Vibrating take off
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Vibrating take off
I have a 1981 F-150 with a 351W and a C-6 tranny. I just had a bunch of brake work done and when I started it up to drive away I noticed it was vibrating a little bit. I didn't think much of it and took off and when it went from idle to driving the whole cab shook until i got past 5 mph. Any faster than that and it runs perfectly. I quickly went through the carb and checked the jets. I don't think the brake work had anything to do with the vibration but I thought I'd add that.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Houston
Check your U joints, if you are sitting still step on the throttle pretty hard from a stand still does it vibrate like crazy? I am pretty sure it is as the vibrating during initial acceleration tells me its a U joint going bad. Ive had one knock the cup out but it would not vibrate on acceleration only when you would let up off the throttle and coast it would do a vibrating buzzing sound. But that was on a passenger car not a truck.
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New User
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Check your U joints, if you are sitting still step on the throttle pretty hard from a stand still does it vibrate like crazy? I am pretty sure it is as the vibrating during initial acceleration tells me its a U joint going bad. Ive had one knock the cup out but it would not vibrate on acceleration only when you would let up off the throttle and coast it would do a vibrating buzzing sound. But that was on a passenger car not a truck.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Houston
Id still check them. Just cause you replaced them not long ago doesnt mean they couldnt fail due to faulty bearings in the joints. Ive also heard if the joints are tight they can burn the bearings up as well.
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I'll check that out then. Thanks
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: New Zealand
Are your plug wires all on properly?
When I first bought my current truck, the wire on #3 cylinder would come loose every four months or so, & naturally caused a vibration when accelerating; at a steady cruise it wasn't very noticeable.
When I first bought my current truck, the wire on #3 cylinder would come loose every four months or so, & naturally caused a vibration when accelerating; at a steady cruise it wasn't very noticeable.
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From: Angier, NC
Check your U joints, if you are sitting still step on the throttle pretty hard from a stand still does it vibrate like crazy? I am pretty sure it is as the vibrating during initial acceleration tells me its a U joint going bad. Ive had one knock the cup out but it would not vibrate on acceleration only when you would let up off the throttle and coast it would do a vibrating buzzing sound. But that was on a passenger car not a truck.
I had a 4x4 that would vibrate on take off from a stop and stop when up to about 10 to 15 mph. Thing was it did not do it all the time till one day getting on the high way heard something hit the floor pan then BIG TIME vibration! So bad I could not drive it, checked it and 1 of the caps were gone.
You should know unless really bad you can not check ujoints in the truck. Pull the drive shafts and flex each joint.
Keep us posted on what you find.
Dave ----
just a thought pinion angle can also cause this but unless you had spring work done or added shims I don't think it be a cause.
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You "just had a bunch of brake work done" - how long ago? And done by who? If this behavior immediately follows the work that was done, that strongly implies that something was done during that work to cause this symptom and you need to go back to what was just done and figure out what needs adjusting or fixing or whatever.
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From: Houston
I would also check the brakes I cant say Ive ever seen brakes cause a vibration on acceleration as that is typically a U joint kind of thing but hey stranger things have happen so it might just be.
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I had a shake in the F100 1981 flareside I had and it was he front brake hoses that shrunk inside and wouldn't let the fluid flow back. I remember the shaking and vibration as the front discs were being applied on their on, scary situation.
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From: Sheffield, AL
You "just had a bunch of brake work done" - how long ago? And done by who? If this behavior immediately follows the work that was done, that strongly implies that something was done during that work to cause this symptom and you need to go back to what was just done and figure out what needs adjusting or fixing or whatever.
Check the lug nuts for tightness. Loose wheels cause vibration and the wheels were off for the brake work.
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