Just fixed driveline vibration!!!For free!

After lifting my truck about 2" in the rear (over stock non-TSB) and adding 2.5" in the front, I had a bad driveline vibration. A shudder off the line and a varying mild to bad vibration 53-61 mph and again around 70 mph. I installed the 3 degree shims with lift in the rear, but had the above vibrations. I then tried dropping the carrier bearing 1/2", it didn't change much of anything. Then I removed the rear 3 degree shims. Vibration stayed but I got a low humm from the extreme u-joint angles at almost all speeds. After some thinking I picked up a degree finder to check actual angles of shafts and joints. I found the trans @ 1.7 deg. down, front shaft @ 8.7 deg down, rear shaft @ 8.7 deg down and pinion @ 4.8 deg. up with carrier shimmed down and no rear shims. After checking things over I realized Toyota engineers failed driveline 101. The ideal ujiont angle is less than 3 deg. so take the mating driveline angles and subtract to figure ujoint angle. The trans was much more even without dropping carrier and is'nt affected by lift.So long story short visit spicer site http://www2.dana.com/pdf/J3311-1-DSSP.pdf. After some figuring I got mine closer to ideal without buying a thing, I found that the ring around the carrier bearing isn't concentric and if rotated 180 deg. it raises the carrier about 1/2". So I flipped the carrier bearing ditched the carrier spacer shims that I got with lift and have the rear 3 deg. shims on rear. Now pinion angle is close to first shaft angle per Dana/Spicer and all ujoint angles are very close or less than 3 deg. I still need to fab a trans. mount to lower the trans. a hair but all vibrations are gone. For any of you having a vibration problem give this a try who knows the select few that haven't had a problem may have had the bearing installed this way accidentally from the factory!

 

Interesting, like to see what others have to say here. May just have to try it.

Thanks for the info.

 

Hmmm...

 

Subbed.....even tho i have none of dem vibrations

 

subbed for future reference

 

is this happening only on certain years or??

 

Finally somebody smarter than me has figured this out. I have all the same problems as you do with the same style lift and tried everything. Where did you get the shims?

 

too broad to answer

 

I got the 3 deg. shims from toytech.

 

It seems to happen on a select bunch of the 2nd Gen. double cabs mostly, not aware of any reasons why some are affected more than others.

 

Just wanted to get a little bit deeper into the double shaft dana/spicer specs. On my double cab taco ideally the trans mount still should be lower than what I have done so far and after doing so the carrier bearing should be lowered slightly to make the angles all within dana/spicer specs. but for now I'm happy without major mods. And by the way I have had and loved many Toyotas, and have taken their share of abuse. But I thought it funny as i was staring the spicer sticker on the driveshaft in the eye that toyota can have a company manufacture a shaft for them but not get the angles to specs.!!! Many hours of their time and ours have been spent trying to cure vibration problems on these trucks and this seems to be only one of the causes depending on the truck.

 

Interesting. And this was with a 2" lift in the rear and 2.5" lift in front?

You raised the carrier bearing (by rotating it 180) and used the 3 degree shims in the rear... ...interesting.

 

Good job man. If I take the angles of mine, would be able to tell me what to do.

 

I started this when I purcahsed my 2011 Off Road. It seems that the vigration is not as bad now, and it is only at 60-65 mph. I am going to bring up your findings at my first dealer service.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/134448-vibration-60-mph.html

 

<subbed for reference> Thanks for all the 'foot work' you put into this!

 

huh.... im ganna have to try this sometime.... I have a annoying vibe/shudder around 45-50mph... Its not that bad, but it can be annoying.

 

Yep I have the rear spring TSB wich raises the rear a little over stock plus the rear add-a-leaf for the lift. Just got back home from a trip down I-5 and hit anywhere form 0-78 mph no driveline shake except for the slight shudder @ 0-7 mph that I need to work on w/ trans mount. Long road trips will be much better, hope this solves a few of your guys' problems!

 

Question for you. Did this noise occur above 45mph and would go away almost instantly after letting off the gas?