Terrible shakes HELP!

So I’ve been searching on this for about a month now. I’ve seen some threads with very similar complaints but it’s always been different resolves or the OP never updates. So here’s where I’m at. I only drove it 4 or 5 times in the first 2 months because I still had my old truck. During that time I installed a 2.5” level kit on the front and went up to 20” limited wheels and 33’s. Shortly after I started driving it daily It started having a NASTY shake at about 35mph. The whole truck seems to shake but it’s mostly felt through the seat. This is only happens during easy smooth acceleration, it does not do it if cruising at said speed and doesn’t not do it if you accelerate heavier than typical. Every so often it will get a milder version of the same shake at 25 and 45 but is most common right at 35 for just a brief second. Things worth mentioning. I can duplicate the issue in manual shift mode or in automatic, on 2 occasions shake was immediately onset by hitting a railroad track and another time by a manhole cover. It will do it with an empty truck or with my camper behind it. Letting off the gas will immediately stop the shake. Front U-joint of rear driveshaft had a little slop so I replaced it with no improvement. Trans shifts smooth and has never slipped. All ideas or input is appreciated.

 

I’d assume you have swapped over to your previous wheels/tires to confirm it’s not the new set of wheels? Your new set was used I’d assume?
While wheels/tires were off did you check the wheel to hub contact and make sure they were clean? I’d also assume you’ve already done balancing?

 

Carrier bearing drop kit?, Tires wheels road force balance? All u joints ok?

 

Honestly no I haven’t had them balanced. This shake seems much worse than bad balance. I have considered the possibility of an unbalanced wheel initiating the bed shake a lot of people complained about.

 

Make sure everything is tight and I’m thinking check the tires and balance. Level kit I believe. You don’t need a drive shaft spacer

 

It’s a single cab short bed so no carrier bearing they use a short 1 piece driveshaft. The rear u joint “felt” fine when I have the driveshaft off. I think roadforce is next on the list.

 

Good luck, hope the issue gets resolved

 

My first thought was slightly bent wheel or tire with a busted belt.
Was the seller reputable who you purchased the wheels/tires from?
You need a balance for sure to at least rule out the most obvious.
A simple front/rear swap will also help determine - if your shake moves from your ass, to the steering wheel.
I wasn’t running a carrier bearing drop with a 2.5” level and had zero issues.

 

Man it is starting to make sense to be a wheel/tire. I’m going to kick myself if I didn’t start looking at the most obvious first.

 

It very well might not be, but it’s the easiest and cheapest option to rule out.

 

Tracing down a shake/vibration can be very annoying. You have to check everything, ujoint, driveshaft, axles, ball joints, steering rack, wheel bearing, transmission, wheel/tire. Start with the easiest thing and rotate the tires and see if that helps shaking in the front.

 

Sounds like a bent rim. My truck did the same thing after I bent my MB wheels.

 

Also check your steering components. Something might not of been put back correctly.

 

Tires/ wheels come to mind but they normally don't come and go. If it's going to shake at 35 mph then it's going to do it no matter if you are accelerating or cruising at a steady speed. But always start with the basics. When you say it does it in both full auto and when you manually shift it is it happening when the transmission is shifting? If not then does it do it no matter which gear you are in? I'm just trying to rule out the transmission. Another thing could be worn shocks amplifying something that's normal. Since you said it happened when hitting a bump. If you are close it I would look into changing the transmission fluid if the tires aren't the problem.

Just for some information a friend bought some aggressive all terrain tires mail order (forget the brand) and he was having a difficult time getting one balanced. All seamed good on the tire balancer but it had a vibration when driving. After the local garage couldn't fix it he went to a real tire store. That guy knew his stuff. Turns out the tire was made wrong and had been "shaven". If you looked closely at the tread it was deeper on one side of the tire than the other by more than an 1/8". The mail order place sent him a replacement and solved the problem.

 

As one my personal observation this limitation we can solved out only by the proper maintenance.
it should be as on regular basis
otherwise problem will remain same.......

 

I recently did a complete drain and refill of the trans as preventative service when I bought the truck. I ended up cycling fresh fluid in, until it all drained looking like new fluid. I used toyota WS fluid and and made sure the level was correct using the overfill drain. It doesn’t do the shake while shifting just while slowly accelerating through the gear, it’s been observed in 3rd and 4th gear. Wheels and tires are being inspected as we speak I will look into shocks next since the shake seems to briefly start from the rear end before shaking the whole truck.

 

What?

 

Well I had them rotated and “pro-balanced” with no differences but at least that’s eliminated now. I’ve got a 10 sec video of the shake but I can’t get the vid to upload. I can replicate the issue at 25mph in 3rd and 35ish mph in 4th in manual mode or in automatic and it’s not happening during a shift. It comes on strong and heavy for 1-2 seconds then disappears.


Anybody have any input on the yoke on the front of this single piece driveshaft? I haven’t peeled the boot back but when I replaced the front u joint it seemed super stiff like it might be dry and causing some driveline binding/vibes.

 

Noticed that this shake is apparent as a heavy vibration at the same exact speed while braking but is definitely not a rotor. Got under the truck again this morning and it’s apparent the rear wheels weren’t balanced only the fronts. One of the rears is missing a large area of weights that have been gone for a long time from the looks of the old adhesive. Neither rear has new weights on them and the one missing the large area of weights doesn’t have ANY handprints on the rim from being taken off of the truck.

 

It doesn't sound like you got a "pro" balance.

 

It does not and I sublet these guys several thousand dollars a month in work.

 

Do you have a Discount Tire you can go to? A lot of us here including me have used them over the years. Usually pretty good service and they can road force balance too which sounds like you should do.

 

I do. They’ll probably be my next stop.

 

This

 

Don’t forget to explain to them your problem so they know your sole reason for going there, is for their help.

 

And SPECIFICALLY - a road force balance...not jut a regular balancing of the tires...

 

see post #24

 

Yes. I wanted to call it out specifically.

Double emphasizing the road force is the one wanted. Not just any old one.

Not all shops have it. Many go in and just say I need the tires balanced.