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60MPH+ on the front diff safe ?

A

Acesneights1

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Location
Northeast CT
Having a vibration coming out of the truck at 55+ MPH. Feels more like tires but have swapped them around rebalanced etc to no avail. Was noticing my truck is old school with a flage on the t case for the rear DS so in thoery I could pull the shaft out of the truck and run on the front diff but I'd have to run the truck at 60+MPH to see if vibration goes away. The alterative is just taking the shaft to a DS shop.
 
I think you can do it. But first get under there and see if you can find anything wrong with the carrier bearing. If you can't feel any play or see any deterioration, take it out and drive it and then check to see if it's hot. Bad carrier bearing (I've changed mine twice) or even bent driveshaft could be involved.
I've driven my truck at highway speeds in 4wd before, don't like to but I've done it. Generally in the snow I figure if I'm going fast enough to need 4wd, then I'm going too fast. But I don't see why you couldn't do it for the short term. I've known guys to do it to get home in a pinch with no problems.
 
Acesneights1 said:
I'm more worried about the cv's and diff than the front shaft.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about those CVs, I replaced mine at 160 or so, only because a boot ripped and the grease came out. Still got another year out of it. Plowing and spinning the Intercos has never hurt them.
 
4 wheel and off road had a 91 2500HD ECLB project truck (the red sled, IIRC) and they went wheeling once and found obstacles with the rear driveline, and ended up driving it about 60 miles with the front only. nothing broke on the short term, so I would personally do it, as long as its only 20-30 miles or less, and you are empty.

I think the biggest issue running 4wd on the road is that when both diffs are hooked up, they are fighting each other, as theoretically, the front tires would be "smaller" since they are bulged out more, with the weight of the front end. Articulated 4wd ag tractors are similar, as around here, we never run them on the highway for more than a few miles for that reason.
 
Check your angles for the drive shafts. The rear shaft can have a carrier bearing causing this as well as a binding or worn out u-joint.

Is the vibration front in - steering wheel or rear - felt in the seat?

A driveshaft will be a 'high speed' vibration compared to an out of balance tire. As is the DS shake more like a rattle will be faster than a slow tire shake.

Tray 4 low and see if there is a Torque Converter balance issue or possible a dead hole in the engine at specific speeds/RPM.
 
not sure how different our systems are Kenny...but I've done 103mph in 4wd about 50+ times in mine...maybe more. ;)
 
this just clicked in my mind. i had a intermitent vibration that i would feel at around 55mph and up. it would come and go it was so bad that the rearview mirror shook so bad that i couldnt see squat out of it, ended up breaking the u-joint going into the rear diff within a week after i first noticed it put in 2 new u joints (got lucky and my buddy did it at the driveline shop he works at for free, the right tools make that much easier) and all the vibration is gone. i had checked them after i started feeling the vibration and they didnt feel really slopy but some thing wasnt right since i dont feel it any more
 
Well, I'll pull the shaft tonight which will give me a better look at it and take a test drive as well. Running tht fast on the front may cause it's own vibration but guess I won't know till I try. Yesit has a hanger bearing and it"seems" ok. No cracked rubber. I can move it up and down a little. Guy at DS shop told me .10-.15 thousands is max runout and I swear when I had the truck on stands it looks like it was moving more like 1/8 to 1/4 inch but that could have been the truck going up and down as well with the DS. Really best way I think is to have it spun on a lathe. That will tell the tale for sure and at this point the Carrier bearing and u joints look original 10 yrs old and 155k miles so maybe I should have all new put in anyway.If it spins true on a lathe then I can rule that out.
 
Mudbath said:
A dry or seizing U joint will sometimes be accompanied by a squeek squeek squeek at low speed take offs.
Click to expand...

usually red powder around the cups is a sure sign. Don't see any. I still think it's the tires as the vibration is not consistent. More like a shake from the middle of the truck that comes and goes and seems to get worse or appear a lower speeds on a crappy road.
 
You prob know this but,you sure you dont have seperating tire?
a little bulge in the tread is enough to cause it.

No play on lower balljoints?
 
pretty common to have 1 ear of a ujoint not accept grease and a dry joint might make a buzz. Usually by the time you see the red rust it's pretty far gone.
 
Careful about that "little" bit of play in the carrier bearing. The rubber in mine wasn't cracked at all either but that didn't stop it.

When i left for upstate new york summer of 2009(which was 500 miles one way) I checked my carrier bearing(just to be safe as i was looking everything else over as well) and it had a little bit of play in it. On the way back on said trip from Upstate new york, the carrier bearing exploded and i had an insane amount of play in all directions since all the ball bearings shot out of it. The truck shook like i was running 4 flat tires over a live mine field when that happened.



The truck had a little play in the carrier bearing when i bought it and it never got worse in over 25,000 miles and it just up and :suicide: itself in less than 200 miles. Ended up with a $475 tow home as i was stranded in Albany at 11 pm at night.

All over a $40 part.

You don't want to be there, Trust me.
 
bison said:
You prob know this but,you sure you dont have seperating tire?
a little bulge in the tread is enough to cause it.

No play on lower balljoints?
Click to expand...

Yep, first thing I looked for cause I had that happen with some crap Kumhos on my Old 2000. BJ's are fine...:D
I think I found my problem. Have to download the camera. Suffice to say camping trip this weekend is cancelled. I love New England but I will never buy another truck from here.
 
Acesneights1 said:
Having a vibration coming out of the truck at 55+ MPH. Feels more like tires but have swapped them around rebalanced etc to no avail. Was noticing my truck is old school with a flage on the t case for the rear DS so in thoery I could pull the shaft out of the truck and run on the front diff but I'd have to run the truck at 60+MPH to see if vibration goes away. The alterative is just taking the shaft to a DS shop.
Click to expand...

Kenny do you have a carrier bearing? (driveshaft bearing?) This gave me a 55-60mph vibration twice, and each time it was that.

If you have one, replace it, grab that driveshaft and force it straight up and down and look for movement. Kind of a bitch, but part is cheap. Replace it anyway. I bet its that.
 
iamdave0887 said:
Careful about that "little" bit of play in the carrier bearing. The rubber in mine wasn't cracked at all either but that didn't stop it.

When i left for upstate new york summer of 2009(which was 500 miles one way) I checked my carrier bearing(just to be safe as i was looking everything else over as well) and it had a little bit of play in it. On the way back on said trip from Upstate new york, the carrier bearing exploded and i had an insane amount of play in all directions since all the ball bearings shot out of it. The truck shook like i was running 4 flat tires over a live mine field when that happened.



The truck had a little play in the carrier bearing when i bought it and it never got worse in over 25,000 miles and it just up and :suicide: itself in less than 200 miles. Ended up with a $475 tow home as i was stranded in Albany at 11 pm at night.

All over a $40 part.

You don't want to be there, Trust me.
Click to expand...

The whole driveshaft is out of the truck and the bearing itself feels ok but the rubber is cracked and separated. Also had a bad cup although I think the vibration was the driveshafts being out of phase. The whole shaft is going to the DS shop tommorow at 8am sharp. high speed balance and everything new. Bill actually put the idea in my head when suggesting something else. I didn't even think to check that initially.
 
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