Vibrations re-visited

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Hessan Khan

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I have similiar vibrations on my 2001 4x4 as many others from my recent searches in the archives. I too have changed the tires, new front hubs (with Timken bearings) front end alignment, U-Joints and the vibrations still persist at about anything >80 MPH.

My question: Would balancing the steel drive shaft (mine is steel via magnet test) produce the same effect as going to the alum one (very expensive)? Have others done this balance successfully? Please and thank you. Hessank:unsure:

 
You could try to get your driveshaft balanced or you could find an aluminum one and fix it right.





Tom
 
front driveshaft. I had vibrations starting at 55-60 and I did all those things you did but I didnt change my hubs but i ended up taking the front driveshaft off and now it doesnt vibrate until like 90 which is probably normal. i also have the aluminum rear driveshaft.
 
There was a TSB on this exact issue. The fix was replacing the steel driveshaft with an aluminum one.





Tom
 
Thanks for all your input.

Fast Eddie, yes the CV joints were ruled out

If its the drive shaft, Kyle wrote that he has the alum one and the vibrations have moved to >90 . I am not sure why there should be any vibrations at all, at any speeds. Yesterday, just as a test, I drove my dad's 8 year old GMC 4x4 close to 110 mph for a moment and no vibrations.

When new, did these trucks vibrate >90 like they do now?

Am I balancing the front, rear or both?

Apart from the vibrations, I absolutely love this truck and I want fix it once and for all.



Hessank
 
Hessank, no the aluminum ones do not vibrate. I had one of those 03 ST's with the really bad vibration, anything over 70 and it would feel like I was going to vibrate off the road. They put in the aluminum driveshaft and it never vibrated again.



As for you original question, yes, a member here had their steel driveshaft balanced, it cost around $100 if I recall correctly. (quite a bit cheaper than the aluminum option) and it worked great for them. You will have to call around to some places to see where they do it, drive train repair places will and someone else mentioned that large truck repair places can balance them as well. I am sorry, but I don't remember who the member was that had this done. Maybe start a thread with "driveshaft balancing" as the topic and they will chime in.



I would get your rear driveshaft repaired and then see if that fixes the problem before you do anything else.



Edit, found the post, it was Yardsale in the post below that had his balanaced:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yardsale here,



In that referenced post, I noted that I had the drive shaft balanced, but it did not fix the vibration.



Since then I began a big bucks campaign to fix the vibration. The short story is that I re-geared the diffs from 3.73 to 4.10 to compensate for larger diameter tires and the vibration occurred at a lower speed than with the 3.73s (75 v ~87 MPH) because the drive shaft turns at a higher rate at a given vehicle speed than with the 3.73s. I eventually replaced the drive shaft with the aluminum noted in the TSB. The vibration is greatly reduced, but remains.



Folks have opinions about this and mine is that no vibration within the operational parameters of the vehicle is acceptable.



More info.:



The TSB (TSB05-20-11 - in my library) notes that it applies to 4.10 gears. With the re-gear the TSB now applies to my vehicle.



New differential bearings with with gear change

Transfer case rebuilt (new bearings and chain)

Replaced the U-joints on the steel drive shaft and had it re-balanced (again) - no change.

Replaced the transfer case rear housing (comes with new bearings)

Replaced the freshly rebuilt rear drive shaft with aluminum



Tested for vibration in all combinations of front and rear drive shafts with two sets of wheels. No difference.



Bottom line is that while the vibration may be worse for some than others, there is either a design or manufacturing defect and the TSB aluminum drive shaft fix treats the symptom not the cause. Without the dirty details from Ford (or a whole bunch more money), this problem will not be fixed.



I am no longer throwing parts at the problem. I am contacting PowerTrain Industries (http://powertrainindustries.com/index.htm) for a consult. I figure if I keep asking for references I might get to someone who knows what is the problem. Fingers crossed.



E-mail me of you wish.
 
Thank you Olaf and Yardsale for the updates. I was ready to spend whatever to fix the problem also. Maybe I will simply balance the drive shaft and reduce the vibrations. Everything on this truck works great. My pet peeves when driving are off-centered steering wheels and vibrations.This really sucks. Thanks again. Hessank
 
I am not confident that balancing the drive shaft will net a difference, but it might give you that well-I-tried and that cant be a concern any more feeling. You'll got new U-joints in the process and that might make a difference. Maybe try new U-joint first, then try the balance.



Y
 

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