help! squeaking noise at low speeds, vibration at speed

I think its my driveshaft. It could be the bearing or the u joints. I'm not used to the design or a two piece shaft. Looks like all the weights are on it. Just a squeak from the bearing or mount on the fore shaft, and a rough vibration especially between 30-40 MPH.


I know someone has felt with this as any problem I have had so far has been quickly diagnosed here.

 

stock truck, lift? need some info on your truck.

 

Sounds a lot like a dry / failed cup in a u-joint. Park it in neutral, parking brake applied, wheels blocked ( this takes the load off the driveshaft that you get if parked in gear), and try to feel any movement in the u-joints. Look for rust streaking out around the cup seals as well.

 

V6 2wd.
bone stock trd prerunner
access cab
127,613 miles
I take care of it, you can eat your lunch off of almost any part of it. Even the drive shaft and undercarriage is kept clean. The only signs of rust are on the exhaust.

There is a part that secures the front drive-shaft and it appears the squeak is coming from there. I lifted the truck and put it in drive and listened with a stethoscope and heard a similar noise at that spot. The vibrations seem to be getting worse and worse, but I don't have a second car right now. I never go to mechanics, and it's about time I do my first major mechanical work to this truck.

What I'm looking for is problem parts in the driveline.

 

anyone?? It is hard to see threads here with the 20+ stickies.

 

I would be willing to bet that its your u-joint somewhere.. i just went through the same thing with my truck, and at the cost of my u joints ($15/ea for lifetime warranty) i'd replace all of them if you cant find which one is giving you trouble. have you gone under your truck with a grease gun and just find all the alamites you can and hit em a lick or two? that will definitely save some hassle replacing stuff. but i bet you its your u-joint somewhere, even if you cant seem to get it to come loose and do it while you're trying to tell which one it is. i just went through the same thing on my 00 tacoma v6 5sp 4x4 with 155k a 3" body and 33/12.50s. i would have a slight hop feeling and a squeak at take off, then about 35-50 would be a really bad vibration in the seat, and it would smooth out as you sped up after that, till it got worse and was ready to break then it was still there at pretty much all speeds. it would also only feel like it was doing it when i gave it gas, if you let out of it when it was doing it the worst, it would quit. hope i helped, and you should definitely try and get that fixed, cause it sure dont cost much. but i wont lie, they would probably be a big ol beech to get out and replace without a cutting torch, cause thats how mine ended up coming out haha.

edit: it could also be the rubber carrier bearing on the drive shaft, we were thinking thats what mine was until i had a shop owner and head mechanic ride with me.

 

I just went a head and ordered the carrier bearing and all the u joints. This truck has been good to me, I put 30k miles on it in a year, and the only money I put into it was routine maintence, so this won't be a big issue at all.

On my RAM at 130 I was changing every single bushing baring and sway link bars, brake asemblies, transmission, exhaust, rear end, etc. So far this truck
Squeaky windshield : fixed
Squeaky leaf springs ; fixed
this problem : soon to be fixed.

This truck is still the best $9k I have ever spent.