Just fixed driveline vibration!!!For free!

i believe most of vibes or shuddering comes from carrier bearing or bearing up front (ECGS upgrade)

 

I noticed today that the 2016 4 runner comes from the factory with traction bars.

 

I get the ECGS upgrade, but I am wondering...., Does this upgrade become valid after the lift/leveling kit upgrade or vibration issues even though there were no vibrations before?

Would this ECGS fix make a difference right after lift/vibration occurs?

 

So I have an Icon Stage 2 kit with dakars in the rear. I have had a steering wheel vibration at around 70MPH since install. I tried multiple alignments, carrier bearing drop, and it didnt work. Wanted to circle back and tell everyone what worked for me.... I ended up using a 2 degree rear axle shim (bought from Wheelers Offroad) which went between the leaf springs and perch. No more vibrations and I am soooooo stoooooked!

 

THIS IS SOLID ADVICE!!!
A few months back, I took my truck into the dealer for the leaf recall. When I left the dealer with the freshly installed leafs I noticed a sizable vibration which is something that I never had a problem with. I took it back to them and they concluded that I had a bad ujoint and carrier bearing. Oh, and it will cost around $750... thanks. I explained that I never had that problem until they touched it and I wanted all my old stuff back on (I knew they couldn't do that). They decided they would split the cost with me so I decided for my time and materials, that sounded like a deal, especially since I had 140k or so on it. I don't have scientific data but by visual memory, it seemed the leaf replacement dropped the rear a little and I believe it changed the geometry. That seems weird to me, especially since it went from 2 leafs and an OL to three and an OL... but I believe it to be true.

After the new carrier and ujoint was installed, it seemed a bit better but not like how it originally was. Shortly after that, I installed 5100's all the way around and leveled it out and it seemed a bit worse. It's been driving me nuts and have been living with it and was committed to getting a one piece shaft in the near future. The vibration was extremely noticeable accelerating from stop to about 35 mph and lightly noticeable from there to highway speed.

Today, I ran across this great tip and figured I'd give it a whirl. The carrier was mounted with the lower side of it up which it dropped the shaft lower. I spun it 180 which made the shaft sit higher and.... BINGO! No mas vibes! Time will tell but as of today, no more thought of spending $400+ on a new shaft.

 

I THINK I have the same issue. But I removed my driveshaft. And sound is still there. ??

 

road force balance the tires to rule those out.

i had both. just driveline vibe was tolerable but combined with bad tire balance it of course all felt worse.

 

Is the picture you posted in the pasiton that corrected it? When you say the low side, do you mean the lower side of the carrier bearing ? Because that would mean the shaft would sit lower?.. I just want to be clear so I look at mine correctly. Thank you for posting your findings !

 

OK so I have red about half of this thread or more until my head hearts.I do appreciate everyone's hard work and input! Awesome info! But I am not hearing that anyone has fixed the slight take off shutter. I have it ever so slite at stock hight and a little bit more pronounce at 1in. Of lift. It happens right at 5 mph. It's the weirdest thing at times it's more pronounced than others. When I had the 1in lift I did do the 1/4 in carrier bearing spacer with no luck. My question is how do we get rid of it ? Please help !

 

Idk. I may start with transmission mount now.

 

Still chasing vibrations in my truck. I have tried 3.5 degree shims, the OME CB spacer, and now running 2.5 degree shims with no spacer. Just measured my angles as: 2.2 degrees trans, 6.2 degrees front shaft, 7.7 degrees rear shaft, and 4.5 degrees diff.

It seems that I need to raise my CB bearing to decrease the difference between trans and first shaft numbers, but also increase the angle at my rear axle with more shimming for less angle there. Am I understanding this correctly? I want to flip the CB and try it out but it seems like that will only increase my numbers at the rear

 

Bump. Also, ordered a digital angle finder so I can more accurately zero the gauge and measure the shaft angles. Phone app just wasn't hacking it.

 

If you flip the carrier bearing it raises the bearing 1/2" or lowers it? I have the same vibes and just bought a carrier bearing spacer to try out but I thought the aim was to lower it.

 

Flipping it raises it up, it seems to vary with each truck

 

Isn't there a"double cardan" drive shaft that can be installed?
I just remember reading something about the standard U-joints being garbage. Whereas the cardan, (if that's what it's called, I honestly can't remember), allowed for much more flex

 

Mine is riding as close as I've felt to completely vibe free now after swapping my shims for 2° ones. Have one washer for a spacer at the CB

 

I had the same issues and added shims at the pinion and spacers at the cb for about a month every night. Finally got rid of them. I had a vibration at 20-30, take off shutter, vibrations at 50-65 etc. Every time I adjusted things the vibrations changed at different speeds. I would get rid of one to gain it worse on the other. Finally I added a helper spring in front of the axle and used a 3* shim on the pinion and flipped my cb. All is well now. My angles are. 6.5 pinion- 9.0 rear shaft 5.7 front shaft and 2.5 tc. Working angles are 2.5 pinion-rearshft, 3.3 rear shaft to front shaft and 3.2 tc to front shaft. The shudder was from axle wrap putting my rear working angle to high and the vibration at low speeds was the pinion angle being to low and the angle at the tc being to high.....too much cb drop. The vibration during applying the breaks coming to a stop was do to the pinion tilting down while breaking. So the what worked for me was getting the front two working angles as close to equal and having the pinion working angle set .7 lower working angle to allow for axle wrap and weight in the bed or towing. Note without the helper spring I would still have tale off shudder so it took care of most axle wrap by stiffening the leaf springs in front of the axle. And I have a 3inch spacer lift up front and a 2.5 inch block in the rear and the helpers added 3/4 more to that height, so 3-1/4 Lift in the rear. One last thing don't go by the angles of the times or shafts. Go by the working angles. I say that because my driveway is pretty level but when I measure angles when I'm backed in the driveway vs parked forward my angles are different but either way you'll have the same working angles regardless. I think if I measure my angles backed in the driveway they are 3.5 tc 6.7 front shaft 10 rear shaft and 7.5 pinion vs parked forward 2.5 tc 5.7 fro t shaft 9 rear shaft and 6.5 pinion. But the worki g angles will read the same on both. Doesn't matter how I'm level the ground. 3.2 front joint 3.3 middle joint and 2.5 rear joint.
I feel your pain. I racked my brain for about a month hours at a time. I thought i tried everything and though I would never get it right but finally got it and you will to. Good luck.

 

Nice, glad yours are gone. I still have a shudder at take off but it's the least obnoxious I've had so far so I'm just living with it

 

1st and 3rd joints can not cancel each other out as they are 90* rotationally out of phase.