Need help with Vibrations

[RKR]

I know that there are a ton posts already. I have spent the last few days looking them over, but still need some help. I am getting a vibration starting at about 65mph and continues to get worse as I increase in speed. The vibration really cant be felt in the steering wheel, but can be felt in the body and pedals. Vibration continues even when I shift to neutral. It seems to go away when under 65mph.
I have a 96 4x4 Sport with 60K on it.
This is what I've done so far:
New Tires (Michlens with less than 200 miles on them)
Alignment
Both Front and Rear drive shafts have new U-joints, CV kits and balanced
New shoocks
New tranny mount
New wheel bearings in the rear axle
Tires have been reblanced twice.
No fluid leaks any where.

The vibration was happening before all of this was done.
I have noticed a little squeal comming from the front axle area when at very low speeds (<5mph) after it has been driven for a while. I have stopped and felt around the Hub area after hearing the squealing and nothing seems to be even a little warm. I have sprayed the CV booties with a little WD40 just to make sure it wasn't them, but still have the squeal.
Could it be my front wheel bearings giving me this problem, even though I dont feel any heat in the hubs??
Any suggestions are welcomed, I'm getting a little fustrated.

 

[Papa]

The squeal is probably a brake pad. The vibration is probably rotating machinery though you have changed a lot of stuff and the vibration is still there. I did read a recent post where it turned out to be the torque converter and something about the wrong fluid maybe. Try a search in that direction, a fluid change should not cost much.

 

[RKR]

Do you think that it could be the Torque Converter even though the vibration is still there with the tranny in Neutral and coasting??
I don't think it's the brake pads because as its making the squealing sound, I have applied the brakes and it neither goes away or changes.

 

[Papa]

My bad I guess I thought you had an auto trans. This is where I am coming from if it has a harmonic, 65 +, it pretty much has to be something that spins. You have balanced and rotated the wheels so you will have to start checking the more difficult things. A shop that can spin balance the wheels on the axels. Also can you identify when this vibration started, for instance did you hit a rut on a trail or something? Any clues are helpful. Have you jacked up each wheel and tried to spin it to find the squeal and check for excessive play?

 

[RKR]

Yes I do have an Automatic 4x4 with the V6, but when on the highway and driving, you start to feel the vibrations at about 65mph and they condtinue to get worse as I accelerate to 75mph where they are pretty bad. At this time, at 75mph, I let off the gas and shift the tranny into Neutral and the vibrations are still there as the vehicle coasts down untill around 60mph where the vibrations goes away.

Any ideas about the squealing emmiting from the front wheels when driving very slowly, by slowly I mean slow enough that you could walk beside the vehicle as it rolls. This squeal only seems to happen after I have driven the vehicle for a while. If I drive the vehicle after it has set for an hour or so it doesn't make this squeal untill I have driven it for a while. I thought it may be the brakes dragging but I applied the brakes, while rolling, and the squeal doesnt change, so I dont think its the brakes. I have also stopped the vehicle, after hearing the squeal, and felt around the hubs and front axle area for excessive heat and everything feels normal, no hot spots.

 

[Papa]

I mentioned the torque converter because it caught my attention in another post with a similar vibration. Here are a couple of other posts I ran across.

Transmission fluid and torque converter shudder
Abraxsis
Is this possible!!!?!?!?

Hi All,

Some of you might remember that I have been having a shimmy in my truck. Well today I changed the transmission fluid in my X and lo and behold when I took it on the interstate the shimmy was all but gone. Is it possible that changing the transmission fluid fixed something? The only other thing I can thing of is maybe being up on the ramps for 5 hours might have done something as well. Who knows? Any ideas?

Abraxsis
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BrooklynBay
It's possible that you might have had the wrong fluid in there before you replaced it. The 5R55E is only supposed to have Mercon V. Mercon III could cause slippage, and torque converter shudder.

n0adk
Quote:
Originally Posted by ExplorerDMBthat is also what I was going to suggest: TC shudder


On that note, I have a question to ask.

I have a 99 AWD with 109k EXACTLY on it. Recently got it and as far as I can tell it has never had any sort of fluid drain and fill/service done on any of the key items (transmission, diff's, etc). Recognizing that this needs to be done, I have a concern.

I have heard horror stories of people replacing the transmission fluid in high mileage vehicles that have never been serviced and ending up breaking things due to the new fluid detergents, etc. More to the point, that new fluid detergent causing the varnish and other particles to break free and causing obstructions to the valve bodies, etc.

Is this simply a myth or is it a real thing to watch out for?

BrooklynBay
I've also heard of this. I don't know for sure, but I would say that dirt will eventually clog everything up, and create driveability issues. If the fluid is so old that it has lost most of it's viscosity, then it is probably worthless. Either way, if you just drive with dirty fluid, or attempt to take a chance with new fluid, you will be in the same predicament.


Shimmy on Highway
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154238

95 Explorer XL is shaking I need Help
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154165

 

[RKR]

Papa,
Thanks for your input. This thing was driving me nuts. I had the wheels rebalanced again and stood by them why they check for wheel and tire problems and nothing found. Pulled the drive shafts and had them rechecked for balance and no problems found. As I was installing the rear drive shaft, I just happened to grab it at the Transfer case output shaft and felt an unusual movement. I have found my problem; excessive play at the output shaft of the Tcase, very noticable. I had checked this before and I had to grab it just right to get it to move, but when it does it is very noticable.

 

[Papa]

I am glad you found the problem and thanks for letting us know what you found.