Driveshaft vibration

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
I do not believe that this is a TCC vib, it just doesn't feel right for that. Yes, this is a factory ESC truck, it is currently non-functional but that's another story.

Isn't there a cam built specifically for swapping 5 and 7 or am I talking like a sausage?!?!?

John Anderson I can get behind music like that!
 

R Carnella

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Posts
376
Reaction score
825
Location
Long island
First Name
Rich
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
Suburban V2500
Engine Size
5.3
I had this issue with my V2500 burb and i finally put the rear axle on jack stands,started the motor put in drive and let the tranny shift up to speed.
Then i was able to see one of my rear axles was bent slightly.
I could see the wheel and drum wobble a very small amount.
Replaced my rear axles and now it's soo much better
 

R Carnella

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Posts
376
Reaction score
825
Location
Long island
First Name
Rich
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
Suburban V2500
Engine Size
5.3
I had this issue with my V2500 burb and i finally put the rear axle on jack stands,started the motor put in drive and let the tranny shift up to speed.
Then i was able to see one of my rear axles was bent slightly.
I could see the wheel and drum wobble a very small amount.
Replaced my rear axles and now it's soo much better
That was of course after going through all the Driveline first but at least its fixed lol
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
I had this issue with my V2500 burb and i finally put the rear axle on jack stands,started the motor put in drive and let the tranny shift up to speed.
Then i was able to see one of my rear axles was bent slightly.
I could see the wheel and drum wobble a very small amount.
Replaced my rear axles and now it's soo much better
Ok I was just thinking about this, this morning. I still need to get finished up with my cooling system before I circle back around the vibration, but it occurred to me I've had a long standing issue with a minor rear brake vibration as well. The symptoms are like that of a mildly warped drum, light pulsation from the rear under hard braking. Like the driveline vib, the braking pulsation has been there longer than I've owned the truck. I've resurfaced the drums as that would be the usual fix, but it made no difference. It's not very bad so I've dropped it as one of those things this old truck is going to do. But I wonder, is that also a symptom of a bent axle? Did you have anything like that going on? At $200 an axle that might just make it swap to FF time for me. Thanks.
 

R Carnella

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Posts
376
Reaction score
825
Location
Long island
First Name
Rich
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
Suburban V2500
Engine Size
5.3
Ok I was just thinking about this, this morning. I still need to get finished up with my cooling system before I circle back around the vibration, but it occurred to me I've had a long standing issue with a minor rear brake vibration as well. The symptoms are like that of a mildly warped drum, light pulsation from the rear under hard braking. Like the driveline vib, the braking pulsation has been there longer than I've owned the truck. I've resurfaced the drums as that would be the usual fix, but it made no difference. It's not very bad so I've dropped it as one of those things this old truck is going to do. But I wonder, is that also a symptom of a bent axle? Did you have anything like that going on? At $200 an axle that might just make it swap to FF time for me. Thanks.
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
Yes same issue with rear drums,always felt like warped (band new) drum. And would go out of adjustment quickly
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Well Another weekend of not making any progress on the vibration. First there was the cooling system thing that I was suppose to have taken care of last weekend, but because of the "fan clutch debacle" (there is a thread under tech about that). And finding a partially clogged radiator last weekend, finishing that stuff rolled into this weekend. Plus there is the farm which is sure busy this time of year!

I do think that I will make the time at work this week to at least put it up and check out the axles.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Update: Well I found a few minutes this morning to run the truck on jack stands. #1. My right rear drum and wheel look exactly like the video @R Carnella posted, so I'm pretty sure I have a bent RR axle. #2. The rear driveshaft at low speeds I can see that it appears to move up and down a bit. I've straight edged it and looks ok so I'm not quite sure what the issue is there. Maybe it is just enough movement from the carrier to make it appear that way. Regardless in addition to the output shaft bushing I now I need to decide if she shall get an axle or diff swap to FF. That's all I have so far. Thanks.
 

R Carnella

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Posts
376
Reaction score
825
Location
Long island
First Name
Rich
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
Suburban V2500
Engine Size
5.3
i picked up these axles from summit racing for 99 bucks each w/free shipping. also took the opportunity to replace my rusty backing plates and all of the parking brake cables. the rear diff is in really good condition otherwise, so it seemed worth it. i had a new rear drive shaft made when i first got the truck because it was very rusted and now its really smooth at any speed.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
i picked up these axles from summit racing for 99 bucks each w/free shipping. also took the opportunity to replace my rusty backing plates and all of the parking brake cables. the rear diff is in really good condition otherwise, so it seemed worth it. i had a new rear drive shaft made when i first got the truck because it was very rusted and now its really smooth at any speed.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach

Cool thanks, I'll check out Summit. I've started a thread about swapping to a Full floater, but if I can rebuild the semi-float for a reasonable price I might do that. A local parts supplier quoted me $175 an axle so I'll check summit out. Thanks for that.
 

akchevrolet

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2016
Posts
479
Reaction score
582
Location
Texas
First Name
Andrew
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
R10
Engine Size
305
@82TwoHeadlight,

Funny you should mention about the trans shaft bearing, I was reading a off road mag last night and in it was an article about a tail housing for a 700R4 that you could buy that had roller bearings in it, one at the end of the tail housing end that bolts to the trans, and another one at the other end of the tail housing at the slip yoke. The bearings were the long cylindrical shaped roller bearings in a cage. They replaced the bushing bearings at that end of the stock housing. You had to buy their housing and the bearings came in it.

Reading this thread, how much vibration is it? Is the steering wheel shaking? Can you see it in any way? Could you put a cup of water in a holder on the dash and see the water rippling? I've not had any problem like that, I've got a long bed, except for a long time ago when my "swing" bearing was about to fall out of the truck. Is that what ya'll are calling a "carrier" bearing? The assembly that is in the middle of the short shaft coming from the slip yoke back to this assembly and then after that there is a long slip unit that the long drive shaft is connected to with a u-joint, then back to the rear end. My "swing" bearing is a rubber thing encased roller bearing that is pressed over the shaft that comes in a bracket that bolts to a cross member under there. That thing?

Yeah, that's what was vibrating and about to fall apart. The rubber and the bearing had disintegrated and was making a lot of racket under the truck. The guy at the repair shop said, "How the hell did you drive it like that? When we unbolted the bracket from the cross member it all fell onto the floor!"
I had my carrier bearing completely die. all the rubber was gone and the driveshaft started to bounce around in there.
 

Rusty Nail

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Posts
10,041
Reaction score
10,134
Location
the other side of the internet
First Name
Rusty
Truck Year
1977
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
350sbc
I do not believe that this is a TCC vib, it just doesn't feel right for that. Yes, this is a factory ESC truck, it is currently non-functional but that's another story.

Isn't there a cam built specifically for swapping 5 and 7 or am I talking like a sausage?!?!?

John Anderson I can get behind music like that!

They got camhafts to swap 5 and 7 im certain there are extreme nitrous injected or boosted race cars that find SPEED in that camshaft firing order change, but I bet you gotta be goin pretty.damned.fast.

Bet jegs.com will sell you one. :D
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 
Last edited:

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
I had my carrier bearing completely die. all the rubber was gone and the driveshaft started to bounce around in there.
In my case, the carrier is new, as are the U-joints thanks to @R Carnella I discovered I have a mildly bent axle. I have done nothing about it as of yet. Part of that is I hate to spend $200 or more for a pair of axles, when what I really want to do is dump the semi-float and swap in a full float both for strength and to get rid of the 3.41 gears, in favor of 4.10's or 4.56's
They got camhafts to swap 5 and 7 im certain

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
That's good stuff right there, John Anderson that is. I didn't really realize that was your kind of music, until you posted Seminole wind. I rarely go into the music thread so I guess I don't really know what you like for music!
 

akchevrolet

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2016
Posts
479
Reaction score
582
Location
Texas
First Name
Andrew
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
R10
Engine Size
305
Haha. I wasnt suggesting that was the issue saw it was new earlier. Just threw in something that happened.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Haha. I wasnt suggesting that was the issue saw it was new earlier. Just threw in something that happened.
I understood that, but in re-reading my post I did not convey that, rather your post reminded me that there maybe folks wondering what happened when I replaced those axles, which I have not yet done.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,165
Posts
950,712
Members
36,279
Latest member
MTBR12
Top