Highway Drone
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Senior User
Joined: May 2018
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Highway Drone
My 2019 F350 suddenly developed quite a drone last night, and I’m wondering if anyone knows what it might be and why. It’s a 6.7, and has always had a little bit of a drone at highway speeds, but all of a sudden last night it got a lot louder. It occurs between 76-79mph in 6th gear, and is quiet as normal outside of that. At that speed, it’s turning about 1800-1900 rpm. When I speed up or slow down to outside that window it’s normal. I have tried down shifting but keeping the speed the same and it quiets down. That rpm in different gears, therefor slower speeds, are normal. The harder the acceleration, the louder the drone. It seems to me to be the exhaust, but it seems very specific situation to drone, and came on suddenly. Saturday was fine, Sunday night was loud. The temp did drop drastically between the days, but it was cold last winter and I don’t remember any drone like that. Any help would be appreciated. I will try to get a video tomorrow if my phone microphone is able to pick it up correctly.
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I will check that this weekend when I am doing my oil change. I took 2 videos this morning, but the microphone on my iPhone didn’t pick it up. Kinda odd considering it is the loudest sound, but it focused on the general road noise.
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Joined: Aug 2016
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I have this same drone on my 19 F250 and it's been driving me nuts. I've noticed that right around 78mph and almost 2000 rpm it starts getting louder and proceeds to get louder after that.This same RPM at different speeds produces a similar sound although it's not as pronounced. However mine has actually gotten quieter with the cold weather.
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I am probably going to have the dealer check it out and make sure it’s not a tranny issue, but mine is outside of the bumper to bumper warranty. The drivetrain warranty is still active, but something else is going to cost me. I’m thinking it’s just an exhaust drone, I just can’t figure out why it came on all of a sudden and only in 6th gear. I would think the exhaust would be in every gear at the same RPM when it hit the resonance point. Maybe this is gods way of saying, “yes, you should delete your truck!”
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I had the same issue in my 2018, mine started when I got to around 10,000 miles took it to the dealership and they said it was regular operating sound....... but they wouldn’t tell me what it was from or why it suddenly started, if you find out please post, I am curious as to what it is.
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Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
If you get drone at 76 to 79 MPH in 6th gear, then maintain that speed and shift to 5th gear, then I would likely rule out the wheels, tires, axle, driveshaft and transfer case as the problem. If the drone is still present then those items are still possible culprits along with other items such as body panels or mirrors that might be causing wind vibration.
That's all I can think of at this time.
That's all I can think of at this time.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2018
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If you get drone at 76 to 79 MPH in 6th gear, then maintain that speed and shift to 5th gear, then I would likely rule out the wheels, tires, axle, driveshaft and transfer case as the problem. If the drone is still present then those items are still possible culprits along with other items such as body panels or mirrors that might be causing wind vibration.
That's all I can think of at this time.
That's all I can think of at this time.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,687
Likes: 12,812
From: Wyoming
It could be some weird coincidence between that gear and the torque converter. I'm no transmission technician, so I'm just throwing ideas out there. The dealership can connect sensors around the vehicle to pinpoint where the drone/vibration is coming from. They'll probably have to do that anyhow to narrow down where the problem is.
There was a recent thread where a vibration while towing ended up being diagnosed as a problem in the exhaust of a 6.2L system. Until they connect the sensors, you don't really know where the problem is.
There was a recent thread where a vibration while towing ended up being diagnosed as a problem in the exhaust of a 6.2L system. Until they connect the sensors, you don't really know where the problem is.
