, no grinding, because they are spinning the same speed. I even took the front driveshaft out and it didn't affect the vibe. It's definitely a rear drivetrain issue.

 

[billstoyshop]

billstoyshop

The flanges have to be parallel to each other. The transfer case is usually ok - The differential is usually the problem. For example - a cheap lift kit is installed and the differential flange is pointed at the transfer case ,say up at 30 degrees. while the transfer case flange has not changed angles. This will create a difference in u-joint speed at the flanges. the rear u-joint will run with hardly any speed change through its rotational movement, but the ft. joint has to accelerate and decelerate as it turns through its revolution. the shaft cant flex so it binds and creates vibration. Got to go home now . Worked on a 45 all day , catch up with you monday. Bill

 

[rfj62]

Paging doctorjj

Hey just wondering if you ever came up with an answer to your vibration problem, same situation occuring with me, just looking for suggestions. Jeff

 

[doctorjj]

Yeah, I finally figured it out. It was cheap aftermarket u-joints and an driveshaft that was slightly bent. The driveshaft place took it apart at the slip joint and spun it 180. He said that helped a lot, but he still had to straighten the shaft. That with new Toyota u-joints at both ends made it smooth as silk.

 

[jemezcrusher]

My 62 does the same thing. Vibration with a rumble above 60 MPH. Put into neutral and noise went away. Spoke with Cdan about it and he said other then drive shaft, would have to be pinion bearing or (dread) output shaft bearing. Hope mine will be the same fix

 

[rfj62]

Yeah, I'm hoping it's nothing more then the drive shaft u-joints. The U-joints are not that old put done by the PO, so I have no idea what brand they are. My next step will be to take the ds to a ds shop and have them install OEM u-joints, balance it and see what happens. Thanks for the input. jeff

 

[lehiguy]

U-joint misery

Every time I have tried an after market U-joint in a Cruiser, it vibrates. The problem is that the clips, being inside the yoke, would not keep the caps tight against he end of the trunion. They would migrate outward with the centrifugal force and before long the vibes were back. Finally, a super sharp driveline guy figured this out and somehow got his hands on some thicker clips which solved the problem. I think OEM is the way to go, or switch to spicer stuff that's easier to find and cheaper too. I had to do that when virtually every component of my rear driveline was shot due to age and a 1/4 million miles.