Odd Vibration

[blue2kzr2]

Truck is a 2000 S-10 ZR2.

 

I've had this for a little while now and it recently started getting

worse. It's somewhat intermittant, and now it seems to happen at all

speeds, but it used to be specific speeds.

 

I recently rotated the tires and that didn't change it at all, it

still vibrates and it still doesn't vibrate the steering wheel (tells

me the front-end is good and the tires are not the problem,

ball-joints are only 5 months old). I also get a clunnk when accelerating from a coast or going around a corner, that's also intermittant. I just did a pry-test on the rear u-joints, no play there, I used the biggest screwdriver we have, which

is pretty big, maybe as big as a small pry-bar. I didn't pull the

rear discs off to check for a dragging e-brake pad, maybe I need to,

though I use the e-brake all the time.

 

Is it possible my DS is out of balance? I didn't notice any missing

weights on it, but ya never know. This truck has a one-piece aluminum

rear driveshaft, so it's not the center support bearing. Now that I

think back, this seemed to have started shortly after the ball-joint

work, which was done at my local dealer, they're close by, closer than

any mom-n-pop shop I actually trust. I need to check the rear axle

fluid, that may be tomorrow. Is it possible the CV's on the front

axle would cause this and not shake the steering wheel?

 

It has been suggested to me that the u-joints are actually binding, I'll need to pull the DS out to verify that though.

 

I know I have some torsion-bar support links that are worn, the ones

on the cross-bar the bars are tensioned on, but that's another clunk

all-together.

 

I plan to be towing this summer, would like to get this resolved

before then. Need to install a tranny cooler before then also, and

get the tranny serviced.

[GM-Tech]

A driveshaft vibration is *usually* most pronounced around 35 mph or so, but of course that doesn't mean it only occurs at that speed. And *usually* it is worse on acceleration.

[Cool Zr2]

Check your hubs.

[blue2kzr2]

Swapped one of the bearings in the fall, and it WAS torqued properly, I never re-checked it after I had the ball-joints done, but they shouldn't have messed with the axle nut. I would think the front hubs would cause the steering wheel to shake.

 

35 and 70 are when it was most pronounced initially, and I'll sometimes get it on acceleration.

[blue2kzr2]

Alright, new thoughts here, tell me if you think I'm right.

 

I get this clunk when the wheel is at full lock and I'm moving slowly, I know it does it when to the right, not sure about left. It SOUNDS like it could be from the front end. Would a CV cause that clunk AND the intermittant vibration? I also noticed today that when I don't have the vibration during smooth driving, I'll have it as the suspension flexes some for occasional bumps but then it goes away again as the road smooths out.

 

I may have to see if I can get a buddy that's somewhat better at diagnosis to ride along and see what he thinks, but this is so intermittant that I can't know when it'd start...

[Cool Zr2]

Once again, have you checked your hubs, just cuz they arn't that old dosen't mean they arn't bad.

[blue2kzr2]

Only the pass. side is new, driver's side isn't. No, I haven't, I will do that this weekend. I'm not convinced it's the hubs though, considering I don't feel the vibration through the wheel, and I didn't feel it in the wheel when the passenger side was failing but it was only humming when I replaced it, no vibration. I don't have that noise this time. I would also think the bearing would cause it to be consistent, not intermittant like it is. Thinking about this, most of the parts I can imagine causing a vibration would cause a consistent vibration, not an intermittant one like I am experiencing.

 

I'll try to verify exactly when I get the vibration, thinking more, it's possible I only get it when the truck is cold/cool, like on my AM commute and if I haven't driven it much during the day. I drove it a lot today for work and don't recall having the vibration on my ride home but I couldn't go my usual 50+, got stuck behind a bus going 35-40 in a 45...

 

I'll re-list the recently replaced parts:

Ball joints, all 4. Jan this year.

Lt. front axle seal. Jan of this year.

Steering stabilizer, it was leaking. Mar. or Apr. of this year

Rt. front wheel bearing. Nov. 2004

 

Someone suggested I drive it till something falls off, then I'll have found the problem. Not about to do that towing a trailer on a 300+ mile trip, despite it being a small pop-up.

 

I'm gonna start paying extra on my loan now I can afford to, hope to have it paid off in about 13-14 months, then I'll look at NEW trucks, maybe a Silverado...

[blue2kzr2]

Had it out on the highway today, was smooth, with only slight vibrations, until I coasted, then it started shaking. Put pressure back on the driveline with acceleration and it slowly goes away. Down onto surface streets and it smoothed out again for a little bit in stop and go, then came back again.

 

Is it possible this is in the tranny? Maybe the sun shell is about to grenade? Still gonna jack it up and see if that wheel bearing is loose...

[blue2kzr2]

Jacked up the driver's side wheel, to satisfy CoolZR2's request. No play in the wheel, tried rocking it top to bottom and front to back, solid. I don't suspect the passenger side bearing, it has about 70,000 fewer miles on it...

[Cool Zr2]

it has about 70,000 fewer miles on it...

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

That holds little water in a searching type of situation. It can be a faulty unit and could be bad. I mean, I don't care if you look at it or not, but what if it is the problem? You just saved yourself alot of time farting around looking in the wrong areas.