Front end vibration!?! Please advise..

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:23 pm

Any of you mechanics know why my KJ would be vibrating in the front at higher speeds... you can tell at around 35+ that something is not right.. but once you hit 65+ you can really tell...... BUT NOT ALL THE TIME!? Sometimes it sounds like a helicopter and vibrates really bad but at other times it does not...

I had an alignment after I installed the frankenlift but I haven't had one since I have gotten the MT/R's... Could this be it.. or should I be looking at ball joints etc...
Please advise.
Thanks
Chris

WV Jay · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:33 pm

Do you notice this after using 4WD? Sometimes mine doesn't want to disengage and I have to back up to get it out of 4WD. It vibrates pretty good if it doesn't disengage. Just a thought.

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:35 pm

did u get the tires ballanced?

jerbacher · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:37 pm

lots of things could be the culprit. mine has some vibration too, but ive just ignored it and attributed it to the old, uneven MTRs and the fact that my jeep wont align quite right anymore.

before looking for anything drastic, i'd check alignment and wheel balance.

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:38 pm

WV jay... no it has been in 2wd the whole time

dloc_jeep_KJ... Yes i've had the tires balanced twice since I have gotten them..

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:43 pm

jerbacher wrote:

lots of things could be the culprit. mine has some vibration too, but ive just ignored it and attributed it to the old, uneven MTRs and the fact that my jeep wont align quite right anymore.

before looking for anything drastic, i'd check alignment and wheel balance.

It's fine at lower speeds but I almost don't feel safe driving it on the highway..
You know the sound effect that you get when you roll down the two back windows and it vibrates really bad "like a helicopter"
It sounded like that today Only from the front end....

The dealership didn't have any opening today so I'd like to get as many opinions as possible..
Thanks a lot guys..

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:47 pm

Dont rule out unbalanced tires even though you just got them balanced. Ive dealt with some pretty crappy shops.

Could be a bad belt in the tire or bent rim. Have you tried rotating the tires to see if the vibration moves?

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:07 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Dont rule out unbalanced tires even though you just got them balanced. Ive dealt with some pretty crappy shops.

Could be a bad belt in the tire or bent rim. Have you tried rotating the tires to see if the vibration moves?

I hear ya,
I went and looked at my weights on the rims
It looks like one may have come off on one of the rear tires....

Would this effect the front end so badly though?
I'm going to try rotating them after lunch and see if that helps any
Thanks again

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:29 pm

check the u joints also, one in the rear will (sometimes) feel like a front vibration, also a u joint will vibrate at a low speed say 30 to 35 and then more at 60-65 , mine felt tight and appeared good until I pulled them off and they were toasted

wildrussian · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:33 pm

Dealership will blame it on the lift, thats what mine did. I kinda get something like what you describe only not as loud, it does sound like a helicopter. I changed my u joints and that didn't fix it. Since I got MTR I can't hardly hear it anymore. DId it start doing it after the lift?

jerbacher · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:35 pm

tommudd wrote:

check the u joints also, one in the rear will (sometimes) feel like a front vibration, also a u joint will vibrate at a low speed say 30 to 35 and then more at 60-65 , mine felt tight and appeared good until I pulled them off and they were toasted

hmmm interesting, tom. you just provided the exact speeds at which my jeep vibrates!

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:06 pm

tommudd wrote:

check the u joints also, one in the rear will (sometimes) feel like a front vibration, also a u joint will vibrate at a low speed say 30 to 35 and then more at 60-65 , mine felt tight and appeared good until I pulled them off and they were toasted

Tom, those are the speeds my KJ vibrates. is it hard to check yourself or should I just have the dealership check
Oh and i'm eating kewpee right now :wink:

wildrussian wrote:

Dealership will blame it on the lift, thats what mine did. I kinda get something like what you describe only not as loud, it does sound like a helicopter. I changed my u joints and that didn't fix it. Since I got MTR I can't hardly hear it anymore. DId it start doing it after the lift?

No i've actually put on about 20,000 miles on the frankenlift before this started happening...

all great info....
Thanks guys!

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:22 pm

Heres how I found mine, kept getting that vibration, checked everything crawled under the jeep and shook / twisted the U joints, see if any play...none, Put it on jack stand and ran it , vibration there but not as bad....What the heck, ran to the store came back crawled under and grabbed the rear joint ....about burnt my hand, so dang hot could not even touch it, pulled it off and it was burnt up!!

So not saying thats what it is but it maybe, would add that into the mix though

Oh and I hope you choke on that lunch of yours!!! Run some up to me! :wink:

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:33 pm

tommudd wrote:

Heres how I found mine, kept getting that vibration, checked everything crawled under the jeep and shook / twisted the U joints, see if any play...none, Put it on jack stand and ran it , vibration there but not as bad....What the heck, ran to the store came back crawled under and grabbed the rear joint ....about burnt my hand, so dang hot could not even touch it, pulled it off and it was burnt up!!

So not saying thats what it is but it maybe, would add that into the mix though

Oh and I hope you choke on that lunch of yours!!! Run some up to me! :wink:

Hahaha

Thanks for the info....

hey man I might run up to findlay tday. you gonna be around there or further north?

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:37 pm

working at home today so in South Toledo! How long/ late will you be in Findlay??

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:46 pm

i'll probably be there around 5-8 or around there, I have to get a hold of my girlfriend after her class at 4 and see when she has a break, Then I have to go valentines day shopping... :evil:

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:40 pm

Ok so now I figured out that when I put it in reverse and give it a little gas it makes a horrible noise. like metal on metal.... any suggestions?!

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:46 pm

reverse sitting still or when you start moving? solid sound or off and on?

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:48 pm

reverse when moving, like right after accelerating... Not solid.. Like everytime "Something" turns

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:59 pm

if a sound thats ...like every revolution of the tire...sounds lika u joint, when someone is going slow I can hear a bad joint across a parking lot due to screech...screech...screech when going slow and then it getting worse as you speed up

Front end vibration!?! Please advise..

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