Vibration in driveline after 3" lift

Put a three inch suspension lift on my 95 tacoma. Now at about 10-20mph there is a vibration. bought a carrier bearing drop bracket from streetacos.com. Anyone had the same experience? and how was the outcome?

 

are all your u joints in good shaped? they have been rotating at a particular angle before and are rotating at a different angle now. greased everything? the rear shaft has 6 grease zerks.

 

Good point about the different angles. I'll put some more grease in the zerks to see if that makes a change in vibration. my question is: would dropping the carrier bearing put the driveline back into (or closer into) the original angle?

 

sometimes yes sometimes no. its hard to say

 

Will try these suggestions and hope for the best... doesnt seem like theres any sure way to get rid of it completely. Thanks again

 

I'll be watching this thread. I just installed my lift a month or so ago and have picked up a vibration at 50-60 mph. Installed some spacers for the center bearing with no luck, thinking along the same line as some others here. I'm meticulous about greasing my entire driveline every time I change my oil, so I'm fairly certain it's not a lack of maintenance there.

I'll update if I get it figured out. Please do the same.

 

Sounds good GLD01. Like I posted earlier I have a carrier bearing bracket coming from www.streetacos.com that people have said some very promising things about. It will be a week or so before it arrives, but as soon as I put it on I'll post the results

 

I put a 3" RevTek lift in my 96 (spacers in front, AAL in back) and I also had the vibes pretty bad at low speed - like when down-shifting for a corner.
I greased my driveshafts all the time - didn't change anything.

Here's what I did though:
Earlier this year I bought an 01 double cab, and I had to sell the 96.
While acquiring parts to lift the 01, I came across the axle shims from ToyTec > <. I ordered two sets of these, one for me and one for the guy who bought my 96. I'm just assuming these would help.
I've got all the makings of a good 3" lift ready to go on my truck, just don't have the time to DO it.

I'm gonna look up this carrier bearing drop bracket you speak of 'cause I've never heard of such a thing
(not doubting you, I'm just ill-informed)

 

I seem to remember the axle having to be re angled slightly(not sure on terminology) after a certain amount of suspension lift. This was a long time ago so thing might be different.

 

I just installed the drop bracket from streetacos.com, I was having issues with what I thought was "axle wrap" .. after speaking with my toyota tech friend he told me to install the bracket to put the axle back in align..
One problem I have been dealing with since I had the truck was this Axle Wrap, I lifted the truck with new suspension, springs, shocks.. etc... No change to Axle Wrap, new brakes all around, rotors, calibers, drums, cables.. etc... Axle Wrap still still there... replaced with new Leaf Springs from AllPro.. still no change...
Granted I'm no mechanic.. all these things needed to be replaced anyways..
My "Axle Wrap" was comming from the last part of the drive shaft that goes in and out... ( I don't know what it's called), after installed the bracket.. it almost completly is gone.. I think that piece is worn out...
The Axle Wrap problem I was having is every time I came to a stop.. I had a "thump, jerk" not smooth stop...
I think about replacing that axle piece.. but my mechanic friend said it won't make a difference...

 

After lifting I had vibrations at 2 different speeds. The low speed (15-20 mph) vibe was 'fixed' by lowering the carrier bearing about a 1/2" with washers.

The 2nd vibe occurred at higher speeds, usually over 50 mph. The fix for it was lowering the front a little bit. I had cranked up my COs so I was at or slightly above 3" of lift in front. Unfortunately, with that much lift in it the inner CV boot fins were touching each other slightly. In fact, a slight groove was forming between 2 of the fins on each axle. I have adjustable COs so I could lower it enough so the fins no longer touched and the vibe went away. So far the boots have not torn where that groove is but that is the risk.

If your inner boot fins are touching and a mark or groove is forming, that is likely where your vibe is coming from and eventually that boot is going to fail.

 

Haven't received my cb drop bracket from streetacos. Hope to get it and install next week. will report back with results when i do.

 

So, I finally got my cb drop bracket yesterday, and it was worth the wait! installed it today (took about 20 minutes) and poof!! the vibration is gone. My vibration was at speeds between 15 - 25 mph. streetacos.com! highly recommended, except for the long ass wait.

 

FWIW, A handfull of washers will get the same affect.

 

Good to hear. Keep am eye on your U joint though. Mine went out completely after a year of being lifted. I have a CB drop amd axle shims now for a perfect strait driveline

 

I bought brians CB drop bracket, and drove around with it for a while. It did okay, but didnt solve the problem

So i removed it and started to add a washer every week, until it went away.

6. washers is all i needed. about 3/4 the drop that brians bracket had.

 

....cool!

 

Old thread, but can someone explain how this drop bracket works, since some of the vibrations could need adjustments by a washer at a time, how does this bracket for 4" and below universally take care of all the angles?

 

This only lessens the extreme angle of your cardan joint by lowering your carrier bearing. The carden joint is usually the cause of vibration after a lift. Because driveline angle is out of spec.

They add washers to lower the carrier bearing to adjust the CB to fix the vibration. Sometimes 4 washers won't fix it, they keep adding more until the vibration is resolved.

The problem with a CB drop is it puts undo stress at the transmission/transfer case and also at the pinion and rear driveshaft universal joint. And that's why adding shims under the leaf pack to correct driveline angle is the ideal way to go.

A carrier bearing drop is a band-aid and really doesn't address the complete problem.

 

Is this a hit or miss thing? I dont hear of anyone with that issue and almost everyone where I'm from lifts their trucks. Some doing 3" over. Is it less likely with a 2" drop or is it truly shackle caused?