Shake or Vibration Issues

hotrodz37 · July 3, 2014

I am almost positive it is tires as well. I had the tech remove some of the weights from one of the rear wheels to make it out of balance on purpose. I got it up to highway speeds, and it was exactly the same type of vibration, just more intensified than normal, which leads me to believe at highway speeds the tires are "warping". The RF balancer doesn't spin them up to highway speeds which is why they can be balanced on the machine, but once you get them heated up on the highway and get them rotating since they are crappy tires they are losing their shape if you will. I have noticed on mine, it will vibrate bad for a few miles, and then not so bad but still there, and then bad again. This could be the harmonic vibration that some of us are feeling, when they 2 tires get in sync that's when it is most apparent.

MJFlores · July 3, 2014

I am almost positive it is tires as well. I had the tech remove some of the weights from one of the rear wheels to make it out of balance on purpose. I got it up to highway speeds, and it was exactly the same type of vibration, just more intensified than normal, which leads me to believe at highway speeds the tires are "warping". The RF balancer doesn't spin them up to highway speeds which is why they can be balanced on the machine, but once you get them heated up on the highway and get them rotating since they are crappy tires they are losing their shape if you will. I have noticed on mine, it will vibrate bad for a few miles, and then not so bad but still there, and then bad again. This could be the harmonic vibration that some of us are feeling, when they 2 tires get in sync that's when it is most apparent.

Thats a very good analysis there ...with mine it's the worst when in cruise control, but I can snap it out of the "cycle" briefly only to have it come back...there is a harmonic component and I can sense a low woom, woom, woom thats much slower cycled than tire rotation. My gut says these tires heat up, lose their shape, and start a wobble that begins a harmonic vibration that you're feeling on top of the tire wobble. It's about as annoying as things can get. The thing keeping me from just buying a set of tires is...it could also be fuel delivery, torque converter, and engine mount, and so on and so on. I've sort of ruled out rims, drive shaft, and rear end but again...who the heck knows and really, as a consumer I shouldn't have to know or care. I should be a lot happier with a brand new truck.

Silverado-Hareek · July 3, 2014

I'm almost thinking the tires do a little better after heating up. I've already ruled out cruise control, soft accelerations versus hard accelerations, and I've even dropped the truck into Neutral with no change in the vibration at all. All of this points to tires, but I feel like there's a "sweet spot" for lack of a better term where the vibration occurs. I drove 2 hours yesterday in 100 degree heat and had no vibrations. This morning the tires were "cold" at about 80 degrees outside and I had the vibration on the drive to work that seemed to settle down toward the end of my commute....almost like the tires warm up and soften up and kind of even out a bit from being extra pliable from the increased heat.

jcchevy · July 3, 2014

Thats a very good analysis there ...with mine it's the worst when in cruise control, but I can snap it out of the "cycle" briefly only to have it come back...there is a harmonic component and I can sense a low woom, woom, woom thats much slower cycled than tire rotation. My gut says these tires heat up, lose their shape, and start a wobble that begins a harmonic vibration that you're feeling on top of the tire wobble. It's about as annoying as things can get. The thing keeping me from just buying a set of tires is...it could also be fuel delivery, torque converter, and engine mount, and so on and so on. I've sort of ruled out rims, drive shaft, and rear end but again...who the heck knows and really, as a consumer I shouldn't have to know or care. I should be a lot happier with a brand new truck.

MJ , this verbiage explains EXACTLY what i have occuring as well

....there is a harmonic component and I can sense a low woom, woom, woom thats much slower cycled than tire rotation. My gut says these tires heat up, lose their shape, and start a wobble that begins a harmonic vibration that you're feeling on top of the tire wobble

All was good even after the 8" fabtech lift and 35" tires were installed. It wasn't until about 800 miles AFTER putting on my lift and 35" dick cepeks (only had 3K on the truck itself). that this starting occuring, so i think this was going to occur with/without the lift/tires.

4 trips to the service dealer and their accessories dept (who installed, lift, balance etc..) came down to that is "normal" road vibration throughout the cv joints, differential and front drive shaft as when they removed the CV joints, the noise disappears. So i guess thats good news for 2WD fans as they should not have this issue.

Either way, i am getting less aggressive tires as the floor vibration and "woom, woom" that occurs is a little ridiculous (starts at 45, continues to get more noticeable, longer harmonic rotation etc... faster you go). I had 36" x14.50 tires 9" of lift on my last 2004 Silverado and never had this problem.

I think it really comes down to these 2014 drivetrains/frame specs etc.. are so dam tight/within specs etc that this is going to occur more often then not and does have a lot to do with tires, but again this did not occur on previous trucks. Well previous trucks were also not this dam quiet. So it is what it is.

Just thought i would chime in since your the first to describe what only a few people can describe.

hotrodz37 · July 3, 2014

I'm almost thinking the tires do a little better after heating up. I've already ruled out cruise control, soft accelerations versus hard accelerations, and I've even dropped the truck into Neutral with no change in the vibration at all. All of this points to tires, but I feel like there's a "sweet spot" for lack of a better term where the vibration occurs. I drove 2 hours yesterday in 100 degree heat and had no vibrations. This morning the tires were "cold" at about 80 degrees outside and I had the vibration on the drive to work that seemed to settle down toward the end of my commute....almost like the tires warm up and soften up and kind of even out a bit from being extra pliable from the increased heat.

I guarantee what you're experiencing is the GY's mildly flat spotting over night and once they heat up for you they are round again. Cheap tires will do this. I think your vibration from following the thread for a while is a lot less severe than the rest of ours and yours is in the steering wheel whereas the worst ones are in the seat and console. If your truck is smooth once in a while than consider yourself lucky, because the rest of us have the vibration 100% of the time.

I am going to go to my local tire shop this weekend or next and let you all know what I come up with!

hotrodz37 · July 3, 2014

I'm almost thinking the tires do a little better after heating up. I've already ruled out cruise control, soft accelerations versus hard accelerations, and I've even dropped the truck into Neutral with no change in the vibration at all. All of this points to tires, but I feel like there's a "sweet spot" for lack of a better term where the vibration occurs. I drove 2 hours yesterday in 100 degree heat and had no vibrations. This morning the tires were "cold" at about 80 degrees outside and I had the vibration on the drive to work that seemed to settle down toward the end of my commute....almost like the tires warm up and soften up and kind of even out a bit from being extra pliable from the increased heat.

Sorry double post!

Edited July 3, 2014 by hotrodz37

Silverado-Hareek · July 3, 2014

I guarantee what you're experiencing is the GY's mildly flat spotting over night and once they heat up for you they are round again. Cheap tires will do this. I think your vibration from following the thread for a while is a lot less severe than the rest of ours and yours is in the steering wheel whereas the worst ones are in the seat and console. If your truck is smooth once in a while than consider yourself lucky, because the rest of us have the vibration 100% of the time.

I am going to go to my local tire shop this weekend or next and let you all know what I come up with!

Yeah I'll keep an eye on it and see what other clues I can come up with. Unfortunately I don't have the money to drop on tires right now so I'll probably just ride these out for a while. I agree after watching some of the videos people are posting I should count my blessings because it seems it could be way worse. Either way none of us should have to put up with any of this regardless of severity or the cause.

hotrodz37 · July 3, 2014

MJ , this verbiage explains EXACTLY what i have occuring as well

....there is a harmonic component and I can sense a low woom, woom, woom thats much slower cycled than tire rotation. My gut says these tires heat up, lose their shape, and start a wobble that begins a harmonic vibration that you're feeling on top of the tire wobble

All was good even after the 8" fabtech lift and 35" tires were installed. It wasn't until about 800 miles AFTER putting on my lift and 35" dick cepeks (only had 3K on the truck itself). that this starting occuring, so i think this was going to occur with/without the lift/tires.

4 trips to the service dealer and their accessories dept (who installed, lift, balance etc..) came down to that is "normal" road vibration throughout the cv joints, differential and front drive shaft as when they removed the CV joints, the noise disappears. So i guess thats good news for 2WD fans as they should not have this issue.

Either way, i am getting less aggressive tires as the floor vibration and "woom, woom" that occurs is a little ridiculous (starts at 45, continues to get more noticeable, longer harmonic rotation etc... faster you go). I had 36" x14.50 tires 9" of lift on my last 2004 Silverado and never had this problem.

I think it really comes down to these 2014 drivetrains/frame specs etc.. are so dam tight/within specs etc that this is going to occur more often then not and does have a lot to do with tires, but again this did not occur on previous trucks. Well previous trucks were also not this dam quiet. So it is what it is.

Just thought i would chime in since your the first to describe what only a few people can describe.

I have a 2wd and have this issue as well, but I believe it to be tires.

I think we are all chasing down different issues or combinations of issues, which makes it nearly impossible to pinpoint!

hotrodz37 · July 3, 2014

MJ , this verbiage explains EXACTLY what i have occuring as well

....there is a harmonic component and I can sense a low woom, woom, woom thats much slower cycled than tire rotation. My gut says these tires heat up, lose their shape, and start a wobble that begins a harmonic vibration that you're feeling on top of the tire wobble

All was good even after the 8" fabtech lift and 35" tires were installed. It wasn't until about 800 miles AFTER putting on my lift and 35" dick cepeks (only had 3K on the truck itself). that this starting occuring, so i think this was going to occur with/without the lift/tires.

4 trips to the service dealer and their accessories dept (who installed, lift, balance etc..) came down to that is "normal" road vibration throughout the cv joints, differential and front drive shaft as when they removed the CV joints, the noise disappears. So i guess thats good news for 2WD fans as they should not have this issue.

Either way, i am getting less aggressive tires as the floor vibration and "woom, woom" that occurs is a little ridiculous (starts at 45, continues to get more noticeable, longer harmonic rotation etc... faster you go). I had 36" x14.50 tires 9" of lift on my last 2004 Silverado and never had this problem.

I think it really comes down to these 2014 drivetrains/frame specs etc.. are so dam tight/within specs etc that this is going to occur more often then not and does have a lot to do with tires, but again this did not occur on previous trucks. Well previous trucks were also not this dam quiet. So it is what it is.

Just thought i would chime in since your the first to describe what only a few people can describe.

I have a 2wd and have this issue as well, but I believe it to be tires.

I think we are all chasing down different issues or combinations of issues, which makes it nearly impossible to pinpoint!

Silverado-Hareek · July 3, 2014

I have a 2wd and have this issue as well, but I believe it to be tires.

I think we are all chasing down different issues or combinations of issues, which makes it nearly impossible to pinpoint!

Yeah we almost need to meet up and drive each others' trucks to feel the differences, then when we find solutions we can better explain what to do for people. I'd love for someone who fixed their vibration with tires to drive my truck and tell me if what they feel is the same as on their truck before the new tires.

hotrodz37 · July 3, 2014

Sorry about the double and triple posts, I hit post one time and it posts it up 3 times. I guess its a sign I should get back to work!

Edited July 3, 2014 by hotrodz37

jcchevy · July 3, 2014

I have a 2wd and have this issue as well, but I believe it to be tires.

I think we are all chasing down different issues or combinations of issues, which makes it nearly impossible to pinpoint!

Yes, your issue will no doubt be different as you do not have the cv joints/diff etc.. spinning/mass friction etc.. which is the vibration/harmonic noise MJ (well assuming his is 4WD) and I are likely experiencing. Reading through some of the unique issues forum users have added, there clearly multiple unique issues in this 144+ Page thread .

Big_D · July 3, 2014

Ya I don't know what to think anymore. My truck was smooth for 75% of my drive on the highway the other night. Shakes for a while then goes away. But you can feel it at low speeds too. These are toyo at2 tires.. Which were smooth on my old truck.

Chappy 1901 · July 3, 2014

Update: Just got off the phone with my dealer service manager. Ring and pinion in my truck was 8000ths on most but in one area it went to 3000ths. He said that was most likely causing the vibration because as the gears warm up, they expand and need that space to do just that. Take note guys that are complaining of warm VS colder days. Also, those gears get warmer under load or when pushing more wind... My new gears will be put in Monday and should have another update then. Hope to have this resolved once and for all. FYI- Took over a week to get the ring and pinion. (National Backorder). The GM field tech said they have had quite a few of these be bad. Again, just sharing the info.

Have a great 4th of July!

Proud to be an American!

MJFlores · July 3, 2014

Update: Just got off the phone with my dealer service manager. Ring and pinion in my truck was 8000ths on most but in one area it went to 3000ths. He said that was most likely causing the vibration because as the gears warm up, they expand and need that space to do just that. Take note guys that are complaining of warm VS colder days. Also, those gears get warmer under load or when pushing more wind... My new gears will be put in Monday and should have another update then. Hope to have this resolved once and for all. FYI- Took over a week to get the ring and pinion. (National Backorder). The GM field tech said they have had quite a few of these be bad. Again, just sharing the info.

Have a great 4th of July!

Proud to be an American!

Thanks for the update Chappy, I've been waiting to hear your results of the ring and pinion swap. That makes total sense. Hopefully this fixes your issue, and then all of the rest can get it done as well. I'm betting the new gear make a big difference!