Vibration diagnosis

[RHanna]

About 4 months ago I drove my jeep to a local off road park to let my 13 year old son drive offroad. Had no problem driving to the park and didn't realize I had a problem until I was on the road back home. I was having problems with an overheated battery so I didn't want to hook up my air compress to the battery to reinflate the tires. The local gas station was about 4 miles away. When I went to inflate the rear passenger tire I could fell heat before I even go close to the valve stem. Inflated the tires and drove to a local autozone. The vibration was bad. After not being able to figure out my problem I called my wife and father in law to drive my truck and trailer to come pick us up. I've replaced the passenger side caliper, pads and rotors, replaced the driver side calipers since I had to buy the pair. Replace all 4 brake lines (recall on the current lines). I replaced the axle shaft because it looked like the seal was leaking and the flange was wobbling enough to worry me. Still have vibrations starting around 35 mph. Before this trip I've had new rear driveshaft, rear pinion bearing replaced, new tires. Again, I felt nothing on the drive to the park, 2 hour drive and mostly interstate going 70 mph.

I guess my next step is to replace the driver side shaft since I already have it. This offroad park is a green level park, maybe one step above a gravel road/trail.

 

[Hasselblad]

First and foremost I'd say get the tires balanced/aligned. May have lost a weight.

 

[The4bangertj]

Vibration is probably you knocked off some wheel weights, or driveshaft itself or angle is off.

To narrow the problem, does the vibration get worst the faster you go? When does it start?

 

[RHanna]

Vibration is probably you knocked off some wheel weights, or driveshaft itself or angle is off.

To narrow the problem, does the vibration get worst the faster you go? When does it start?

It looks like the weights are still on the wheels but not sure if some fell off. I guess I could swap the spare tire on the passenger side. I haven't driven it past 45mph, I just turn around and head home. It fells like its in the rear of the jeep.

 

[The4bangertj]

If you feel in the rear try swapping the rear tires to the front. That will show ya if it’s the tires if the vibration moved to the front.

Do you have an sye? Did you hit your belly? I’ve seen people dent the belly enough to change the pinion angle enough to cause a vibration.

 

[RHanna]

If you feel in the rear try swapping the rear tires to the front. That will show ya if it’s the tires if the vibration moved to the front.

Do you have an sye? Did you hit your belly? I’ve seen people dent the belly enough to change the pinion angle enough to cause a vibration.

I could rotate the tires next. I have a sye and I did not hit the belly.

 

[OilSpot74]

First and foremost I'd say get the tires balanced/aligned. May have lost a weight.

Second this

 

[macleanflood]

Completely agree on the tires.

But once you've checked those start shaking your driveshafts. You'll see if you have a problem.

In this case my centering ball was out on my rear shaft. I replaced it but it probably egged out the yoke on my SYE. Hopefully it didn't damage the shaft.


View: https://youtu.be/BG8gIw4eHhI?is=6jknsa8sq7Loxx3o

-Mac

 

[RHanna]

Swapped the driver side shaft because I had it new. Swapped the passenger side rear tire with my spare tire and I'm still getting vibrations. I guess my next stop is to discount tire to balance all of my tires. It would be crazy to me if that's my problem. This offroad trip was nowhere near the difficulty I plan on riding this jeep. Could the tire lubrication uses to get the tire on the wheel cause it to spin on the wheel? Just wondering if airing down caused it.

 

[The4bangertj]

You can spin a tire on a bead if you were low enough pressure with or without the tire lube.

 

[Gilaguy23]

When you say vibes IMO there are 2 distinct differences. High freq vibes like drive shaft issues or low freq vibe/ shaking like a tire issue. Jack it up, grab each wheel and check for it being loose or bent. Check the D/S U joints, pinion and T case for a bad bearing. Mud packed in a wheel or a rock jammed between a wheel and drum, all that fun chit. Granted all was good before the park but generally speaking anymore "new" means diddly with regard to quality, balanced, straight or the correct machined tolerances.

 

[Jhighers]

Front u joints or even drive shaft joints. Give them a once over.

 

[RHanna]

I appreciate the help and I’m kind of slow right now getting things done with life getting in the way. I think next up is dropping it off at discount tire for them to balance the tires. Then I’ll probably remove the front driveshaft since it probably needs to work, then maybe the rear.

 

[RHanna]

So I’ve always had a bit of an uneasy feeling driving my jeep over 60 mph, just because I’m do the majority of the work on it. I never did a lot of that mechanical type of work growing up but a have a decent mind for it, or so I thought.

Well today just made things worse. I haven’t confirmed it was the source of the vibration but 3 of the 4 bolts attaching the rear driveshaft to the transfer case were so loose I could take them out by hand. The four was barely tight. Maybe half turn with a wrench and I was able to hand loosen it. Pulled them all out, applied red loctite and tighten them back on. I'll let the loctite set and go for a drive tomorrow. What an idiot.

 

[macleanflood]

I've done worse. And I have videos.

You learned something. You didn't die. It wasn't expensive.

Congratulations!

-Mac

 

[That'll Buff]

So I’ve always had a bit of an uneasy feeling driving my jeep over 60 mph, just because I’m do the majority of the work on it. I never did a lot of that mechanical type of work growing up but a have a decent mind for it, or so I thought.

Well today just made things worse. I haven’t confirmed it was the source of the vibration but 3 of the 4 bolts attaching the rear driveshaft to the transfer case were so loose I could take them out by hand. The four was barely tight. Maybe half turn with a wrench and I was able to hand loosen it. Pulled them all out, applied red loctite and tighten them back on. I'll let the loctite set and go for a drive tomorrow. What an idiot.

I was once under my jeep a couple years ago for some random unrelated reason that I cant remember. What I do remember after crawling under was looking up and noticing the frame side upper control arm bolt up front was nearly all the way out. I was lucky I didn't lose the flag nut, it was held on by maybe a thread or two. Left me paranoid and checking all the bolts nearly every day for a month.

 

[RHanna]

Well that seems to have been the problem. I guess I should have started with the obvious vibration spot first. In my mind I was thinking the driveshaft is brand new so it can't be my problem. On the plus side the fix was super cheap, if you ignore all the parts I changed before finding the real problem.