New problem...vibration

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:10 pm

Well here is a problem that started the other day and I can't figure it out. I have started to get this vibration when approaching 45 MPH through about 55-60 MPH. It occurs in both acceleration and deceleration but goes away or is unnoticable above or below this speed. My first thought was fuel filter because I noticed it when approaching 45 and thought maybe engine was starving for fuel but would a clogged filter also affect deceleration? Changed filter about 6 months ago but could have gotten crappy fuel several weeks ago.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:39 pm

Check around on the forum as there is chat about this being caused by drive train issues such as "U" joints or slip joint, I vote for "U" joints although there are other possible causes such as wheel balance or tire tread separation. Doesn't sound like fuel especially if it goes away at higher speed hence need for more fuel.

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:48 pm

Did some checks on the way home this afternoon, vibration up to 75 MPH on freeway, put in neutral and coasted and vibration subsided but was still noticeable. Switched back to drive and it was very evident. This confirms previous post that it is not a fuel issue. Could this be tranny-related or does it sound more like u-joint or drive shaft issue? Below 45 MPH, vibration goes away. This vibration resonates through the whole vehicle.
I did grease the rear u-joint I replaced about 40,000 miles ago but the front is probably original with 94,000 on vehicle. I do have a loud clunck when when shifting from reverse to drive when brake is applied and seeems to be coming from front U-joint. would a bad u-joint cause vibrations at high speed?

CATCRD · **Posted:** Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:16 pm

That really sounds like a u-joint. I would take off the driveshaft and try to flex them all. Sometimes you can't tell if an axis is seized up while it still all bolted in. Also grease the splines of the front slip yoke and it should cut down on the clunks.

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:39 am

Thanks CATCRD! I really should have replaced both u-joints when I did rear because once you have drive shaft off, it doesn't take that much more effort to do both. It seems like I did have some trouble getting the old one off but don't remember all the details. Seems like I used a slightly smaller socket and vise or C-clamp to press old one out. What has been other's experience changing u-joints?

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:22 pm

Okay, here's the update. I changed both drive shaft u-joints. They came off fairly easily after spraying with PB buster. Put everything back together and greased up the spline shaft real good with hopes of eliminating the clunk when shifing into drive and all is well. After picking up parts for $41 from O'Reilly's, I stopped at a repair shop to get a quote on changing them. They wanted $265 + tax. :BANANA:

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:31 pm

liberty2.8 wrote:

Okay, here's the update. I changed both drive shaft u-joints. They came off fairly easily after spraying with PB buster. Put everything back together and greased up the spline shaft real good with hopes of eliminating the clunk when shifing into drive and all is well. After picking up parts for $41 from O'Reilly's, I stopped at a repair shop to get a quote on changing them. They wanted $265 + tax. :BANANA:

The repair place must have been planning to send some money to the resident of the building in your avatar :ROTFL:

Maybe or maybe not willingly :idea:

Big Montana · **Posted:** Sun Dec 18, 2011 11:23 am

Are you in 4wd when this happens? My front drive shaft is going out because the front boot has been torn for two years. I didn't use it all summer and I think I et it get dried out inside. Are you sure it's your rear shaft?

dylan7495 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 02, 2012 1:45 pm

Hi Guys,

I know this is an old post but I am experiencing the same problem. My vibration is not bad. it happens when the vehicle changes to third gear and it seems to be in this gear only at low rpm aroun 1200rpm until around 2000rpm. I can't really feel it so much. it caught my attention because the dash (instrument cluster) makes a light vibration noise. The vehicle was fine and started doing this right after I gave my friend a tow home after his timing belt snapped on his renault scenic. I had no issues towing but this started immediatley after the tow. could this be related to a u joint or transmission. I notice it gets worse when in 4 fulltime but there was a similar vibration when in this mode anyway. 117K miles and I dont believe the u's have ever been changed.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu Feb 02, 2012 2:20 pm

Take a look at "U" joints, CV joints and motor mounts.

dylan7495 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 02, 2012 2:28 pm

papaindigo wrote:

Take a look at "U" joints, CV joints and motor mounts.

Thanks Papaindigo. I will do that! May I ask if you have any insight as to why this started right after towing. I mean this vehicle tows amazingly!!

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu Feb 02, 2012 2:37 pm

Assuming it's one of those things I have no clue other than to say everything happens after something but that doesn't imply a relation between the 2 events although I could see how stress on the drive train could "annoy" a marginal "U" joint for example.

dylan7495 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 02, 2012 2:47 pm

I agree. The car i was towing is roughly 1200kgs and we hit some pretty steep inclines. also the driver of the car being towed didnt really know how to work the brakes in a tow situation and keep tension on the line so there were a couple of hard jerks with the line taking up slack and with the crds torque that couldnt have been good. we actually broke the screw in towing tongue on the renault and had to tie onto the chassis after that. :dizzy:

dylan7495 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 5:07 am

Hi Again,

In the picture above you see the universal. My CRD uses the rear prop labeled 7. It has two universals but in the Parts Fiche under quantity required it specifies only 1. I presume that the will both be the same. The 2wd diagram shows them both as the same thing and are both labelled 2 and the propeller shaft has the same part number aswell. If anybody knows otherwise please let me know or I am going to buy two of them and replace both at the same time. Part number for the 2.8CRD '04 is then U JOINT - 05015694AA ??? and RING U Joint - J3207886???

I also see there are no universals specified for the front propeller shaft. There is some sort of joint inside a boot. Is there anything that can be done to check if this is worn. I can't find anything in the manual reffering to this part and it seems that the whole shaft will need to be replaced.

Lastly, how much play should there be on the differentials and transfer case where they connect to the propeller shafts? On the 242 transfer case there is an inter axle differential for 4 full time mode. this obviously is in the transfer case - would that mean that Mopar +4 would be required there too instead of 5w20?

naturist · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 3:24 pm

dylan7495 wrote:

There is some sort of joint inside a boot. Is there anything that can be done to check if this is worn. I can't find anything in the manual reffering to this part and it seems that the whole shaft will need to be replaced.

I believe the "some sort of joint" is a constant velocity U-joint, aka a CV joint, and they are very expensive compared to standard U-joints. They also require replacement of the entire shaft, as you surmised, no doubt accounting for at least some of the price difference. A previous poster notes paying $41 for a pair of regular U-joints for his CRD. I do not know what the specific on you are talking about costs, but I can tell you that I've had to replace CV joints on other vehicles, and have paid as much as $1,000 for them. It should be noted that one should inspect CV joint boots often, and if you find one with a torn boot, it is relatively cheap to repack with grease and replace the boot, but if you let one with a torn boot go, in a year or so you are going to have to spring for the joint replacement.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 4:13 pm

naturist wrote:

dylan7495 wrote:

There is some sort of joint inside a boot. Is there anything that can be done to check if this is worn. I can't find anything in the manual reffering to this part and it seems that the whole shaft will need to be replaced.

I believe the "some sort of joint" is a constant velocity U-joint, aka a CV joint, and they are very expensive compared to standard U-joints. They also require replacement of the entire shaft, as you surmised, no doubt accounting for at least some of the price difference. A previous poster notes paying $41 for a pair of regular U-joints for his CRD. I do not know what the specific on you are talking about costs, but I can tell you that I've had to replace CV joints on other vehicles, and have paid as much as $1,000 for them. It should be noted that one should inspect CV joint boots often, and if you find one with a torn boot, it is relatively cheap to repack with grease and replace the boot, but if you let one with a torn boot go, in a year or so you are going to have to spring for the joint replacement.

Sorry to bring this back, but I found it while researching papaindago's suggestion about vibrations. The front driveshaft can be repaired with a CV joint kit now. I replaced the entire end of the shaft in about an hour, and the new boot went on with a clamp... I've not had any problems with the kit unless it turns out that my vibration is being caused by this joint.

I am actually going to remove the front drive shaft and see if that cures the vibration. I hear that it still spins even when not in 4WD.

New problem...vibration

Who is online