For the last year or so I have been fighting a low speed slight vibration which I have previously posted on. In the course if the last year I have as well as three different shops have checked out my truck and found nothing. In that time the tires have been balanced three times,drive shaft has been balanced, u joints have been replaced, front shocks replaced, tranny mount replaced, transmission has been scanned twice while driving. Front end has been gone through numerous times- all front end components new in the last two years. Well, this past week I had an axle u joint go bad. Replaced it and for one day vibration gone. The second day vibration back and has gotten worse each day. To the point that it feels like the front end is super loose! Put truck on buddies lift after work today- can't find nothing!! Motor mounts look good, tranny shifts fine! Locked in hubs, makes it no better or worse. Front end tight , u joints feel fine. Other than the front end feeling super loose and still having the vibration I noticed a brief vibration when backing up in reverse this morning that came and went. But the front end feels a lot worse on the ride home today then this morning. Hence my title to my post-something is going to explode/break real soon! It has taken over a year to get to this point!

 

My experiences with feeling vibration backing up has always been a bad u-joint. They can be hard to diagnose sometimes....if you replace one you should replace all....JMHO

 

Had only one axle u joint bad, so I only replaced the one that night but I do have another new for the opposite side which will be installed shortly. All new u joints on drive shaft last summer when drive shaft was balanced. Then last fall the 2 nd shop I took my truck to replaced the u joints on the drive shaft again. No change in vibration. Checked out drive shaft u joints today while on lift, they look fine.can replace again which will be the 3 rd time in one year. Have had drive shaft u joints go bad on this truck before but this feels different. Have had vibration in front end for a year which has gotten worse finally in the last two days along with the front end feeling loose and feeling like front end is also "floating". A lot worse on ride home tonight than ride in this morning

 

Did you remove front driveshaft to see if you still had vibration?

 

Had very similar experiences as yours, All went away when I changed tires from Mickey Thompson MTZ to the Nitto tires I have now. I kept getting my tires balanced as well but watching them do it thru the window at the shop and they didnt change any weights 2 times in a row, I had enough of the mud tire look. Just a thought.

 

I just replaced the u-joints in the rear driveshaft on my truck because of a vibration and found 2 joints seized. I bought aftermarket greaseable u-joints and installed them, the vibration is much less now but still there none the less. I took it in to get the shaft balanced and the fellow told me that even though aftermarket u-joints fit, the end clearance is about 8 thou too much, and you'll never get the thing balanced. He claims the only u-joints you can use and get it balanced are the stock non-greaseable ones... I find that hard to believe but then again what do I know... Might be worth looking into on your truck...

 

By chance did you happen to look at the center carrier bearing? The rubber around the outside of the shaft on mine wore out.

 

What the guy told you about WAS true on the u-joint 8 thousandth's clearance difference. But I just replaced mine 2 months ago with NAPA Precision brand joints and they are oversized and fit perfectly. NO MORE VIBRATION!! I had a rear joint go out on me (while truck was under warranty) in Georgia and the dealer replaced the joint. Always had a vibration from there on. Dealer in OHIO says can't find anything wrong. I can't find anything wrong. So I finally started researching and found out about the Stock (AAM) u-joints being different. Replaced them with the right ones from NAPA all good now. Hope this helps.

 

There is a MARKED difference between over the counter crap U-joints and spicers, or OEM. If you don't believe me, buy both, and see the difference in your hands.

I agree with Big Iron, and I would remove the front shaft to the front axle. See what happens. Then, if I got nowhere, I would reinstall that shaft, and pull the rear shaft, driving it around in 4wd. I've done this before, and it usually shows its ugly head as to which shaft you're dealing with.


Carrier bearings, IMO, should be purchased from the dealer, as my truck has never, ever been vibration free until now.... NOW that I have a new Dodge carrier bearing and Spicer Lifetime NON greasable U-joints, and a re-balance.

Absolutely ZERO vibration, whereas before I thought the vibration was my engine doing it's thing....

 

Swapping out tires on Friday to see if there is a change. On my truck all u joints are precision/napa. I have the short bed so carrier bearing for me to check. Have lock out hubs so don't have to worry about front drive shaft. Truck has been gone over numerous times. Down to swapping tires now

 

I can rule out carrier bearing on my truck, have short bed. Can rule out front drive shaft too I have lock out hubs. All u joints are precision/ napa brand. Friday going to start swapping tires. I was able to find/buy two used tires.