Vibration Issue

I have a vibration in my 2003 tundra with 170k miles. The car vibrates when in drive or in reverse going just 1 mph to 3 mph. The vibration goes away for the most part until it hits about 40-55 mph, then it feels like you are hitting rumble strips. When I'm heavy on the gas/accelerating the vibration goes away, when I let off the gas it completely goes away. It does not vibrate in neutral. It does vibrate if it is in 4 wheel drive. The u-joints seem to be good. May be a transfer case issue? I changed the transfer case fluid but it didnt help.

I have searched for hours on this but haven't found anyone with the same exact issue. What would cause this shake at low and high speeds?

 

Which cab does your truck have?
Is it stock height and stock tire size?
Stock carrier bearing and U-joints?

Just a couple of small details that may help.

 

HOW did you check the U-joints?

Something I found out is that its not enough to just crawl under the truck and see if they wiggle. I replaced a lot of stuff I didn't need to trying to solve a vibration on torque only to find out that it was a U joint the entire time, instead of loose, it was siezed, which is just as bad but you can't detect without disconnecting the U joint and moving it through its range of motion and feeling for stickiness.

 

• Access cab, stock height, I believe tire size is stock (265/75 r16).
• I just checked them by trying to wiggle them so I could try to pull them and see. Would a bad U-joint cause vibration at such low speed though? It shakes a lot when putting it in drive and pushing slightly on the breaks to roll at about 2 mph.

 

It could, if its seized, you could be feeling the bearing sticking, and breaking free as it turns, rather than a balance issue like you get when they are worn loose.

If its an issue at essentially zero speed, you should be able to jack up the front or back, and turn the wheels by hand and feel and listen for the problem to narrow it down.

Also, we should be able to narrow it down a little by vibration type.

Do you feel it primarily in the steering wheel? or through the seat?

Does it change at all when switching between 4WD and 2WD?

Is it limited to a certain gear? or depend completely on speed?

 

Primary through the seat, which does cause it to shake in the steering wheel but it feels the cause is somewhere in the center under the car.
It does not change between 4wd and 2wd.

 

I'm assuming you have but you didn't say it so I'll ask but have you lubed all the grease zerks in the driveshaft and had no change?

 

They are the oem u joints which do not have zerks so I have not greased them. Is there still a way to grease them?

 

I've heard from mechanics and here that jacking up the rear of the truck and properly supporting the frame and blocking front tires, you can put it in drive and run the back wheel(s) to find or eliminate a drive shaft problem. It's a potentially hazardous operation without a lift, but can tell you a lot.

 

If it is 4wd your rear driveshaft will have multiple grease zerks and I'm almost certain some of them for the u joints themselves. I know for a fact the double cardon joint does.

 

Indeed. There are a great many grease joints on my driveline. I can't even remember how many 12 maybe?

In any case, this makes me HIGHLY suspect U-joint if its a 20 year old truck with U joints that have never been greased or all replaced with non-OEM parts at some point.

Especially with the description of feeling like its from the center of the truck.

It could also be the center support bearing but I doubt it as mine was totally trashed and replacing it caused no change in my vibration until I tracked down that stuck U-joint.

 

When was the last time you greased the entire driveline? It's supposed to be done at least every 5k miles.

EDIT: Nevermind, someone else asked. I'm shocked by the response, but that's probably your issue: Your shit is dry as old bones.

Here's how to grease and what to use. One of those (slip yolk, see here) is confusing for most, and I can't recommend enough that you read this post for the process for that specific zerk NOW so you don't come here posting back about how it "won't fill" later.

I think you'll find most of your vibration issues will go away after; if not, you probably toasted something in your driveline running it dry.

 

Ok, thank you everyone for the responses. I'm going to try greasing them or maybe just replacing them and will update after. Do you think the carrier bearing would cause this? Should I look into replacing that too?

 

Woah Kemosabe, one step at a time.

Grease things. Drive a hundred miles or two. Don't start replacing parts until you do the virtually-free stuff first. You may find lube is all you were missing and you caught things before you learned a bigger lesson.

Then start the conversation about replacing stuff. If you're hearing any humming to go with the vibration, I'd lean towards U-joints. If not, maybe carrier, but ... knowing me I'd swap U-joints first. I've seen bad U-joints more than worn carrier bearings, but that's just my experience.

 

Is the parking brake still engaged. Had this issue once.

 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Parts Cannon

 

Ok so I greased all the zerks and it still shakes. I jacked up the back wheel and put it in gear to see what the driveline was doing and noticed that the front driveline was spinning even though I was in rear wheel drive. It wasn't spinning nearly as fast as the rear driveline and it eventually slowed where I could grab it and basically stop it from spinning. I stopped the car and checked the driveline and u joints again and noticed I could twist the rear driveline at the transfer case about a centimeter in each direction, I didn't notice that play before.

On a side note but may be a factor, I just changed my transfer case fluid and think I tightened the bolt plug too much to the point that it cracked slightly at the bolt and is leaking fluid so Im going to try to jbl weld that, ugh.

 

That's normal. Or at least the same on my truck, that is just cumulative slack in the gearing.

I THINK, and maybe someone could correct me if I'm wrong, the front driveline spinning but with very little torque is also normal just from force being transferred by the viscosity of the gear oil.

Even though its a little bit of a pain, (But easier than what you've done already I would think) I would completely remove the rear driveline and inspect all the U-joints by bending them through their range of motion and feeling for 'catchyness', a damaged U joint that is seizing will move with a jerkyness, or 'notchy' feeling like its slipping gears instead of smoothly turning.

 

Update: Pulled out the driveline. All U-Joints are good but the carrier bearing seems very loose and worn so I'm going to replace it. Hopefully will fix the issue, will update when done.

 

Replaced Carrier bearing, same shake is still there. Any other ideas?

 

Cylinder misfire?

 

1. When did you notice it first it happening?
2. Has anything changed before and after the symptom began occurring? Any services or repairs performed?
3. When the vibration is happening is there any noise associated? If so, can you hang your head out the window to try to hear where the source of the noise may be?
4. Consider putting it on a lift or jack stands so you can observe outside the vehicle while someone is inside accelerating.

Maybe it is time to just pay a mechanic to diagnose it at this point and determine if you can do the repair yourself.

 

I'll admit it: You've got me stumped on this one. You're sure nothing is rubbing anywhere?

@tunyota has some great followup questions.

 

Noticed it happening while driving about 50 mph, nothing was happening leading up to it.
No services before. I was on a road trip so got it home and it had gone about 400 miles since it started, it has gotten maybe slightly worse but not noticeably worse.
There is maybe a slight clank associated that happens every once in a while but I honestly think that was happening before.
I put it on jacks and put it in drive, the shake started, looked underneath but didn’t notice anything off. Thought maybe the carrier bearing from that but replaced that and obviously it wasn’t.

Haven’t noticed anything rubbing but have any suggestions on looking for things that might be rubbing?

 

If something was rubbing you would typically hear it at any engine speed and rubbing shouldn't coincide with the vibration your are describing. It doesn't seem like a rubbing issue if it only happens when the engine is under load and not when coasting or in neutral. It seems obvious to me it is in the driveline somewhere given it is only observed when the vehicle is moving. If 4wd isn't engaged and it's happening then I wouldn't suspect the issue is within the transfer case. I vote to just take it to a reputable/trusted mechanic and pay them to diagnose at this point. Consider posting a video on YouTube so we can witness what you are describing if it isn't much trouble. Does the frequency and magnitude of the vibration increase with MPH?

 

Have checked suspension parts (ball joints, bushings, etc)? Even though it sounds related to being in gear perhaps it’s just the way something moves when it’s under load versus coasting.

 

Google has a million answers, and here's 10 of them cause that problem can be anything!
https://cartreatments.com/car-shakes-accelerating/

 

@histonskier

1. How would you more so describe the vibration?
2. Does the frequency and magnitude of the vibration/shaking increase as the MPH increase?
3. Do you feel the vibration in the steering wheel or the entire vehicle/cab?
4. When is the last time your tires were balanced? Probably not the issue since you stated the vibration/shaking sensation occurs between 1-3 MPH and above 45-55.
5. Does the vibration feel it is more forward, in the rear, underneath, or the entire vehicle?
6. If you haven't already done so I would suggest a full and through inspection of all suspension and drivetrain components as any potential mechanic would perform.
7. When you had it up on jack stands in drive with the rear wheels spinning you didn't identify any vibration/shaking at that time?
8. I mentioned posting the video so that we could directly observe the condition and not be limited by the given description.

@PenderBen I didn't immediately suspect suspension components initially because OP mentioned the vehicle was vibrating when MPH is 1-3 and/or above 45-55. Based on OPs description it seems to arise when the engine is under just 0-30% load and not under moderate acceleration.

 

If it came on all of a sudden I would take a close look at the tires to make sure you have not broken a belt or something weird like that. You could even rotate them front to back and see if it changes.

 

1 - 3 mph strongly suggests that one of the tires has gone square...broken belt (or maybe kissed the curb) etc