Ramcharger vibration help

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gliderider06

gliderider06

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So, my bone stock 87 Ramcharger has developed a vibration in the rear area between 45-58 mph. Smooth as silk up until that magic 45mph then starts vibrating. Had all tires rebalanced, installed new u-joints, checked pinion bearings and backlash. Cross rotated tires, and repacked the slip joint in the shaft. Slip joint has some slop, and not certain that is not my issue unless I tossed a weight on the shaft or wheel weights.
Anywhere else I should check that you can think of?
Thanks!
 
If a weight on the drive shaft 'tossed' there should be evidence from where it was welded on.
 
Parking brake used recently? Bet its a drum dragging. Also check transmission mount.
You never mentioned if it was 2wd or 4wd. 4wd adds a whole bunch of possibilities.
 
CV joint? I know this would be the middle of the truck, but vibrations can play funny tricks. Needle point tip on grease gun to get it.... almost have to take the front driveshaft off.
 
318willrun said:
CV joint? I know this would be the middle of the truck, but vibrations can play funny tricks. Needle point tip on grease gun to get it.... almost have to take the front driveshaft off.
Click to expand...
Cv is static in 2wd. Just sayin.
But if front u-joints werent checked they can cause vibrating too. As they arent manual locking hubs. Too much speculating if its a 2wd.
 
Sorry, it is 4wd. Parking brake is not dragging. I had the rear apart yesterday and drums come off easily. It has auto locking front hubs. Rear u joints have 200 miles on them, front shaft has about 35,000 as well as the front axles. All bearings were replaced at that same time as well. I grease every fitting each oil change.
This started about 1000 miles ago and is literally driving me bonkers trying to find it.
I did get new trans and motor mounts, but haven't gotten to that yet. Guess that could be the next in line.
Thanks
 
Check to see if you have the CAD front (Centrally Activated Disconnect) front axle with the vacuum actuator and make sure it has not engaged due to a vacuum switch failure on the transfer case. Been there, done that...
 
Went almost out of my mind looking for a vibration on a 78 power wagon, I even pulled the covers off the axles thinking somebody changed the axles to different ratios, it was that bad.
I had just bought the truck, and did about what you did.
It ended up being the cv joint in the front driveshaft.
You cannot detect it by shaking the driveshaft, the ball had flat spots in it, $30 kit from napa fixed the issue. You do need a torch to take it apart, you have to melt some type of plastic filler the factory put in there to hold the joints in place.
Take the front drive shaft out of the vehicle, and drive it, it will cost you nothing but your time, if the vibration is gone, you found your snake in the wood shed.
 
Central axle disconnect,only one shaft de-couples in 2 hi
So left axle shaft spins with the wheel, right outer half spins with the wheel.
Had a pickup with same setup a couple weeks ago,and u-joints were pooched and vibrating.

Depending on who re-balanced wheels,perhaps they didnt notice runout or a shifted belt.
 
Maybe I have. Been looking in the wrong place. I put it in 4wd and drove it about 2 miles. Returned it back to 2wd and drove home. Vibration is just about completely gone. I suppose it's something up front.
Thanks
 
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