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Low speed vibration

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Old Feb 19, 2004 | 11:40 AM
  #1  
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Default Low speed vibration

I am experiencing a vibration at low speeds of about 20-30 mph. It is not constant but comes and goes about every second or two. It vibrates the steering wheel also. When speed up it smoothes out. Have new tires on the front and had them balanced again today. It got a little better. Also just got finished having t-arms rebuilt, new spring, shocks all the way around, lined up too. I don't remember this being there before I started the t-arm job, but that was before christmas and we hadn't really driven it much before then anyway since we just got it in october. Any ideas? :confused:
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Old Feb 19, 2004 | 03:00 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

ttt anybody?
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Old Feb 19, 2004 | 03:13 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

Check your steering componants, esp your idler arm.
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Old Feb 19, 2004 | 03:27 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (Fevre)

hmmm...reputable guy I had line it up said I needed to replace that. May have to do front end sooner than I had planned. :smash:
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Old Feb 23, 2004 | 07:24 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

WOW...can't believe how much difference a new idler arm can make. Drives so much smoother now. :steering: :steering: :party: :hurray:
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Old Feb 24, 2004 | 03:53 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

OK... the idler arm did improve the handling quite a bit, I still have the vibration. Starts about 30 mph, gets faster as I go faster, seems to level out about 50, picks back up again when you let off the gas at 50. Still sounds like something rubbing etc.....Any more Ideas? :confused: :confused: :confused:
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Old Feb 24, 2004 | 04:28 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

Have you done a Wheel alignment?
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Old Feb 24, 2004 | 04:35 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (stingraymaniac)

Yes. Alignment guy told me I needed a new idler arm. Which I did.
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Old Feb 24, 2004 | 05:07 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

U-joints on driveshaft.
How's the timing on the engine?
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Old Feb 24, 2004 | 05:10 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

I was having the same problem and checked everything possible, clutch, flywheel, flexplate, u-joints, driveshaft, alignment, fan clutch, pulleys, etc. Now that I have been messing with the carb. and my alt. is on the fritz, I am noticing that the engine doesn't vibrate quite so bad with a freshly charged battery, but as I loose voltage due to a crummy alt. it gets worse, probably misfiring.
Just a thought.
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Old Feb 24, 2004 | 05:12 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

OK... the idler arm did improve the handling quite a bit, I still have the vibration. Starts about 30 mph, gets faster as I go faster, seems to level out about 50, picks back up again when you let off the gas at 50. Still sounds like something rubbing etc.....Any more Ideas? :confused: :confused: :confused:
if something was rubbing you should se it under the car.
theres much in the steering that can be worn fore those symptoms.
i should go throught the steering and see if i found something.
could be the gears inside the steering gear box :confused:
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Old Feb 24, 2004 | 08:46 PM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (stingraymaniac)

feel it in the steering wheel = front end componants
feel it in the seat = rear end componants :thumbs:
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Old Feb 26, 2004 | 05:50 PM
  #13  
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

OK...after a little more test driving with a friend we have determined this ids coming from the rear and not the front. I did just have the t-arms done. what to look for for this problem? :banghead:
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 08:03 AM
  #14  
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

:withstupid: ttt
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 08:50 AM
  #15  
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

Well...I just noticed one of these back wheels has no weights on it. I wonder if that could be the problem :crazy:
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 10:28 AM
  #16  
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

Well, that wasn't it. :banghead:
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 11:16 AM
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

First check the U-joint on the main driveshaft....

2nd (if you have an auto-trans) check the bushing on the diff. housing.
.....*manual's clunk pretty bad if that bushing is worn out.

Hmmm.....<thinking>......I'd also inspect the wheel bearings in the rear if you haven't done so already......but you did mention something about T-arm replacement ?!? :confused:
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 11:18 AM
  #18  
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (verskel)

There is a little play in the u-joint at the transmission. About 1/16 of an inch. moves back and forth in the u-brackets just enough for you to feel and see it. Thing is, that is the only one I have changed since I had the car. Maybe it is not the right one? :confused: Also, guy at the tire store said right rear tire took alot of weight to balance. More than normal. Tire may be bad. :confused:


[Modified by brooksman9, 10:38 AM 2/27/2004]
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 02:31 PM
  #19  
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

OK...Something else I did while I was doing t-arms was to let the axle shafts hang. I remember now reading somewhere not to do that (after the fact of course). What kind of problem can this cause? :withstupid:
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 02:44 PM
  #20  
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Default Re: Low speed vibration (brooksman9)

It sounds like your driveshaft. The halfshafts are so short you shouldn't get any vibration from them at all. Letting them hang for a few days or weeks cannot be any more traumatic then stuffing 300HP down their throat to drive the rear wheels.

Get the car on a lift and move around all the rotating components and check for movement. You already found a U-joint. Change it out. Also check your differential yokes. Unlikely that the T-arms are bad if they were rebuilt by one of the forum supporters. If done by a normal mechanic then get a dial indicator on there and check for runout.

If there is slop or play in any of those components it will translate to a vibration and early failure in the car.

Also consider getting your driveshaft balanced. This is required if you change U-joints.

vibration=failure=danger

Keep looking you will find it.

Keep safe.

:cheers:
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