Vibes From Right Front...Help? Took Video

Last night I started getting vibrations from my right front wheel. It happens anytime I'm moving and is most noticeable at 40-60mph. I get a vibration for 1 second, then it stops for a 1.5-2 seconds, and then on again for a second.

This is on a 2010 4x4. I've got a Toytec lift, wheel spacers, EBC dimpled/slotted rotors. The lift has been on the truck for 15,000mi. The rotors and spacers for 12,000mi. No problems until last night.

I took the wheel off today and retorqued the spacer nuts and lug nuts. The only thing I noticed is the axle rotates off center. The driver's side does the same thing, but I don't have any vibes from that side. I haven't done anything with the truck that would bend a axle

Can anyone help figure this out? Its weird that I've had zero problems for 12,000mi and then it just starts up last night.

Here's a link to a video I shot as I turned the axle by hand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Usp9JiS6w

 

the shop I go to has free wheel balancing when you get the tires mounted there, maybe you should try that first before diagnosing something else.

 

that actually looks fairly normal to me. like above said...maybe that tire is outta balance a bit. when are you getting the vibes?

 

Cool...glad theres nothing wrong w/ the axles.

I get the vibes at all speeds, but most commonly between 40 and 60mph. Doesn't matter if I'm gassing, coasting, or slowing down. Its for a second, then stops for a second or two, then comes back fro a second.

 

how strong is the vibration, I have a pulsing in the floor by the petals but I hardly ever notice it because its so small

 

The vibes aren't strong at all. Its a light buzz. I can feel it in the floorboard but the noise is more noticeable than the vibration. Sounds kind of like a mudflap rubbing, but thats not it.

I went for a drive after I retorqued the nuts and its still there, but not as bad or as frequent. I'll drive again tomorrow and see whats up. I'm coming up on a tire rotation anyway, so I'll see if NTB will rotate and balance for free - they mounted my tires.

 

It looks like something is wrong with the tripod bearing on the inside end of your CV shaft? The wobble appears to be towards the inner portion of the shaft.

 

I agree... A wobble like that shouldn't be anywhere near the bearings.

To the OP - Jack up the front end of the truck and grab the shaft with your hand and shake it. Can you move it? I'm not talking about rotational movement either. I'm talking about back-n-forth movement.

If you can move it with your hand....that's bad news and probably a bearing.

 

I jacked the front end up. Total in/out movement of the axle is about 1mm. This is on both the driver's and passenger's side. Is this kind of play not normal? What could cause this and what are the next steps?

-Thanks!

 

It's hard to say....

What's the passenger side shaft look like? Do the same with the passenger side shaft - how do they compare?

Also, if you try to shake it closer to the wheel & again closer to the diff.... is it wobble worse at the wheel side or the diff side?

Another thing to do...while the front end is still jacked up, grab the wheel and shake it also (side to side, front to back), etc. Compare with doing the same on the passenger side.

Basically, your trying to find where the wobble is coming from.....

 

Thanks Janster,

When I did it this morning, both the passenger and driver's side were the same. I grabbed the axle between the two boots and tried to move it in/out towards the hub and diff. I'll try to shake it front to rear and up/down as well, from the hub side and diff side.

Does it matter if the truck is jacked up or not when I try to move the axle? The hub stays stationary in either case.

Yesterday when I jacked the truck up to take the wheel off, I tried shaking the wheel but there was no play. There was also no wobble or resistance when I spun the wheel either.

 

...I think I found my vibe. I cut one of the fenders too short when I installed the All-Pro bumper. It was making a buzzing noise as it fluttered in the wind, so I secured it with tie wire a few months ago. The wire had loosened up and it looks like it was fluttering again. I'm going to secure it again and see if the vibe goes away.

I hit my head on it when I reached for the axle and just had the aha! moment.

Still...I can move the axle up/down and back/forth a little more than 1mm at the diff side. The entire assembly has some play in it, from the inner boot to the large metal cylinder that goes into the diff housing. There is no play in the axle at the hub (outer boot). Both driver and passenger sides are the same.

 

Glad you found the vibe problem!! It's always something!

If everything is the same on both sides, than I'd consider that normal. Although, that video of the axle wobbling is still somewhat odd (to me anyway).

Does the passenger side axle shaft wobble like that?