I have a strange vibration when towing
 

I never felt it when towing the .21 Special but now towing the Baja I feel it.

I have a full size Ford Bronco 5.8 with the tow package. When around 60-70 mph I get an intermitent vibration like on for a second then off for a second. I don't seem to get it when I coast or at slower speeds or not towing.

A friend of mine with a 3/4 ton Ford long bed extended cab said he had the same problem and it was the rear end, something about clutches??? sliding in and out?? He claimed there is some additive to put in there. Anyone else expierience this or know what it is?

Simple solution

Drive slower than 60 or faster than 70

Problem solved

I used to work at a Ford Dealer. Run into that concern couple of times. Yes, Rear Differential is one possibility but also transmission is another.
Another vibration I found on mine a couple of years ago turned out to be one of the trailer tires had a broken belt.

Check the U-Joints as well.

Check the axles on the trailer. I had two vibrate like that and the problem on both was an axle had shifted out of alignment: probably hit a curb. It was an easy fix: one the shackle had flipped upside down and the other the spring shifted on its pad.
Due

Goes away on coast?

U-joints.

How much does it squat the truck when hooked up to it? Could be drive line angles. Check the easy stuff first the the truck over. Check the U joints for slack as well.

Thanks for thee replies. The truck doesn't squat much. When KCHOTBOAT and my self went to Chicago to pick it up with his 1 ton we didn't feel it. If it's u joint's wouldn't it do it all the time?

Oh one more thing, When we brought it home the buddy bearings were fine but I have thrown the same one twice going to the lake since.

U joints will only show up under a load. Another possibility is if you are towing in overdrive, you might have a lockup transmission torque converter problem.

had a problem myself recently.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...highlight=rear

yours sounds different though.

a u joint would do it when releasing the pedal after acelerating like the neutral zone. chcke the lug nuts on the trailer tires, check and make sure the trailer hubs are tight enough with a little rolling friction on them.

I think I'll replace my U joints this week, I do have almost 159K miles on her.

on-off vibrations are usually high RPM like engine, flywheel, torque converter, However if he has low gearing in that Bronco then I would check drive shaft alignment. If it were a U-Joint it would be vibrating with or without a boat. If the boat is putting a lot of tounge weight it could be pushing the rear suspension down far enough for your driveshaft to be out of proper alignment. It sounds dumb but it is VERY important. Especially in raised off-roaders. I had a driveshaft vibration so bad once it broke the bellhousing on my Turbo 350 and turned whole transmission up-side-down.

Roby

Also if you do replace U-Joints BE SURE that if you get the ones with the grease fitting that you position that section of the u-joint with the fitting to be compressed and not spread. This is the MOST COMMON mistake in installing u-joints and it is VERY IMPORTANT to keep them from failing. If you don't understand what I mean e-mail me and I will explain this in full detail.

Roby

[email protected]

Bearing buddies can be a pain. If they are cocked back and forth while installing or removing, the housing gets distorted and loses it's fit, and comes off. They have to be installed /removed as straight on as possible.

BR,
You have two different problems here...
1. fix the bearing that is about to fail. Yes, the one that has spit out the bearing buddy, twice.
2. You have a lock up convertor. It's called torque convertor clutch shudder. Is really noticable with vehicles with automatic overdrive transmissions that tow in overdrive.

You are need to replace the U joints even if that is not your problem. They are past due.

Replace the bearing buddies and repack the bearing to save any problems this summer.

You should not tow in overdrive with your small truck.:D

I wasn't gonna say that out loud. BR already has "big truck envy"... ;)

159K miles on her.
:eek:


Change the U-Joints and while you are at it change the Diff Fluid.