Shake or Vibration Issues

seamus2154 · April 22, 2014

Well add me to the list! 2014 5.3, 3.08 gears, crew cab, 2wd, LTZ. Have always owned GMC and chevy trucks my entire life. This is the nicest, and most expensive truck I have bought and I am very disappointed so far. Have the vibration since day one and missed it on the test drive as we were excited and checking other things. 75-82 is the worst and that is my cruise speed on the turnpike everyday!! Now I have to have my brand new truck experimented with?? GM is really falling off. I went through hell with My Zo6 w/ the Z07 package for the same reason! Vibrated horribly. 10 trips to the dealer trying every cheap fix till they finally paid for new and very expensive carbon ceramic rotors. That fixed it immediately. They knew what the issue was but try to blow you off and wear you down. same here they know but don't want to fix 100,00 rear ends! I can actually hear my pinion when I am on the gas and it goes away when I let off. I am certain the lash is off.

pm26 · April 22, 2014

Well add me to the list! 2014 5.3, 3.08 gears, crew cab, 2wd, LTZ. Have always owned GMC and chevy trucks my entire life. This is the nicest, and most expensive truck I have bought and I am very disappointed so far. Have the vibration since day one and missed it on the test drive as we were excited and checking other things. 75-82 is the worst and that is my cruise speed on the turnpike everyday!! Now I have to have my brand new truck experimented with?? GM is really falling off. I went through hell with My Zo6 w/ the Z07 package for the same reason! Vibrated horribly. 10 trips to the dealer trying every cheap fix till they finally paid for new and very expensive carbon ceramic rotors. That fixed it immediately. They knew what the issue was but try to blow you off and wear you down. same here they know but don't want to fix 100,00 rear ends! I can actually hear my pinion when I am on the gas and it goes away when I let off. I am certain the lash is off.

I have a hunch that even much cheaper brake rotors that are properly balanced would have fixed that problem. What is happening is truly hard to swallow. Companies are exporting manufacturing of parts overseas and quality control inevitably suffers. I am certain that the American Axle Co. has exported manufacturing and assembly of axles for these trucks to some third world country or simply deleted a lot of former quality control checks, or both. You put a poorly trained worker on something like axle assembly line and he will screw up several hundred assemblies before he learns what he did wrong, because evidently they do not bother to do certain quality checks to ensure proper assembly in China, Mexico, India, or wherever they make them. And someone is bound to have that poorly assembled out of spec axle assembly installed on their truck! Or poorly balanced or improperly welded drive shaft. Or badly balanced brake rotors or drums. Or a poorly assembled transmission or transfer case. Welcome to globalization. Screwing the customer and US worker alike since its inception.

Edited April 22, 2014 by pm26

TxTruckMan · April 22, 2014

I have a hunch that even much cheaper brake rotors that are properly balanced would have fixed that problem. What is happening is truly hard to swallow. Companies are exporting manufacturing of parts overseas and quality control inevitably suffers. I am certain that the American Axle Co. has exported manufacturing and assembly of axles for these trucks to some third world country or simply deleted a lot of former quality control checks, or both. You put a poorly trained worker on something like axle assembly line and he will screw up several hundred assemblies before he learns what he did wrong, because evidently they do not bother to do certain quality checks to ensure proper assembly in China, Mexico, India, or wherever they make them. And someone is bound to have that poorly assembled out of spec axle assembly installed on their truck! Or poorly balanced or improperly welded drive shaft. Or badly balanced brake rotors or drums. Or a poorly assembled transmission or transfer case. Welcome to globalization. Screwing the customer and US worker alike since its inception.

You sound like a union leader with all your anti-export lies. Instead of posting UAW talking points, how about some facts? Do you have any? Didn't think so.

Here's some - according to JD Power, the 1st year run of the new Silverado/Sierra (which has less US sourced parts than Ford, Ram, or Toyota) has the highest quality of all full-sized trucks. Even better than the current runs of Ford and Ram, which are mostly built and assembled in the US with more US parts. How do you explain that? Facts directly contradict your opinion.

bowflygsp · April 22, 2014

Silverado LT 4WD Z71, Double Cab, 5.3L, 3.42 rearend (I think), ~2200 miles

OK, I have been watching this thread ever since I got home from the dealership when i bought my truck a month and a half ago.

I first noticed the vibration about halfway home from the dealership and have experienced it pretty much everytime I have driven it since.

The vibration I am experiencing is a little bit different from the others on here but I wanted to see what you guys thought.

I would like to take the truck into the dealership next week or so and I want to have as much info beforehand as possible in case they are unhelpful.

The vibration is most noticeable when coasting/decelerating from 55mph down to about 35mph.

When accelerating from a stop up past 55 or 60mph, the vibration is not always noticeable, but it is consistently there if I slow back down to below 55mph.

Then, if I accelerate again, the vibration seems to lessen but still noticeable until I get above about 55mph.

I have had three different sets of tires on it (my own doing, not due to troubleshooting this issue) so I don’t think it is an unbalanced wheel or anything like that.

It feels like a drivetrain vibration to me, but I’m far from an expert in this area.

I can feel it in the floorboard and slightly in the gas pedal, but I do not seem to notice it in the steering at all.

I am a bit concerned about the dealership being uncooperative due to the fact that I have a 2" leveling kit installed and swapped the Goodyears for Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 2 tires sized LT275/70R18.

Has anyone with a leveling kit installed taken their truck to a delaership?

If so, what kind of response did you receive?

Like I said, I noticed this vibration the first day i owned the truck (before any modifications) so I know it is not related to the mods.

Any suggestions or insight will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

2strokesmoke · April 22, 2014

I believe there is an axle assembly line plant in Mexico Silao

I remember reading somewhere they had issues keeping up to production demands around Sept-Dec.

Could it be due to parts out of spec causing a shortage at the assembly line.

Some bad parts always make there way to the line, but quality controls job is to catch them early.

I know it takes around an average of 90 days to cycle parts through when making a change

Japanese manufacturing plants use the just in time system, allowing an average 2 week use of parts from suppliers. This lets them make changes to parts faster causing less units affected to consumers.

This is where Gmc needs to address going forward.....quality control......better relationship with suppliers and tools to correct on the fly to better the part as they build!

Changes at quarterly intervals cause bigger costs when customers are pissed off and seek lawyers and laws to fix their vehicals to quality standards.

Yes parts, training, and change is the culprit for many folks with same issues.

Where it has been assembled, only affects your feelings of where your jobs are lost from your place of home.

Only governments decisions and their personal interest where jobs go is to blame!

We elect these folks...so we are to blame somewhat I guess.

Back on topic now....

pm26 · April 22, 2014

You sound like a union leader with all your anti-export lies. Instead of posting UAW talking points, how about some facts? Do you have any? Didn't think so.

Here's some - according to JD Power, the 1st year run of the new Silverado/Sierra (which has less US sourced parts than Ford, Ram, or Toyota) has the highest quality of all full-sized trucks. Even better than the current runs of Ford and Ram, which are mostly built and assembled in the US with more US parts. How do you explain that? Facts directly contradict your opinion.

I am sure that all the people here who have problems with their GM trucks will appreciate your keen insight into quality issues and suddenly realize that they have been wrong all along - that in fact they are imagining all of their problems!.

Edited April 22, 2014 by pm26

2strokesmoke · April 22, 2014

BowFlyGsp,

This is what i am feeling also, so put your crappy goodyear tires back on and have the leveling kit removed temporarily and get them working on it.

I recommend starting with driveshaft, then rearend area first.

My problems sound very similar as yours.

I filmed my rear pinion driveshaft area and I found too much slop or play causing some kind of binding?

Thxs

Edited April 22, 2014 by 2strokesmoke

KARNUT · April 22, 2014

It wasn't just the government that caused Detroit to empty, there was a lot of greed to go around.

2strokesmoke · April 22, 2014

Yes but allowing your manufacturing jobs to leave, is somewhat your governments responsability.

Not just the auto sector, but 75% of all skilled labour jobs have been lost per capital.

This could be changed by introducing a patriot act of say 20% of the companys products be built in selling country.

Just saying keep jobs here and you have dollars too go around instead of leaving the cycle of return.

Thxs

HDNitehawk · April 22, 2014

Here's some - according to JD Power, the 1st year run of the new Silverado/Sierra (which has less US sourced parts than Ford, Ram, or Toyota) has the highest quality of all full-sized trucks. Even better than the current runs of Ford and Ram, which are mostly built and assembled in the US with more US parts. How do you explain that? Facts directly contradict your opinion.

The fact is that I have two 2014 chevy's in the shop right now for warranty work. It just goes to show you can't trust what the press says.

It is hard to prove a point with magazine research and stories when you are trying to convince those of us who have been educated by the not of "highest quality of all full-sized trucks" that we own. Perhaps try and make this argument in a different thread where people are not having problems.

MJFlores · April 22, 2014

Well, my 2014 Z71 double cab chevy is driving me crazy with the vibrations I'm getting on the highway. I havent read all of this thread, but wow it's not sounding good. The last thing I have the energy for is a long drawn out ordeal trying to fix the vibration I'm feeling. I hinestly dont look forward to driving my truck any more. I have about 3700 miles and I guess I'll have to take it in and start the process. I know the first visit or two will be a waste of my time because they'll be focussing on tires but...damn. Why this? Any advice for me as I start the journey? I'm going to insist that it doesn't feel like tires, and it feels like the rear end but beyond that I dont know what to do. I'm seriously thinking about just taking the loss and trading it for a Ford or something. I've owned nothing but Chevy my whole life but, this is not what I want to be doing.

Silver space ship · April 22, 2014

Ok it has been a while since I posted my first post, I have been busy trying to figure this thing out.

First off these trucks have a few issues, tires, driveshaft, rear end gear lash out of spec.... and the latest culprit might be the axles might not be at a 90deg to pinion gear? Lets just say they are mating 1-2degree off that would cause the pinion gear to chatter and cause vibration up to front drive system. Some have said that a new rearend has fixed there vibration issues. If this is true and axle is out they will wear smoother as they comform to pinion gear but now the gear lash will be greater also in time requiring more shims to correct.

When any change of weight distribution occurs in truck this might correct vibration or increase depending on the angle that is affected.

I filmed my pinion and driveshaft area with a go pro camera, and I noticed that my driveshaft has too much forward to reverse play also know as gear slop! When driveshaft torque is applied I wittnessed my pinion gear turning then binding somewhat as it turned and applied torque to axles. It turned and then binded, and move somemore.

This might be why they are telling the dealers to check pinion to axle lash clearances.

If they are out and axle is not 100% right angle to pinion lash will only get worse until shimming is needed...this takes a while for gears too wear and conform. Best sollution for GMC is a rear end swap out to correct problem.

I encourage folks to have the rear end checked for oneven break in wear on axle or pinion gear. This is only 1 problem that might be your problem, tires and driveshaft issues are known culprits also.

I encourage filming your axle at pinion gear and rotate your truck from forward to reverse to see this slop and its effect on the pinion rotation.

Just saying my 2cents worth

Could a guy take the rear driveshaft off and use 4 wheel drive to drive around to see if it's the rear diff?

tbarn · April 22, 2014

You could but would need to find a way to seal the transfer case output shaft.

pm26 · April 23, 2014

I wonder if on some of these axle assemblies the pinion shaft nut was properly torqued to cause the collapsible spacer to deform and preload the pinion shaft bearings correctly. In my experience, improper backlash setting in between the pinion and ring gears usually results in whining noise around 40-50 MPH, either when gears are loaded or unloaded (when coasting). It can also cause clunking in extreme cases when shifting between forward and reverse. It is hard to imagine the gear backlash out of adjustment so bad that it would cause vibration unless there is something else out of spec too. I wonder if that collapsible spacer has been left out by accident on some axles?

Perhaps some axle housings are not straight causing severe misalignment of gears?

http://www.differentials.com/technical-help/installation-instructions

The four essential differential adjustments are pinion depth, pinion bearing preload, backlash and carrier bearing preload.

Edited April 23, 2014 by pm26

beetle · April 23, 2014

www.youtube.com has some interesting videos of driveshafts in action and complaints of vibration. I see how this could possibly be the issue some are having. Worth a look.............