Shake or Vibration Issues

Rolling Thunder · December 28, 2016

Guys,

Relating to the vibration issues many have, years ago I was taught that vibrations felt in the steering wheel were tire and wheel issues and vibrations felt in your driver's seat and / or butt were suspension issues. Does that still hold true today?

07Softail · December 28, 2016

Nope.... My bent driveshaft was felt in the Steering wheel, seat, console, you name it!

RT

Brakin7 · December 28, 2016

Well, as someone here guessed it, the bad vibrations are back. Going tonight to trade this piece of shit in on a 2500HD, hopefully. Going to a different dealership as well because I am tired of driving an hour plus every week for a shake that noone seems to have figured out.

07Softail · December 28, 2016

Did you ever check the axles?

RT

Schmidt152 · December 29, 2016

So weirdest thing happened to me this morning. NO VIBRATION!! I haven't changed anything. Simply was driving home from work on the highway waiting for my steering wheel and console to start shaking and I was up over 80 mph and nothing. Smooth as glass. This is probably short lived but I don't know how it's possible. Maybe in my case it is these crappy tires? I bet everyone I passed on the highway thought I was a lunatic, smiling from ear to ear.

Edited December 29, 2016 by Schmidt152

Schmidt152 · December 29, 2016

Well that was short lived. Shimmy from 35-50 is back

kurt1305 · December 29, 2016

Eight days later, I got my truck back with three new tires. It is much better, but not perfect. I hope it lasts.

07Softail · December 29, 2016

It won't last so get ready for it.

RT

Willyone · December 29, 2016

Well that was short lived. Shimmy from 35-50 is back

Same thing has happened to me and my '16 Silverado, twice. Mystery....just plain fk'n weird.

Edit in;;; My nephew called me to shoot the shit, and said he's in the market for a new truck, said he really likes the Chevy's, and asked me how I liked my '16 Silverado Z71. I told him that it's a damn purdy fire engine red, the 5.3 is plenty adequate, it sifts smooth, and the seats are real comfy. And added that, sometimes it's not really all that pleasurable to drive due to the vibration and BS that goes along with it. He'll be looking at other brands, unless he finds a '13 1500 or older in real good condition.

As far as their trucks are concerned, GM is shooting themselves in the foot one buyer at a time.

Edited December 29, 2016 by Willyone

steveU · December 30, 2016

My shake was at speeds from 40 to 50 and it was solved by replacing the pinion.

C6Bill · December 30, 2016

Well, as someone here guessed it, the bad vibrations are back. Going tonight to trade this piece of shit in on a 2500HD, hopefully. Going to a different dealership as well because I am tired of driving an hour plus every week for a shake that noone seems to have figured out.

Oh it wasn't a guess. Those of us who have been at this for 3 years have seen and heard it all.

Happy New Years everyone. Now get out of your trucks and go vibrate in much more fun ways lol

Edited December 30, 2016 by C6Bill

daleone3 · December 31, 2016

Same thing has happened to me and my '16 Silverado, twice. Mystery....just plain fk'n weird.

Edit in;;; My nephew called me to shoot the shit, and said he's in the market for a new truck, said he really likes the Chevy's, and asked me how I liked my '16 Silverado Z71. I told him that it's a damn purdy fire engine red, the 5.3 is plenty adequate, it sifts smooth, and the seats are real comfy. And added that, sometimes it's not really all that pleasurable to drive due to the vibration and BS that goes along with it. He'll be looking at other brands, unless he finds a '13 1500 or older in real good condition.

As far as their trucks are concerned, GM is shooting themselves in the foot one buyer at a time.

Loyal Silverado owner since 93. Just bought a one owner 2013 short bed reg cab Z71 with 26k miles from an older prior owner. The price was below book and pretty sure it will be my last GM after this screwing they are laying on owners. I could have had a new Silverado with huge rebates as you all know but I don't trust them or their new trucks and yes...this will cost them over time

Selling my 06 ext cab if anyone is interested. In Mass near CT border.

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Darth_Vader · December 31, 2016

Not necessarily. My driveshaft was not true from factory like the video above and my truck vibrated between 60-70 mph.

RT

This is my next step, still having issues in the 65-75 range, and I have a whole new ring and pinion setup. I need to shorten my driveshaft anyways as I have one of those awkward ones that are a bit on the longer side. For what I have spent on this truck so far $450 for a custom drive shaft is a drop in the bucket to fix this issue. Hope to have it in in the next few weeks and will report back. Driveshaft and Axles are the only rotating parts after the transmission I haven't replaced yet.

Forester1 · December 31, 2016

First post, after reading most of this thread: Purchased 2016 crewcab, 6.5' bed, 6.2L w/ 3.23's in September.

Came with 22's. Noticed shaking at 73 mph+ on drive home from dealer in Montana (I live in WA state, but found what I wanted in MT, a 6.2 LTZ w/ the 40-20-40 front seat to accommodate kidlets).

Took a video of the shaking water bottle (like we've seen so much of on Youtube) and sent it to my salesman-- he said take it in to my local dealer. I figured it was the wheels, and since I planned on replacing them I held off on going to the dealer.

Got the wheels replaced with 18's a couple weeks after purchase, with Gear rims and Michelin Defenders (LT 275's) and guess what-- the shake remained.

Took it into my local dealer, explained the symptoms in great detail, brought in a copy of the service bulletin, and even provided the video I took. Picked it up a few days later-- they had let some air out of my tires, folded up my tonneau cover, and said "it's much better."

It wasn't.

Went back, and got the "it's a truck, they all do that. In fact we drove two others on the lot, and yours is better."

I told them this was unacceptable, so they had me come back in and they did the Pico test. They also ran the test with a different set of wheels, and according to the readout (which they provided a copy of) it was better, conveniently within spec, with the different wheels ( a set of 20's with Continental P tires that they had taken off a new truck).

I took my wheels back to the tire shop, and they did a balance, then a RFB, neither of which produced a discernible change.

Back to the dealer with a request to drive the truck with the 20" Continentals. It seemed a little better initially, perhaps due to the fact that they're P tires and not LT's. But there's still a vibration, though like many, it's somewhat intermittent.

So now what??? I asked the service manager to do the tests they line out in the service bulletin, but he said the first thing Chevy asks is if they've done the pico test, and if it's within spec, they won't authorize any more work.

I've called GM direct, much to the chagrin of my dealer, and have a case number going. I'm going to press for doing the tests on the drive shaft, ring and pinion, etc-- we'll see.

I understand the dealer is under GM's thumb, but it really pisses me off when they pass it off saying they all do it because the frame is so stiff.

My questions: Has anyone put airbags on the rear suspension? I understand this would only mask the symptoms, but I'm okay with that. I thought about the Sulastic shackles, but I believe Abominable tried that to no avail.

Has anyone tried different struts (or whatever they are) in the front? Again, masking the symptoms, but I'd take it.

I'm struggling with the notion that LT's would be worse than the P tires-- it seems the stiffer tire would simply transfer more road roughness, but anything originating from the truck wouldn't be affected. Maybe the slightly rougher ride from the LT's would just make the vibration seem worse.

Any help is appreciated-- I've never been more excited and then disappointed in a purchase!!

smcgillis10 · December 31, 2016

First post, after reading most of this thread: Purchased 2016 crewcab, 6.5' bed, 6.2L w/ 3.23's in September.

Came with 22's. Noticed shaking at 73 mph+ on drive home from dealer in Montana (I live in WA state, but found what I wanted in MT, a 6.2 LTZ w/ the 40-20-40 front seat to accommodate kidlets).

Took a video of the shaking water bottle (like we've seen so much of on Youtube) and sent it to my salesman-- he said take it in to my local dealer. I figured it was the wheels, and since I planned on replacing them I held off on going to the dealer.

Got the wheels replaced with 18's a couple weeks after purchase, with Gear rims and Michelin Defenders (LT 275's) and guess what-- the shake remained.

Took it into my local dealer, explained the symptoms in great detail, brought in a copy of the service bulletin, and even provided the video I took. Picked it up a few days later-- they had let some air out of my tires, folded up my tonneau cover, and said "it's much better."

It wasn't.

Went back, and got the "it's a truck, they all do that. In fact we drove two others on the lot, and yours is better."

I told them this was unacceptable, so they had me come back in and they did the Pico test. They also ran the test with a different set of wheels, and according to the readout (which they provided a copy of) it was better, conveniently within spec, with the different wheels ( a set of 20's with Continental P tires that they had taken off a new truck).

I took my wheels back to the tire shop, and they did a balance, then a RFB, neither of which produced a discernible change.

Back to the dealer with a request to drive the truck with the 20" Continentals. It seemed a little better initially, perhaps due to the fact that they're P tires and not LT's. But there's still a vibration, though like many, it's somewhat intermittent.

So now what??? I asked the service manager to do the tests they line out in the service bulletin, but he said the first thing Chevy asks is if they've done the pico test, and if it's within spec, they won't authorize any more work.

I've called GM direct, much to the chagrin of my dealer, and have a case number going. I'm going to press for doing the tests on the drive shaft, ring and pinion, etc-- we'll see.

I understand the dealer is under GM's thumb, but it really pisses me off when they pass it off saying they all do it because the frame is so stiff.

My questions: Has anyone put airbags on the rear suspension? I understand this would only mask the symptoms, but I'm okay with that. I thought about the Sulastic shackles, but I believe Abominable tried that to no avail.

Has anyone tried different struts (or whatever they are) in the front? Again, masking the symptoms, but I'd take it.

I'm struggling with the notion that LT's would be worse than the P tires-- it seems the stiffer tire would simply transfer more road roughness, but anything originating from the truck wouldn't be affected. Maybe the slightly rougher ride from the LT's would just make the vibration seem worse.

Any help is appreciated-- I've never been more excited and then disappointed in a purchase!!

I have airbags and NO CHANGE AT ALL. New struts and nothing. I have add a leafs and didn't change at all. Most guys have fixed the problem with mostly hard part's. IE driveline ring and pinions. Or whole rear axles. Just saying.

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