I just recently purchased a 95 7.3l PSD E350 15 passenger Van. It has a loud rumble that starts at 55mph and get loudest at about 62. It somewhat tapers off at 70-75. The tires are new(600 miles on them). I replaced front and rear U -joints. The noise is loud enough that it's almost uncomfortable to drive. There is a bit of a shake. If I get the car up to 75 and put it in neutral, the noise is still there as I pass through that speed. It quiets right down under 55. Any help would be appreciated. This one has me stumped.

 

How many miles? Wheel bearings?

 

Sorry ...250k. I don't know when the wheel bearing were replaced. Did not think they would be so speed specific. I did open the rear end up and changed the fluid. No broken teeth, no metal chunks in the differential. Normal looking wear. It is a Dana full floating rear w a 3.54.

 

if you replaced the U joints and it didn't rumble prior to the replacement, i'm thinking you didn't put the shaft back the way it was or the the shaft is out of balance.
New tires that have not been balanced properly will make a lot of noise at that speed range as well. tends to get worse as time goes on.

 

I had the rumble prior to U joint replacement and tires. I thought it was better after the U joints were replaced. Then I got side tracked w a bad injection control pressure sensor(would leave me stranded on startup after van was hot) now I am back w the noise. What would be a good method for checking shaft balance? Also, I have read about road force tire balancers. Are they all that(does it make that much difference?)

 

I doubt it's your tires. Get it up to 55mph, put it in neutral and coast. What's the noise do?

 

Still hear it in neutral. To hear it when coasting, I get it to 70, put it in neutral. It's quite loud as it drops through the 60's, right after 55, it's quite.

 

Got a driveshaft shop nearby?

 

I have had trouble with these drive shafts being very sensitive, they are long and if you don't put it back on in the right position on the back yoke, or you put the universal joint back together 180 degrees off from where it was you will have rumbly harshness that is out of balance. I have had good success taking a marker to the back yoke and moving the drive shaft one quarter turn each time and see which position is smoothest, there is a big difference in a couple of positions, I did it recently when I changed by whole rear axle, had to start from scratch with driveshaft location. It would rumble at 60 just like you said, went home moved it 1/4 turn and it smoothed right out. Takes a bit of time but in an hour you can try each of the four positions and know which one is the best. Won't cost you anything. 12 mm wrench.
Andrew.

 

Sorry I left this hanging, got side tracked. I finally took the time to get my van on some level ground and put it in neutral w the engine off and started feeling around the drive shaft. I noticed about a .08" play as the slip yoke exists the trans tail, my dampener on the slip yoke is coming loose and there was play in the rear U-Joint in one direction. This suprised me because I had them replaced a month ago. I thought about replacing the entire drive shaft and slip yoke, but then thought I would take it to another shop to try to get another opinion(I just haven't had as much time as I would like). This new shop said the rear U-joint was bad and changed it and it has influened the problem. It seems to happen now in the 70-75mph range. So I am making progress.

Andrew, I may try that this weekend and see what happens On a scale of 1 to 10(10 being bad) I would say the problem was a 9 and is down to a 4. I will try the other positions and see if i can get it to a 2. I may also take the entire assemble off to a machine shop and have them cut the dampener off and rebalance.

KillRc, thanks also, after your post, I started looking around, look me a while but I think I found a place that could do it.

All the help/posts was much appreciated. I love the van. No frills, but I did get 17.8 MPG on the last tank w 90% in town driving. Not bad for a van w 250k. I do drive like an old man. Have a good one.

 

Sound like you have to get the drive shaft to a drive shaft shop. When the u-joints were replaced it is very important to keep both ends as they were by marking them. With this said, it is very possible the u-joints were replaced before you got the van and the ends were not marked on taking it apart and one or both ends were not put back together as they were. The drive shafts are balanced with both ends installed( attached by the u-joints). The other possibility is the drive shaft itself is bent by the previous owner by riding up and over something that was a little to high. I know this from personal experience. I went over an ice packed snow bank. I had to get a new drive shaft made up. In any case find a drive shaft shop, I bet it's out of balanced or bent.

 

Yes.
I when I had my car setup for track use it made it way better in so many ways... On my van, I haven't done that But will when I install new tires.

 

i got the same rumble think at 55mph i try to find out whats is the problem but i own truck over a year and its same not better not worse, so if you find out exactly what is the problem let me know i will fix mine too

 

Same exact problem with my 2006 e250 extended cargo van. 90k miles. I have a rumble that is noticed around 55mph and by the time you get to 80, it's really shaking. I have had problem for well over a year and it's just annoying! So here is where I started<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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1) 10k miles on Michelin tires balanced...No better<o></o>
2) Front and rear u joints replaced..No better<o></o>
3) Bushing on transmission yoke to Drive shaft replaced...no better<o></o>
4) Rotated tires front to back... No better<o></o>
5) Jacked up backend 1 inch off ground and spun wheels up to 80 mph and definitely isolated problem to rear end. Really rumbled..Same as if driving down the road<o></o>
6) Took off back tires and repeated above..Same outcome.<o></o>
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I myself think it's a rear wheel bearing because there is slightly more slop on left rear wiggling back and forth at 12 and 6 o'clock, then the rear right. I mean slightly. Of course I am not an experienced mechanic.<o></o>
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I explained all of this to my transmission guy and he said he checked it over really good also. He told me to take the aluminum drive shaft off and take it to have it computer balanced. He said probably cost around $100 bucks and this is the cheapest way to eliminate a possibility, rather than getting into the wheel bearings and seals!<o></o>
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I hope he is right! I will post outcome in a few days

 

My problem its just about start 55mph and finish at 57-58 mph its short time, and over this even around 90mph its perfectly fine no noise nothing