Shake or Vibration Issues

gmtruck828 · December 28, 2015

A few observations about my truck's vibrations:

They seem to be worse with higher psi in my 10 ply tires.
Once they get going at high speeds, it is hard to get them to stop and it feels like it is going to vibrate me off the highway.
I've tried with the rear leaf spring clamps, can't say definitively whether it has helped.
Anything messing with the suspension in the rear temporarily helps it. For exam, I have the Firestone Ride Rite air bags in the back. If I inflate them and raise the back of the truck, it rides without vibrations for several miles, but then they come back. If I let the air out and lower it back down, I have the same thing - no vibrations for a while and they they come back.
They seem to be less severe in turns.
Most of the time they are better if I keep it in M5 and tow mode, although they are still there. I can't figure out if the engine is unbalanced at low RPM's, or if the higher RPM's at a given speed are helping to counteract or balance out the harmonic vibrations.
I've owned several GM trucks before. My last one had 200k+ miles and drove much better than this one drives now. I was aware of the vibrations in 2014's before buying my 2015, and test drove it extensively on the highway. It was smooth as glass for the first 1500 miles.

The dealers have been pretty much worthless. I can't get them to return my calls, and when I drop it off they do almost nothing except drive it and say it is operating as normal. The last dealer said it definitely had the vibrations, but that they aren't getting enough money from GM to make it worth their while to work on these trucks. They have had several of them with no resolution. On the service write up, he blamed it on my aftermarket tires and leveling kit, even though I clearly brought it in with the same problems prior to new tires and leveling kit.

This problem, and GM's lack of acknowledging it, are causing me to consider other brands for the first time. I have been very GM-loyal customer but this is all changing. My wife was in the market for a Yukon Denali but is now looking at Infiniti's, Toyota's, etc. I'm now looking at F-150's if I can't get the ride problem resolved.

Edited December 28, 2015 by gmtruck828

Jesse Davidson · December 28, 2015

Did the same thing, lowered the pressure on my 10 ply tires from 42 to 32 and significantly lowered the vibrations as well. Problem is the truck now handles like garbage leans in the turns and just has a squishy feel to it.

Anyone else that has had the vibes for a while check the lower portion where the struts welds to the mounting eye that connects to the lower control arm. Mine are starting to crack. They are not the original Rancho's that came on the truck but 6 month old Rancho RS9000's, I contacted Rancho to see if they will warrant them. Just curious if anyone else with the vibes is seeing cracks in this location on the factory struts. Part of it is poor weld quality where there was a void left from the weld process that has helped facilitate the crack propagation. Rancho's "lifetime warranty" doesn't include their quicklift struts they are covered by a laughable 90 day limited for work and material defects. But I'm giving them a chance to stand behind their product. These things only have 8000 miles on them. We shall see how they handle it.

I have about 6500 miles, ill check mine

67ChevyRedneck · December 28, 2015

I am a GM employee and having the same problem with my truck. I have been in touch with district manager and spoke to the engineers directly and no cure has been found. The problem is the new designed frame multiplies the vibration and shakes the truck. The picoscobe puts hose clamps on he drive shaft in a attempt to calm the vibration with no luck.

Gm offered a buy back but they have nothing to offer that fits my needs and don't want to trade to another vibrator. I have a 2015 work truck regular cab short bed plow and tow package that I can not drive over 70mph year long and with the plow on you can not drive over 40mph ( a complete other problem gm has with out a cure)

I'm waiting for Prothane or another aftermarket company to come up with a new mount. What I don't get is why they don't have one for the 14-15's yet... seems like they would already have one??? Maybe they're having a hard time developing one. I'll admit, I keep trying to remember to do it, but I have yet to actually look under my truck yet at the mounts, etc.

I've been thinking the frame has been too stiff and resonance since the beginning. They kept pushing the envelope on frame stiffness (watch youtube videos of Silverado VS whatever frame stiffness) and the Silverado box barely moves on that tilted hill thing and all the other trucks twist. It's also evident with the firmer ride. My 00 Z71 on crappy roads (most of what's around here) rode better (softer) than my new truck.

http://www.prothanesuspensionparts.com/?gclid=CJOrloSC_8kCFdgWgQod_PYGiQ

I love this damn truck. Whether GM fixes it, or the aftermarket does, the damn thing is going to be fixed! Stuff gets lost in the mix, but I do not have the crazy highway vibes everyone else does... mine are felt during shifts and going up hills in certain gears (like the engine lugs a bit). I've also noticed my wifes 2011 Mustang does the same thing, it tries to keep a higher gear too long up a hill and the floor will have a slight buzzing vibration until you get over the hill or the car actually downshifts. Also noticed it recently in my inlaws 2013 Rav-4. I guess this truck made me more concerned with vibrations and I notice them in everything I ride/drive now. I don't think all these issues are a "GM thing", because some of these issues seem to be across the board, but I do find those having the highway problems inexcusable, I've seen the youtube videos.

Edited December 28, 2015 by 67ChevyRedneck

LongrangeLauber · December 28, 2015

I'm waiting for Prothane or another aftermarket company to come up with a new mount. What I don't get is why they don't have one for the 14-15's yet... seems like they would already have one???

I've been thinking the frame has been too stiff and resonance since the beginning. They kept pushing the envelope on frame stiffness (watch youtube videos of Silverado VS whatever frame stiffness) and the Silverado box barely moves on that tilted hill thing and all the other trucks twist. It's also evident with the firmer ride. My 00 Z71 on crappy roads (most of what's around here) rode better (softer) than my new truck.

http://www.prothanesuspensionparts.com/?gclid=CJOrloSC_8kCFdgWgQod_PYGiQ

I know I had energy suspension polyurethane body mounts on my 02 and it made the ride so much worse I can't imagine what it would feel like on these fully boxed stiff frames

67ChevyRedneck · December 28, 2015

Well, damn it.

My 67 C10 has regular old rubber hockey puck mounts. I wonder if I can cut or shim a set to fit on my truck.

LongrangeLauber · December 28, 2015

Well, damn it.

My 67 C10 has regular old rubber hockey puck mounts. I wonder if I can cut or shim a set to fit on my truck.

Be a guinea pig for all of us and get the body mounts for the gmt900 trucks and let us know if that kills the vibration lol

67ChevyRedneck · December 28, 2015

Be a guinea pig for all of us and get the body mounts for the gmt900 trucks and let us know if that kills the vibration lol

Seriously thought about it, there's plenty in the local LKQs. If it works I can buy new ones. I have to get under the truck to see what's there now to compare, but yes, seriously thought about that. They can't be that different, aside from the stiffer materials the new ones are supposedly made from now (from what I've read in this thread). Rubber can be trimmed or they can be shimmed with larger washers, so I don't see why it wouldn't technically work...

Like I said though, my issue is nowhere near like everyone elses. If all else fails, I can actually "live with" what's wrong with mine. Probably never buy another brand new truck again (from anyone, this was my first and probably last).

Edited December 28, 2015 by 67ChevyRedneck

LongrangeLauber · December 28, 2015

Seriously thought about it, there's plenty in the local LKQs. If it works I can buy new ones. I have to get under the truck to see what's there now to compare, but yes, seriously thought about that. They can't be that different, aside from the stiffer materials the new ones are supposedly made from now (from what I've read in this thread). Rubber can be trimmed or they can be shimmed with larger washers, so I don't see why it wouldn't technically work...

Like I said though, my issue is nowhere near like everyone elses. If all else fails, I can actually "live with" what's wrong with mine. Probably never buy another brand new truck again (from anyone, this was my first and probably last).

If you do it you will be everyone Savior to know if it will work or not and if it is the body mounts or not. Be a hero and do it for all of us lol

67ChevyRedneck · December 28, 2015

Got a bathroom to remodel first! I'm actually off the rest of the week after today to get the floor retiled, walls finished, and new shower door... going to be busy!

Silverado 6.2 · December 28, 2015

Looks like the 2015 f150 guys are having some of the same problems.http://www.f150forum.com/f118/2015-f150-fx4-vibration-help-297498/index8/

LongrangeLauber · December 28, 2015

Looks like the 2015 f150 guys are having some of the same problems.http://www.f150forum.com/f118/2015-f150-fx4-vibration-help-297498/index8/

Yeah I believe we have discussed this earlier but it's not near as widespread (yet) or as common as the GM twins. My buddy has a 2015 with a 2.7 EB with no vibes, he said during his research it was mainly the 5.0L owners that had it, but I don't have any facts to back that up so no bashing the moderator here lol

67ChevyRedneck · December 28, 2015

Looks like the 2015 f150 guys are having some of the same problems.http://www.f150forum.com/f118/2015-f150-fx4-vibration-help-297498/index8/

It seems to be like the GM issue then... hit or miss. My boss has a fully loaded 2015 King Ranch 4x4 edition truck. He uses it to travel for work, so it already has like 12K miles on it. I rode in it recently on a +/-500 mile round trip to TN and back, was one of the best riding trucks I've been in.

Edit: To comment to post above, this truck was the V6 ecoboost.

Edited December 28, 2015 by 67ChevyRedneck

67ChevyRedneck · December 28, 2015

Oops, double post...

Edited December 28, 2015 by 67ChevyRedneck

pm26 · December 28, 2015

A few observations about my truck's vibrations:

They seem to be worse with higher psi in my 10 ply tires.

Once they get going at high speeds, it is hard to get them to stop and it feels like it is going to vibrate me off the highway.

I've tried with the rear leaf spring clamps, can't say definitively whether it has helped.

Anything messing with the suspension in the rear temporarily helps it. For exam, I have the Firestone Ride Rite air bags in the back. If I inflate them and raise the back of the truck, it rides without vibrations for several miles, but then they come back. If I let the air out and lower it back down, I have the same thing - no vibrations for a while and they they come back.

They seem to be less severe in turns.

Most of the time they are better if I keep it in M5 and tow mode, although they are still there. I can't figure out if the engine is unbalanced at low RPM's, or if the higher RPM's at a given speed are helping to counteract or balance out the harmonic vibrations.

I've owned several GM trucks before. My last one had 200k+ miles and drove much better than this one drives now. I was aware of the vibrations in 2014's before buying my 2015, and test drove it extensively on the highway. It was smooth as glass for the first 1500 miles.

The dealers have been pretty much worthless. I can't get them to return my calls, and when I drop it off they do almost nothing except drive it and say it is operating as normal. The last dealer said it definitely had the vibrations, but that they aren't getting enough money from GM to make it worth their while to work on these trucks. They have had several of them with no resolution. On the service write up, he blamed it on my aftermarket tires and leveling kit, even though I clearly brought it in with the same problems prior to new tires and leveling kit.

This problem, and GM's lack of acknowledging it, are causing me to consider other brands for the first time. I have been very GM-loyal customer but this is all changing. My wife was in the market for a Yukon Denali but is now looking at Infiniti's, Toyota's, etc. I'm now looking at F-150's if I can't get the ride problem resolved.

If it was smooth as glass for the first 1500 miles, perhaps GM should revise their warranties accordingly - 90 days or 1500 miles, which ever comes first. This will be in line with harborfreight electric and pneumatic tool warranty policy, which is reflective of the quality built into the product.

Edited December 28, 2015 by pm26

Radco2015 · December 28, 2015

I need to try this...mine were at 40psi from dealer...just dropped it to 32psi and now looking forward to my drive to work in the morning.

I'll let you know !

Dropped the PSI down to 32 all around...going to work the vibration was only at 72-74mph...not at 65-70.

Unfortunately going home the same thing now at 68-74mph.

The truck rides beautiful up to 60mph...what a hunk of expensive crap, I really don't have the time to hang out in the dealer having them tell me it's normal...I build motors and do classic car restorations...I know frigging normal...and this ain't it.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Radco2015