Vibration

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » August 27, 2006, 12:47 pm

I've got a vibration that just started a couple of days ago. Doesn't vibrate when sitting idling. When taking off from a dead start the vibration starts around 10-15 MPH. You can feel it in the steering column see the hood vibrate. Got under the truck (before the rain stated) and pushed and pulled driveshaft (side to side) but everything seems pretty tight (U-joints). Carrier bearing didn't seem to have any play that I could tell....any guesses?

mikecarson · Post by **mikecarson** » August 27, 2006, 1:31 pm

Loose or bent wheel?

MadMaxetc · Post by **MadMaxetc** » August 27, 2006, 3:43 pm

could have lost a balancing weight...

you could look to see if there is a clean or odd looking spot on the rim.

castruck_1964 · Post by **castruck_1964** » August 27, 2006, 5:57 pm

I agree steering wheel vibration almost always indicates an issue with front tires. Could be Wheel weight, bent rim, or belt shift in tire.

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » August 27, 2006, 9:13 pm

I would agree with a tire/wheel "vibration" if I was going 40-50 MPH but a tire/wheel "vibration" at 10-15 MPH? That would be more like a wobble not a vibration....

Garbz · Post by **Garbz** » August 28, 2006, 8:07 am

Gene

Check your cab mounts.....

Garbz

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » August 28, 2006, 5:28 pm

Well Garbz, the cab mounts are definitely shot, but not sure why THAT would make the vibration?

Uncle Skip · Post by **Uncle Skip** » August 28, 2006, 6:10 pm

Gene.
Does it continue to wobble the faster you go and does it get progressively worse?
Jack up the front end and check the wheel bearings to make sure you don't have one coming lose and check the lug nuts too.
I'd take a look at the drag link also.
If you have disk brakes, put your foot on the pedal gently and see if you have a pumping motion coming thru to your foot. Thats how I check for warped rotors.
OR.......... did you already fix it?
U@ss

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » August 28, 2006, 7:44 pm

Ain't fixed yet....the vibration seems to calm down considerably around 40 MPH, but then picks back up again around 50. And yea, I need to jack up the front end and check for wheel bearing play. Aint got disc brakes on the '64...(yet anyway)..

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » August 28, 2006, 8:22 pm

Wow.....not thinking it would be tire/wheel related, I just went out to the truck and jacked up the front. right side has some play toe-in/out and just a bit camber wise. Left side has quite a bit of play on the toe-in-out and a ton of play camber wise. Lugs are tight. Took off the dust cap to see if I could turn the castle nut and it was tight. Watched the spindle as I "wiggled" the tire, and the drum seems to be tight with the tire/wheel. So, it looks like I've got drag link/ tie rod issues.

Garbz · Post by **Garbz** » August 29, 2006, 6:26 am

Gene

The cab mounts when "shot" tend to put stress on the clutch linkages and will disenguage the clutch. MAkes for some exciting times and odd vibrations. For Automatics it can move the shift linkages enough to hang the trans in between gears. This hunting will also vibrate.

Makes a huge difference once the mounts are solid and fixed.

Garbz

64 f100 · Post by **64 f100** » August 29, 2006, 6:47 am

If I understand correctly, you just started having this problem. With the problems you describe, and what is wrong with the truck, this will be a tough diagnosis. It sounds like you need king pin busings, but this should not cause a sudden bad habit. You might check your cab for more movement , which could be from suddenly droping a cab mount bushing or or final failure of a cab mount support. This would then cause the problem Garbz is describing.

A bad tire could possibly cause the problem, as this could happen suddenly, as well as balancing weight loss as previously mentioned. It's possible, that the front end finally got enough slop, that it was time for it to let you know, I suppose, but usually it's a gradual change.

Rich

DocDave · Post by **DocDave** » September 1, 2006, 12:02 pm

what kind of wear is on the tires?
My reasoning is that with tie rod/ drag link /king pin problems, you may not notice much when the tires are in good shape, but once they start to wear down a shimmy occurs due to the tire grip on the road, or a bad belt.
I had a truck that all the problems went away after a new set of tires, BUT the front end was shot and the tires weren't long wearing down and causing the shimmy to reappear.
It does sound like tie rods/draglink/king pins and possibly play in the steering box should all be checked.
Dave

Uncle Skip · Post by **Uncle Skip** » September 1, 2006, 12:41 pm

Gene. Rich could be right. I had a tire cord seperate on my Porsche one time and I like to never figured it out until it developed a serious bulge.
Good luck bud.
Skip

mwilk1 · Post by **mwilk1** » September 4, 2006, 7:35 pm

okay I'm not a slick expert like skip or some of the others, however being a mechanic tells me that your vibration is not tire related because it goes away. Being a front end problem (with worn tires) sound plausible and is usually a good cause for a wobble. I personally would invest in a few minutes time actually pull the drive shaft and check ujoint for not being loose but instead being locked up. This is usually (though not always) preceeded by a squeak at lower speeds as the joints are dry. If they lock up the shaft cant pivot giving (and I've seen many a customer) you a vibration.

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » September 4, 2006, 9:30 pm

Golly guys, thanks for your responses! Now for an update...
Took the entire wheel/drum off the left side (to replace the drag link that I could see was worn when I was checking the tire/wheel for play from before). Got the drum/wheel off and the spindle had a bunch of play! Which of course means that I've got king pin issues. So, drag link is worn out, king pins need at minimum to be rebushed AND I discovered the tie rod has play as well! I've had the truck for 12 years, and this will be the third set of King Pins that I've had to put on. Then while the wheels are off, I'm doing a brake job and BOTH self adjusters are not working. Drivers side cable is broken, and passenger side cable slipped off of the guide!
Alright, so I price a drag link at $104.99. I rob the one off of the '61 instead. I WILL have to replace the tie rod ends though.
Also was told at the parts house that they do NOT give a core price for return of the old brake shoes anymore!

Vibration

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Wobble???

Wheel Play