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Freeway Vibration , light throtle

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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 07:37 PM
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Freeway Vibration , light throtle

Hey guys,
Long time reader here- have done may searches, you tube, FTE, etc. What I'm looking for is some ideas or a solution to this problem. I have a 2008 CC LB V10, 4:30 4x4. On freeway runs above say 50 or so, if I'm light throttle or maintaining speed down a light grade I will get a vibration or chatter sensation from what I thought was a u-joint. So, about 2 months ago, I replaced all 3 u-joints and the impossibly hard to get dealer-only carrier bearing ($180.00). This made zero difference and I feel the problem is getting slightly worse. I am leaning toward the differential or a t-case output bearing or the like.
Anyone figured this one out before?
Thanks
AP
 
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:20 PM
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Check for play at the pinion flange, you could have a bad pinion bearing.
 
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Old Jan 7, 2016 | 10:08 PM
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Vibration at freeway speed

Rotate your tires first. I had a bad tire.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2016 | 07:17 AM
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Guys, I'm back to see if anyone has any ideas with this issue. I checked the play at the yoke, and there is none to speak of from what I can tell. Tires are not the issue, hubs in front spin free. It seems to be getting more noticeable from where it would only do it on small downhills to now on certain flat freeway stretches as well. If I apply throttle, just off the resting position of the pedal, I can recreate the grind/ vibration over and over, it goes away as I apply more power. I have an 08 so the bearings are 350 a set for the carrier, hoping its not that or worse but I think it will need a teardown. Any fresh ideas?
 
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Old Mar 10, 2016 | 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by agpopp
Guys, I'm back to see if anyone has any ideas with this issue. I checked the play at the yoke, and there is none to speak of from what I can tell. Tires are not the issue, hubs in front spin free. It seems to be getting more noticeable from where it would only do it on small downhills to now on certain flat freeway stretches as well. If I apply throttle, just off the resting position of the pedal, I can recreate the grind/ vibration over and over, it goes away as I apply more power. I have an 08 so the bearings are 350 a set for the carrier, hoping its not that or worse but I think it will need a teardown. Any fresh ideas?
It's the worst when you are out of throttle and coasting and you can manipulate it and recreate it with speed and throttle pressure? It sounds like tires. What kind of tires do you have? When is the last time they were balanced? Bigger tires should be re-balanced every 10k miles.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2016 | 11:04 AM
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Its definitely not a tire, its a feeling in the floorboard, a grind or grate it only occurs when I am in the throttle so lightly as to keep the truck moving at a constant speed, say, down a grade.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2016 | 11:13 AM
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Not to beat a dead horse, but how do you know its not the tires?
 
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Old Mar 10, 2016 | 11:45 AM
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I have seen tires so far out of balance they were bouncing 4 inches off the ground at 50 mph and the driver had no idea what was wrong with their truck.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2016 | 11:51 AM
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The only other thing that pops out to me with those symptoms would be like a pinion bearing and race in the differential if you say its more of a "grinding" than a "vibration"
 
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Old Mar 11, 2016 | 07:05 AM
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UPDATE: I was able to get an appointment for my truck yesterday to have the coolant flush done and transmission flush on the hot machine. I only drove it home yesterday and to work this AM but the noise /vibration / grind? is gone. I check the fluid often, but the dipstick is sketchy with the white plastic end and holes that pick up fluid, it gets fluid on it just from sliding down the inside of the tube. Maybe I was low on trans fluid the entire time. The tech did not note if a low amount came out of the trans, but I'm thinking this was the culprit. Now to see if it comes back, and hopefully I didn't cause any bearing issues.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2016 | 07:11 AM
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Very interesting agpopp, curious to see if this completely solves your issue.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2016 | 07:19 AM
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Me too, I changed all of the fluids on the truck at 114K when I got it back in July, but I wanted to get the hot flush done on the trans and was debating from all of the reading I've done about it. I'll let you guys know if it is in fact solved. Really hard to believe I let it go low though.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2016 | 07:23 AM
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I've never heard of low transmission fluid causing a vibration before. Every time someone comes up with a low fluid issue the symptom is engagement problems.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2016 | 02:08 PM
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The vibration / grind is gone. Drove a longer route home than usual to be sure, and it's totally gone- so strange it was a transmission issue. I have 123k on it now, 9k miles since I bought it, and I had this issue every time I drove it. I had an appt to have the rear end worked on next week.
Hopefully this will help someone in the future.
Thanks for the replies
 
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