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MJFlores

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  1. MJFlores
    I dumped my lemon 2014 Silverado Double Cab All Star Z71 due to vibration and a bunch of other issues, for a Ford F150 XLT 5.0 Crew Cab. After 8 months I'm finally happy again with my truck. I've owned nothing but Chevy for 28 years but that changed in Sept when I dumnped that POS amd went Blue Oval. Never owned a Ford before but I have to say I'm very impressed. Same gas milage, much better ride, and NO vibrations or recalls...or frame rust or weak AC or creaking and popping leaf springs, or recalls, or FM radio not working, or not lighted trim rings for stereo and climate control, or......you get the drift. That 2014 Silverado was a huge mistake, never to be made again. You're gonna love that Ford! I now I sure love mine.
  2. MJFlores
    Flat spotting is absolutely a real issue for car dealers. A heavy truck sitting on tires, on hot blacktop for a month without moving will ride rough for a few hundred miles until they return to how they were molded ie round. It's ok if you dont believe it...but flat spotting is a real occurance and the cure is to drive it..the longer it sat, the longer it takes to drive out of it. Some cheap tires, if they sit long enough are ruined and have to be replaced...you'll see a wear patern starting and you can actually feel the flat with your hand. Do you wonder why dealers ALWAYS have their tires OVERinflated on the vehicles out on the lot?...to minimize flat spotting.
  3. MJFlores
    I think of that myself but have concluded that if I didn't travel that highway I drive back and forth to work, and worked in the opposite direction I would have never noticed the tire jiggle piece of it. The past two days I drove the opposite direction and got a really nice ride. One of those days I monitored the transmission temperature and couldn't detect and difference from 100 up to almost 190 degrees. I bet some people just have better highways than others, or their truck came with different tires (non GY). I've been through so much with this truck that honestly, even the jiggle I get on the way home which is the worst stretch of HW I experience it on...I may not have noticed it or considered it "crappy road". We're all WAY hyper sensitive at this point....but for good reason.
  4. MJFlores
    Here's my thoughts as I dig even further. To catch people up, GM installed a new drive shaft in my truck, and all 4 tires with the same GY SRA's I originally had. The shaft change made a huge difference, as did the tires. Right now what I'm feeling is "tire jiggle" on rough road surfaces. Unfortunately, the HW I drive to and from the office is the worst, but other HWs I drive when on the road or on weekends give me a pretty decent ride. I'm 50/50 on deciding if my isssue is intermittent, or if it's road surface dependent which I'm thinking more and more that it is. One observation I had is, this is the lightest Silverado GM has ever made, and the Rancho shocks they used this year are extremely stiff. Try this sometime...push hard on the side of your bed a few times and then let go and watch...the only thing that flexes is the tire sidewalls...causing the truck to "wag" back and forth a few cycles. The far side shock never moves or absorbs any of the motion. Now do the same thing with your shoulder and then stop pushing by leave your shoulder lightly pressing on the bed panel to feel whats happening there. I distinctly feel the same wiggle feeling I get throughout the truck when driving over 70 on a rough highway. I believe most of us are feeling tire sidewall jiggle, mixed in with that V4 rough feeling it produces. Some may or may not have bad tires, unbalanced drive shafts (which I had), or other issues. I notice my jiggle feeling on rough pavement is much worse if I have an empty gas tank vs a full tank. Ultimately, I don't think there's a mechanical problem with these trucks, but I believe the design is poor...too light a frame and too stiff a shock. I don't know what would happen if we switched to a more plush shock, or tires with a stiffer sidewall. I would image an LT rated tire would make a difference but that may just stiffen things up even more and cause a bumpy ride. Anyway, try that push test in the rear and compare to what happens in the front of the truck when you do it. Try leaving your shoulder in contact with the bed and see if what you feel mimics what you feel when driving on the highway.
  5. MJFlores
    Could have been the stretch of highway or road? My ride to work isnt too bad...on the way home in the other lane it's the worst ot does it. I can drive the opposite way any time and at any temp and it's very good. I've believe I've almost gotten to know when and where the vibration will happen because of where it happened in the past...or by look of the pavement. The most road sensitive vehicle I've even owned and driven. There still could be something else there at play too but there are roads I can drive that I get a good ride on so, hard to say. If the engineers can't figure it out I dont think I will either. I have to decide if I can live with it or move on.
  6. MJFlores
    The little wiggle I feel is there even if I put the truck in neutral and coast a bit. A tourque converter issue would change depending on how much throttle you're applying, or what gear you're in. I think a lot of people are having all sorts of different issues, on a truck design that is very sensitive to begin with. This makes it very hard to nail down across the board. At the shop I take my truck, they did a complete transmission tear down on another truck and couldnt find anything wrong with it. They're pretty certain it's not a trans issue...but I wouldn't be surprised if someone did have an issue with their trans. Lots of different problems lumped into "it vibrates on highway" theme. This is why there's no one fix avialble to to solve everyone's problems. They're sort of forced to tackle them on an individual basis.
  7. MJFlores
    I'm betting they all do it, but in some areas the highways are better and the issue isn't felt, or people do feel it and assume it's normal, which it sort of is. I'll admit that if I hadn't had issues already with the tires, and drive shaft and started with what I feel now I dont think I would even bring it in and have looked at. Right now I'm ultra sensitive to any little wobble so I feel it but it's easier and easier for me to write it off as road surface. I mean, no truck rolls down a highway without the driver feeling "something". I know others are still having trouble with issues that are drive line related, and I'm not discounting that at all (I went through all that trouble shooting too). I just think that this design is extremely sensitive, or unable to dampen normal road vibration from the driver to begin with...throw in the rear end and drive shaft issues, bad tires, and the owner is in for a terrible ride. We can all feel what the truck drives like when in V4 mode even at average speeds...imagine that "rough" feeling and and add to it road imperfections being telegraphed through the body...these trucks just are not well driving trucks. Not overly bad mind you, but not the perfection we all want in a new ride. I'm really wondering is a better shock would be a big fix for the issue. Lets face it, Rancho shocks are cheap and not what you put in if you're looking for a nice highway ride. Ford switched to Rancho a few years back and had all sorts of ride complaints...I believe they switched and no longer use Rancho.
  8. MJFlores
    Maybe it's road input? Im starting to think these trucks are very sensitive to road. Too light a frame, stiff shocks, etc. It shouldn't be like that but I believe they are. I think my wiggle is road sensation that the truck is telegraphing up to the drivers compartment rather than be able to dampen out. I'd really like to know how many other people think this is happening also. Mine is slight, and come and goes according to which stretch of road I'm on. Often times I cans ee the cracks and stuff on the highway and feel the truck doing it....new pavement thats really flat and the truck seems smooth.
  9. MJFlores
    My update: 2014 Silverado double cab, Z71 5.3 liter. I had a bad shake on the highway...been through rebalancing, etc. The dealer swapped all 4 tires to the same but new GY SRA (18"). New driveshaft, this time aluminum shaft. The trucks drives much better than it did....but I still get a tiny bit of wiggle sensation on SOME higway stretches. Some highways (this is new england...are roads arent the best) the truck drives real good on, others I feel a wiggle..that I think is normal road imperfection coming up through the body. It's not in the wheel, or seat, or door...just all over and it's slight. After being through all this you sort of go looking for shakes that if I hadn't been through all the troubleshooting maybe I'd be able to write it off as normal. On a stretch that I get a wiggle/ road feel from...I can drop the truck in neutral and it still does it, if I change lanes or hit a new patch of road thats been redone the ride gets way better. Help a paranoid guy out here Are these trucks just VERY sensitive to road input and imperfections? I definately had an issue with tires of driveshaft but now I have the same wiggle feel somtimes..that I feel at slower speeds on bumpy back roads. Maybe these Rancho shocks are just the wrong shock for these frames? The dealer has offered to swap my shocks but for a new pair of Ranchos so I'll probably do that. I'm tempted to offer to pay the difference for a better shock, Bilstein of something. So what do you think...am I being overly critical at this point? I think my expectations might be out of wack now on what to expect from this truck on the highway. My wife thinks it drives great now compared to what it did. Your opinions are appreciated on my individual situation.
  10. MJFlores
    I believe Chappy got his fixed with a ring gear replaced. Mine is going in sometime this week (hopefully) for 4 new different tires, and a new "improved" drive shaft design. I'm just waiting for the call to say the parts are in. If these items don't fix it I assume it'll be ring and pinion gears next, then trans pump, then torque converter. After that I don't know what they'll replace...hopefully GM will have some sort of harmonic balance device to solve the issue? I don't know....I don't want to be an engineer....I just want to turn the key and step on a gas pedal without feeling shaking in a new truck.
  11. MJFlores
    I believe it's already been determined that there's no correlation between vibration issues and build date, body style, engine, rim size, or power train. If it's a 2014 1500 it may or may not have the vibration problem. Some of the first 2014's had it....and some of the newest ones on the lots right now have it. Keep in mind that this thread will be a year old in a few weeks with new comers popping in regularly. We should all get club jackets or something.
  12. MJFlores
    I'm sure some ride very nice...but others ride terribly. Mine rides very poorly with the hop / wobble starting now around 55. I used to think temp effected it more, and it might but truthfully I dont care anymore. It needs to be fixed and I dont have time to worry about WHY it's defective. It just is and has to be fixed, and soon. The loaner 2014 double cab I got, with a V6 shook worse than mine. The dealer tells me they have many people coming in with the same problem as mine and they're still trying to figure it out. The GM engineer that looked at mine says it's tires, and they're putting in a new drive shaft design in too...next week. I'll let everyone know here if those two items are the magic fix. So no, not all 2014 trucks have these shake issues which means it's not a design issue and therefore is fixable and must be fixed for the customer. Mine goes back for the 5th time next week when the new tires and shaft show up. That's FIVE times. I have an open case with GM on the matter so we'll see what trip number five results in.
  13. MJFlores
    Update on mine. I dropped the truck off yesterday morning and GM sent an engineer to the dealership to look at the truck. They've order 4 new tires of a different type (not sure what kind). They tell me the swapped around different tire combos and that fixed it? They're also ordering the latest model drive shaft and will put it all in next week sometime when the stuff arrives (I guess they have a new drive shaft design). I opted to take my truck back at the very end of day yesterday but I wish I hadn't because the vibration / wobble issue is three times worse now than its ever been. I'm hoping that could be a good sign since if they were moving tires and rims around and if that made the problem much worse...maybe it is all tires? I dont know what else was done to the truck. I do think I'll call the dealer today and ask for a rental and they can keep my truck there as the ride quality right now is VERY bad and I can't imagine driving it like that until next week. So, it's going in for a 5th time now. It's becoming very difficult to stay positive here. I'm trying to keep in mind that if messing with tires yesterday mad eit much worse, then it's got to be tires at least in part. Here's to hoping and waiting some more.
  14. MJFlores
    Chappy, hows your truck...still 100% fixed after the rear end gears?
  15. MJFlores
    Ya know, the unfortunate thing about this thing is....now nobody can say with any certainty if the new ring and pinion gears were the fix on your truck. If they had put in the new gears and driven it as is it would have been nice. There's a possibility that the drive shaft being properly balanced on the vehicle fixed everything. All in all, what matter most is that the truck is fixed but this sort of tells me that each truck is being looked at as an individual case and not as a potential fix for all the trucks out there with vibration issues. My drive shaft was balanced with hose clamps, and it might have fixed a little bit of the issue but I still have a lot of vibrating / pulsating which is really unacceptable. Honestly I feel like something is about to break and I've avoided driving long distances, day trips, etc because of it. Not at all what I want to be doing with a brand new truck. It's really begun to be depressing.
  16. MJFlores
    Mine now has 2 HOSE CLAMPS on the drive shaft as well. They are HOSE CLAMPS, not welded on drive shaft weights. I guess this can work as a test, but they really should be used to mark spots, and then weights welded on as a permanent fix. Mine made no difference by the way, it still have a very annoying and completely unacceptable shake and I'm over 3 months and 3 trips in trying to chase down this thing...to get t to where it should have been when I bought it off the lot. I go in for a 4th time this Wed, and we have entered lemon law territory now.
  17. MJFlores
    I agree...if man built it man can fix it. However...getting them to fix it is the real problem that just seems to drag out for months. From a customer service standpoint it's unacceptable. I go in for my 4th trip next Wed, and they want to replace shocks. Ugh. I'm mentioning that a Ring and Pinion swap has fixed two trucks that I know of, and that I want the ring gear inspected on mine. Very frustrating. Real glad for Chappy though....I hope ya go on a nice long, smooth ride this weekend and can really enjoy that truck now!!
  18. MJFlores
    Awesome news! Sounds like yours is fixed. Any idea what the field engineers name is? I may want him fixing mine!!
  19. MJFlores
    Yes, if this were easy to pinpoint and nail down then we'd all be fixed by now. I'm trying to remain positive, and am willing to let them install shocks to see if this fixes it. Personally, I don't expect it will but why not let them try. After everything has been replaced, they'll have to do something. Each month that goes by, my loan principle gets smaller making it easier to bail out. Meanwhile, everyone I know keeps seeing me driving rentals and they'll remember what they're seeing when it's their time to buy. Maybe they'll fix it, maybe they wont. I have a case open with GM and have been e-mailing back and forth daily. I will ask when I drop it off on Wed, what's the next step when the shocks don't correct the issue? We're already into Lemon Law territory here so I'll have to point that out if things begin to stall. Crazier things have happened..maybe shocks will do it. I have been looking at other model trucks, and none of them including the Ford Ecoboost gets close to the gas mileage we're getting. The last few tanks I've averaged 20.5 mpg so, it's worth it to let them try to fix it. Who knows, the 2015 trucks should be out soon and they're going to owe us a final fix or a hell of a deal into a new truck. As an aside, if it were a transmission issue...we'd have noise and low speed issues too...for me it's stricktly highway, after a few miles of driving at speed and it's better when cool. That doesn't have the symptoms of torque converter or pump. Later today I'll check the trans fluid and see what it looks like. Personally I think this whole vib problem is going to come down to something really stupid...maybe just like Ford's harmonic balancer issue. Time will tell but until them try to remain positive...it's very hard but dont let a truck wreck your life.
  20. MJFlores
    I spoke with my dealer today (who I like and feel comfortable saying they're trying and have been good to me) and have an appointment to bring in my truck next week. They tell me they fixed another Silverado that had the same vibration issues I'm experiencing...by switching shocks. Lets see if this is the fix guys...wouldn't that be awesome? I'm choosing to remain optimistic. If anyone else is heading in maybe mention that you heard that shocks fixed another truck so try it on yours? Cant hurt right? Lets stay positive and see where this leads.
  21. MJFlores
    This is actually really good feedback, because if an adjustment to the Trans control module made the problem worse, then we can surmise that the problem lays within the trans. This would explain why some people have no vibs but we all do...there's no doubt a problem with some of the transmissions GM used, and we happen to have those in our particular trucks. I still have a case open with GM, and on Monday I'm going to ask that they focus on the transmission..particulary the CM, pump, and torque converter. They've been through everything else on mine with no change in symptoms so sooner or later the trans is going to have to be investigated. I hope they replace the whole darn thing so I can actually drive my new truck without that sick feeling I get when I need to get on the highway. I dont even like driving this truck right now, because I feel like there's a failure and breakdown coming my way. This isn't why you purchase a new truck.
  22. MJFlores
    Well, now it's working again. Whatever causes it to switch on when you put it in reverse stopped working, there's a switch there somewhere. For now it's working, lets hope it stays that way. I don't now about this truck.
  23. MJFlores
    I do belive this is a trans issue also. If you think about it, nobody that has had this specific issue has been successfully repaired with a tire, rear end, or drive shaft fix / replace. Mine shakes at it's worst when in cruise control, which would point to a trans pump pehaps? Or torque converter? I dont wish to be a mechanic or engineer...I simply want to drive my truck and not think about stuff like this. GM has e-mailed me back and said they're gathering more info and talking to the dealer and that I'll hear from them soon. Lets see what they'll do, I hope they can restore my faith here and get us all fixed up so we can all get some resolution and start enjoying our new trucks.
  24. MJFlores
    I left the hosue with the family and the camera worked fine. When we were coming home I was backing out of my spot and my backup camera wont come on. Turned the truck off and back on, doesn;t come on. The screen doesn't go blank, it just shows the regular radio screen and never tries to switch to the camera view. When I got home I tried again, and tried shutting down and starting back up and still nothing. Any ideas anyone? This is the iceing on the cake with this truck.
  25. MJFlores
    Ugggh....and tonight my back up camera stopped working.
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