Howdy fellas. got a question from my Dad. He has an '01 lightning, all stock except for a k+n FIPK. He is getting a vibration in the truck around 55mph and up. He has had the tires re-balanced a few times trying to find it but the tires are showing to be balanced. The fella who runs the good-year store here has a lightning also and is experienceing the same problem with his. Same year and all as my dads. Any ideas or experiences with this problem would be appreciated.

 

I know you said all stock (the the exception of the K&N) but is his suspension completely stock too?

Stewart

 

Does the Goodyear joint use a roadforce or spin balancer? They each have their strengths and weaknesses and each has its flaws.

Is it a high frequency or low frequency vibration? Could be anything on the truck that spins, but if we knew this we could narrow it down a little better.

 

I had that issue on my not lightning thought I threw the driveshaft out of balance turns out the bolts worked loose from the factory, tightened up, no more problems.

 

S_harvey: Yes, suspention is stock.

Silver Streak: They used a roadforce balancer. Dad said it feels like a tire out of balance. You feel it in the seat and can see it with a coffee cup jiggling in the cup holder on the dash. He even had a four wheel alignment done on it to rule that out. So I guess you could say it is a low frequency vibration like a tire out of round or balance.
Also, tires are Hankook venom? does this sound right? I know they are Hankooks.

Scottie 2 hottie: Are you refering to the bolts that hold the rear of the driveshaft to the flange on the diff. pinion?

 

yep, that's them are the ones....i was thinking about it too, it wasn't that way from the factory, it was after a ford dealership installed u joints. thats when they came loose. I tightened em myself, i think i mine take a 12m or 13m 12 pt pretty easy to do.

 

The DS bolts are 12mm 12 pt.

I would have the tires and wheels spin balanced and see what they look like. Roadforce is the spiffy new technology, but that doesn't necessarily make it better.

If it feels like a tire vibration that narrows it down to things that are turning the same speed as the tires. Axles, brake rotors, ring gear, differential, etc.

Are you sure it's a mechanical vibration and not a misfire? I've had several people bring in their cars for a rotate and balance only to find on the testdrive that they need a tune up.

 

Thanks for the replys fellas. I've been keeping late hours while workin on a new project but I will pass this on to my Dad and see what we can come up with. Wont know for shure till it's fixed. HA HA!

 

I had the same problem on my 2002 H.D. with factory Goodyear tires.With 42,000 miles just got the same tires at Discount Tire and they said to match balance them this time at add cost but made a world of diff. I had the old tires balanced 3- time with no help and will allways match balance all my cars and trucks.

 

When you had them balanced did you let them put weights on the front of the wheels? If not that could be your problem.

 

Hay stacker: whats this match balancing you talk about?
Silver streak: I don't know if he has weights on the front of his wheels or not. I think they used the strips of weight in the middle of the wheel but again not positive.

 

Not to change the subject but is your left front tire wearing prematurely ? I put some "clunk" washers on mine and fixed a lot of problems.

 

If he has stick on weights in the center of the wheel only the wheels are only static balanced and they will probably vibrate. Dynamic balancing is the only way to truly balance the wheel, and it is difficult if not impossible to do it with stick on weights on some wheels.

 

Silver streak: By dynamic balancing you mean the regular spin balanceing method? with the "clip on " weights on the edge of the rim instead of stick on strips in the center of the wheel?

 

Check the inside of the rim for evidence of bentness (pothole damage) A rim that is not round will vibrate even though the machine says it's "balanced"