Too much vibration inside the cabin.

[mliborio]

Hi there,

I am frustrated with in cabin vibration. My Explorer is a 2001 Limited, and I already changed shocks (monroe), checked tires (alignment and balancing), but the car cabin still vibrates too much. (Of course, Brazil streets contribute a lot, but other similar cars do not perform like mine).
As it´s 7 years old, plastic is not tight as a new one, so vibration means loud noise too.

Any idea?

Thanks.
Marcos

 

[BIGHVM]

Hello- please check your anti roll bar bushes- you have two one at the front and one at the rear.......when the rubber perishes you will hear a lot of noise as the rollbars can contact the frame, also your balljoints are major suspects in this matter- to check properly you will have to take the load of the car- be careful where you jack- you are looking for excessive movement at the balljoint as you apply a rocking motion to the wheels with your hands at 12 and 6 o clock.
Let me know what you find- I like you hate noises in the cabin- people say I am too fusy, but If I own it.....it has to be right!

 

[mliborio]

Hello- please check your anti roll bar bushes- you have two one at the front and one at the rear.......when the rubber perishes you will hear a lot of noise as the rollbars can contact the frame, also your balljoints are major suspects in this matter- to check properly you will have to take the load of the car- be careful where you jack- you are looking for excessive movement at the balljoint as you apply a rocking motion to the wheels with your hands at 12 and 6 o clock.
Let me know what you find- I like you hate noises in the cabin- people say I am too fusy, but If I own it.....it has to be right!

Hi,

The ball joints were replaced, I have to check the bar bushes.
But that´s not suspension vibration, it´s vibration inside the cabin, transmitted to cabin by a more rigid suspension system, as to say. Things inside the cabin vibrate everytime I run on a irregular road: the seats, the plastics all around, the arm rest, etc... is it normal?

Thanks for the advises.
Marcos

 

[carlover]

Mine vibrates everything and anything lol. Are you lifted at all??? What kind of tired?? What PSI do you keep the tires at?

 

[mliborio]

Mine vibrates everything and anything lol. Are you lifted at all??? What kind of tired?? What PSI do you keep the tires at?

Hello Carlover,

No lifting. TYres: Ameritrac, 36psi.


Marcos

 

[carlover]

Drop the tires to 32 psi and see if that helps.

 

[Walnut777]

Mine rides like a cement block. The only thing that I have not replaced is the upper balljoints. Other than that everything else is pretty new.
I don't even want to know what my explorer would ride like on a rough road!
It rides ridiculously rough just the the grass in my yard.

 

[mliborio]

Drop the tires to 32 psi and see if that helps.

I will try that.
What about that smaller (cabin) shocks? I think they were never replaced. Are they there to soften vibration in the cabin?

Marcos

 

[BIGHVM]

Well mate, I doubt if that would make much differance, given that you seem to have the usual suspects covered, all I can suggest if if you drive a lot on rough cobbled roads, take the pressure down to 28 or 30 ish, I tried that and its a softer ride!

 

[mliborio]

Well mate, I doubt if that would make much differance, given that you seem to have the usual suspects covered, all I can suggest if if you drive a lot on rough cobbled roads, take the pressure down to 28 or 30 ish, I tried that and its a softer ride!

Hi guys,

I reduced to 32psi and it improved a lot!
My only concern is about mileage: wouldn´t this lower pressure impact in gas consumption?

Thanks a lot
Marcos

 

[corkey]

depends a bunch on the tire design, if it has a hard sidewall it will make the cabin shake on a rough road,

this can be tied to the amount of plies in the sidewall of the tire, the less side plies the softer the tire and the better the ride,
but , and that is a big BUT,,,, also the more chance of an abrasion causing a leak if you go off roading in the sticks and rocks,,

i have a tire with a soft sidewall, but i don't spend much time off road, and these were the first attempt at a bigger tire for my Ex,,

but it rides really nice on the highway , ,