Bad Vibration

[76quadtrac]

1053333

1976 Wagoneer has a very bad vibration between say 25-45 MPH. It doesn't vibrate at speed or at low speeds but just in that range and usally under power. Where do I start? :-x [addsig]

 

[MudderChuck]

1053367

Vibration and noise in the drivetrain are always a problem. The sound and/or the vibration travels through the drivetrain and it´s hard to pin down. I make periodic inspections in all my U-joints and front end parts. With a flashlight, wiggle anything that wiggles, turn anything that turns, looking for play that shouldn´t be there. It´s always easier to fix in the driveway than on the road.
Could be tire ballance, could be mud stuck on the inside of rims. If the rims are clean, swapping the front tires for the rear, and checking for a change in the vibration, often tells a tale. Besides the tires usually have to be rotated anyway.
The Quadra-trac has a history, of the transfer chain loosening up, could be chain vibration.
When all else fails, I usually put it on a lift and run it in low gear (with a little brake applied) being real careful of the moving parts, and listen and feel, probable trouble spots.

edited by: MudderChuck, Feb 02, 2003 - 10:08 PM[addsig]

 

[dingus]

1053418

Chuck gave excellent advice and the only thing that I can think of other than his advice is maybe worn brakes, a little play in the pads can cause some vibration at highway speeds as well.........Bullet

but they would only vibrate when you're using them...[addsig]

 

[Bullet3600]

1053528

Loose pads can vibrate at highway speeds w/o using them also, I've had it happen. also maybe a damaged idler arm or worn wheel bearings

edited by: Bullet3600, Feb 03, 2003 - 10:54 PM[addsig]

 

[dingus]

1053645

hmm... interesting...[addsig]

 

[MudderChuck]

1053767

You know the feeling when that little light bulb goes off in your head, like sparks when you rub two brain cells together (hope there not my last two). But anyway, the vibration your getting might be cone chatter in the transfer. I seem to remeber it happening at slower speeds, than you mentioned, but heck worth a try. The cure is (no joke) finding a parking lot, and driving ten tight circles in reverse, which direction I forget, better try both. It´s in the book somewhere, I´m not making this up. Been awhile since I´ve worked on a quadra-trac. Good luck, Chuck.[addsig]

 

[MudDawg]

1053782

Excellent advice all. My two cents worth... I had a vibration once that i first noticed on the way home from playing in the mud...it didnt see to relate to the rotational speed of the drivetrain...turned out i had whacked my exhaust...at the right RPM the harmonics of my mighty 2.5 would make the pipe vibrate against the chassis.

Does the vibration stay the same going straight ahead or turning??? Does the engine RPM affect it?? This is dumb... but are all the tires the same size??? inflated the same??

Does the Quadra Trac T-case need a limited slip additive???

Dawg


'85 Chief, 2.5, 4.5" lift, 12.5-33's, custom induction system, hi flo exhaust...many mods in the works... Killa motor taking shape on the engine stand... :-D [addsig]

 

[76quadtrac]

1053841

The thing only vibrates under power and doesn't do it when wheels are turned. The tires are all the same and at the same pressure. I checked the rims and there is no mud build up there(WOW). Brakes are new and tight. I have heard that there is a CV joint or some u-joint on the front driveshaft that is supposed to be changed every year? :-O I think i'll try doing some reverese cookies and see what happens. I hope the cops don't see me because if I explain what MudderChuck told me I don't think they will buy it........lol. Thanks [addsig]

 

[MudderChuck]

1053847

My wife had a big Wagoneer for two hundred thousand and change, and I never did have to replace the front drive shaft double carden joint (double U-joint). It did use a fair share of front axle U-joints, and an occasional Qudra-trac chain.
The reverse cookies struck me as odd when I read it in hte book (thought it was a joke) but it worked, I seem to remember it taking more than 10 though, but it did get better after the first ten. Seemed to have tranfer cone chatter after it sat for awhile or when it was really cold.
MudDawg brought up a good question, which fluid are you using in your Qudra-trac. Warner and Jeep always said not to use ATF, only quadra-trac fluid, but alot of people said it was BS and ran ATF anyway. Arguement went on for decades, never did get resolved.
Here is a site you might want to have a look at www.ifsja.org/index.shtml

One last thought, I´ve run V-8´s on 7 cylinders, often the only thing I noticed, was a slight vibration.

edited by: MudderChuck, Feb 06, 2003 - 12:01 AM[addsig]

 

[76quadtrac]

1053882

The last time I had it in for an oil change the transfer case was a little low so I looked up in the owners manual what type of oil to use and it said a 30 weight non-detergent oil so thats what we used. It didn't say anything about a additive? When I changed the differential fluids it called for a additive, spendy! I am going to take it to the local shop and put it on the hoist and check fluids and u-joints and go do some cookies......in reverse! If that doesn't work I will be looking at the front wheel bearings :-? Thanks MudderChuck...........Later [addsig]

 

[MudderChuck]

1053925

They stopped the NP (new process) 219 and started with the Borg Warner transfer right around 76-77. Guess they called them both Quadra-trac. When I was giving advice I was thinking of the Warner. Do you have locking hubs in the front? Might be worthwhile to figure out just what tranfer you have, Jeep always liked to mix and match and often there trucks were made with whatever was handy. I believe the one with the hubs was the NP228, but heck who can keep all these numbers straight. The one with the vacumn shift in the glove compartment was the Warner (as far as I know).

Tip number 942, when the rear driveshaft is badly rusted, they go out of balance. The test is load up the truck (about 7-9 friends will do) to change the angle of the driveshaft, if the vibration goes away or changes, might have found your culprit.

I´m sitting here thinking about the advice I´m giving you and it sounds really strange.
But really I´m not messing with you, just sounds that way.

First I get him to drive around in circles backwords, then I get him to take the whole neighborhood for a ride. Sounds funny to me :lol: But really I´m not yanking your chain, I´ll rarley give advice I havn´t tried for myself.

The New Process takes 10-30 (or even gear oil if it gets noisy), the Warner takes a special fluid, Quadra-trac fluid that looks life ATF but thicker (really expensive), Crown oil TCL-1 is some cheaper.

edited by: MudderChuck, Feb 06, 2003 - 05:48 PM[addsig]

 

[76quadtrac]

1054002

Well I have the vaccum switch in the glovebox and it doesn't have lockouts so it must be the Warner. I loaded up the neigbors and went for a drive and it seems to me that the vibration is coming from the front and through the wheel when loaded? I think I might have a front wheel bearing going out. How tough is that going to be? What is tcl-1 MudderChuck and where can I get some? [addsig]

 

[MudderChuck]

1054045

Í´m pretty sure you have the Warner 1339, I seem to remember it having a perfectly round access cover in the case (aluminum). But best to know for sure beforte you put the wrong lub in there. TCI-1 is tranfer case lub, used to be available at some 4X parts places and some farm machinery garages. It is a quadra-trac fluid equivilant and a whole lot cheaper.
The front wheel bearings, if I remember correctly are pretty straight forward, but did require a really thin walled socket to get the jam nut and retaining nut out of the hub. I made my own. A U shaped peice of the thickest steel that would fit between the hub and the nut (rounded the corners a touch), with a strengthing strap across the U and a T bar to turn it.
Something else you might look at is the scuff pattern on the fronts, you can sometimes see alignment problems, when the scratches in the tire run at an angle. A loose tie rod end can also vibrate, as will loose knuckle pivots (ball joints) and an alignment problem.
Like I said in the beginning, vibrations can be tough.[addsig]

 

[76quadtrac]

1055049

Well I found the Vibration :-O I was the front driveshaft u-joints. I needed 2 u-joints and the H-Housing and the center ball assembly, with labor it came to around $200.00 ouch. It blew up, thats how I found it. The shop had to cut out the old u-joints to get it apart.....cool :evil: Thanks for all the input.[addsig]