This is a problem with a 4 door, 2 wheel drive, with single rear wheel, Cummins diesel with a 4 speed automatic transmission, Dodge 3500, 2006 model, and as of today has 273,600 miles, majority road miles.


Vibration started at 192.000 miles, I thought it was a torque converter. I replaced it with a rebuilt one, still vibrated. Around 200,000 mile, the shop that did the first work said it may be a bad torque converter. They took the orginal torque converter, sent it to a transmission shop had it rebuilt, and reinstalled Still had the same vibration.

From 192,000 miles till 272,000, I have had a transmission shop do the work that follows: First they told me it was a u-joint problem.. I replaced all three u-joints with aftermarket u-joints. That did not help.

Replaced the transmission support with an original Dodge support, and replaced the center support with Dodge original. Still did not fix the problem.

Took it back to the Dodge shop. They installed a new torque converter (NOT aftermarket) and a NEW Mopar re-manufactured Transmission. STILL SAME VIBRATION

Back to the Dodge Shop, they replaced one of the u-joints(they said a rear u-joint may have been defective) Did not help the vibration.

Next the Dodge shop said it may be the clutch fan trying to lock up. They replaced the clutch fan with an orIginal. They checked motor mounts and found no movement. The mechanic looked at the harmonic balancer and said there was no belt wear due to harmarnic balancer being out, and if HB was out, vibration would be bad with engine idling in neutral and no vibration with the engine in reved up in neutral, He ruled a harmonic balancer problem out. Still same vibration.

The Dodge shop said that all of the splines are in line, and there has never been any shims in the drive line. NO modifications have been done to this truck.

I keep my tires balanced, and I run Mitchelin tires with proper inflation. I have no loss of power, no engine skip

Back to square one.. I am taking the drive shaft to a machine shop tomorrow that can put it on a lathe to spin and balance. This is a two piece drive shaft.

Any other ideas???

 

I read that this started AT 192,000 miles, BUT was there ANY work done just prior to this ??
Since you covered all the basics, I would think driveshaft like you suggest. (especially if it was taken off before the vibe.)

 

Ya I am wondering the same thing. I actually had a u joint replace on my diesel pusher once and they didn't get the shaft back together with the joint set just right. Made a terrible vibration until we took it off and discovered it was not clocked correctly. Dang. This is a tough one.

 

Had similar problem with mine and I put it up on lift and ran it up to 50 and carefully felt drive train till I located the problem in drive shaft . My problem was worse under load but was still present under no load just to a much lesser degree . If you had 4/4 I would say take the rear shaft out of the system and run in 4 high to narrow down the problem , but with 2 that option is not available . My guess would be drive shaft and that is all it is a guess . I have seen were a guy mounted a camera under his truck to find a location of a vibration with success also , I hope this helps in some way , this problem can be a real pain .

 

Don R., is your truck a long box or short box? As mentioned, it would be nice if you filled out your signature...

While Don R.'s truck is a 2wd, this thread reports success with a new 1 piece drive shaft in a long bed 4wd truck.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=202733

...Joe

 

Truck is a long box

 

I continue to have a bad vibration in the steering wheel when I accelerate, goes away when I let off on the gas. I have replaced the complete drive line from the fly wheel thru the rear end, moter mounts check out ok. Could this problem be coming from the harmonic balancer??

I am at my wits end..

 

the harmonic balancer spinning a counterweight seems to be about the only thing left it COULD be.

 

Unless the engine was not properly balanced during it's assembly...

 

i can't see it being improper assembly if it wasn't doing it for the first 270,000+ miles.

 

You say it is in the steering wheel now. That sounds more like front end then drive line. Is that what you meant? or is it still like a seat of the pants type feel. I may suspect an idler arm or something if it is in the steering wheel. ?????

 

have you checked the U-bolts? I'm wondering of the the rear is creeping? Are your body bolts tight? And, if you are feeling it in the steering wheel, like Diesel Lady said, it's got to be in the front end.

 

With 260,000 miles on it it's due for ball joints. Under load there is less weight on the front end. When you go to N you're slowing down and loading up the front.

Jack up one side of the front and grab the top and bottom of the wheel and push it in and out. I bet you find a bunch of play...there should be any.

I replace the front upper and lower ball joints on my '02 Duramax and it was a real pain....doable but lots of work and you'll need to buy/rent special tools.

I also replaced U joints several time on my Duramax that had 460,000 miles on it and, while they were bad, they never gave me any vibration in the steering wheel that you mentioned in your first message.

Good luck.