Cyclical driveline vibration at highway speed

2015 DCLB 4.0 V6 AT transmission 45k miles.

I've recently noticed a cyclical or reverberating driveline vibration at highway speeds that begins at 55mph and gets more noticeable as speed increases. It's the most noticeable when I'm pulling a trailer that weighs about 1000 pounds at speeds of 70mph+ but it definitely begins as low as 55mph.

It cycles in two second intervals like light or radio waves. It takes two seconds to peak then the next two seconds it dissipates. Two seconds to build, two seconds to dissipate. This repeats constantly and without interruption. It almost drove me nuts on the last 1500 miles of a road trip recently.

I'm pretty sure it's driveline related because it immediately quits when I let off the gas and it begins again as soon as I resume pushing the skinny pedal. (I think this part is crucial in diagnosing the problem but I don't know what it means. Tranny? U-joints? Drive shaft?)

I've done a couple maintenance things since this began in spring, none of which fixed the problem nor was I doing them to try and fix it. Just regular maintenance that is relevant to the discussion - tranny drain/fill, greased zerks, rear diff drain/fill and new tires. (This was my second tranny drain/fill and second rear diff drain/fill along with the zerks being greased at every oil change so driveline maintenance has been performed religiously since day one.)

I've read about carrier bearings and other driveline components going bad at about 50k miles. However, I don't know much about this area of the truck and need help diagnosing this problem. I also haven't read a thread in which the symptoms are the same as mine. The cyclical nature of the vibration has me confused versus other scenarios I've read about.

Any help or insight is greatly appreciated because I'd like to narrow this down versus throwing money at every driveline part under there... Any similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

It really sounds like a universal joint based on guesswork and the fact that it goes away when you let up on the throttle.

 

Thanks @Jimmyh. Grabbing the driveshaft and looking for play in the joints is the next step right?

I've heard one opinion it's the rear diff. Anyone have a take on that possibility?

 

:edit:
Damn, your truck is too new to have these kinds of problems!

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. I've done lots of reading about u joints, carrier bearings and other driveline parts. Most seem to have a steady shudder or vibration when failing. The cyclical nature of my truck's vibration is what's really puzzling to me.

 

Do you have a lift kit? Look up the ECGS Bushing fix. Try putting it in 4H on a straight road, if the noise stops you might want to install that ECGS bushing in the front differential.

 

My Tundra has done this since I bought it 6 years ago, right around 65-70mph, and just like you described it cycles about every two seconds. At first I thought it was the tires, but I put new tires on it and it still does it. If it's an older road with rough asphalt I usually don't notice it as bad, but if it's smooth fresh asphalt it's very noticeable.

 

Thanks for the tip and I forgot to mention I do not have a lift. Everything is stock except for the TRD wheels I've installed but this was happening before, and now also after, the rims and tires swap.

Can I please get a like from @ChadsPride or a meme from @boogie3478 to try and draw more attention to this thread??

 

Thanks for the reply and my shudder varies with road type too. This last weekend it shuddered so bad it made my change rattle slightly in the cupholder.

What did you end up doing about it? Did you have anyone look at it or just deal with it?

 

You're still under warranty. I would take it to the dealer for them to address, especially if you're still stock. I wouldn't just live with it.

 

The only thing I've tried is having the tires Road Force balanced, but it didn't help. I've mostly just gotten used to it and deal with it. It only really bothers me if I'm driving on the smoothest of blacktop, which are few around here. It's always sort of reminded me of how when you smash your finger and it throbs, it comes and goes like that. LOL

I think I did have the dealer look at it back when it was under warranty, but as usual they "couldn't replicate the problem".

 

This is probably what I'll end up doing. I was just hoping there was a DIY fix or got more info as to what the problem is so my dealer doesn't head into it blind.

Yeah, that's pretty much what it seems like to me too! I was recently on a two week road trip when I first noticed it and the cyclical nature of it almost drove me insane the last 1000 or so miles of my trip...

 

Make sure that you can replicate the problem. It would help to be able to replicate it nearby the dealership as well. You don't want to go in describing a problem and them not finding it, resulting in you wasting time.

 

Yeah, good advice and that's why I'm trying to avoid going to the dealership at all. It's faint under normal driving so that won't get their attention. It's much more pronounced under load so I guess I'll have to bring a trailer with me to take the service writer for a ride.

 

Have the same issue. It annoys me. I assumed it was the typical driveshaft angle issue.

 

I read about that too but mine is stock so I think that isn't my problem. I'm assuming you are lifted and the angle might not be your problem either if mine is doing it from stock height.

Maybe it's the extra weight of my tailgate reinforcement plate that I got from you that's causing it... Quality stuff!

 

Is there any speed at which the noise goes away? 75mph+

 

Good question. No, there is no speed I've found to get it to go away. I maxed out at 80-85 in Montana, it was still happening and still getting more pronounced. Meaning the vibes at 80 are stronger than those at 70.

 

2015 model and the Powertrain warranty are your friends... Let the dealer deal with it.

 

Hmm. I had a noise very similar to what you have described started around 63mph, was the loudest at 72mph, but went away at 75mph. Took along time to track it down, but ended up being right rear wheel bearing. I have 47k on the truck. Dealership fixed it under warranty