Bad Vibrations

[ksuds49]

I was really happy with how smooth my 2021 Tremor ride was after purchase in late April. About a month ago I started feeling the "clunk" that I think has to do with the slip joint/yoke. But about 3 weeks ago I started feeling this weird vibration at highway speeds - like driving over rumble strips. I chalked it up to a windy day and my tonneau turning the bed into a giant drum.

After removing the cover it continued to happen randomly even on very smooth roads. After an oil change and wheel rotation it happens more frequently but still randomly. When it happens it starts at about 45mph and again around 50mph and 65mph.

I drove 50 miles the other morning to a work location and felt it. Then for the first hour of my return trip the truck drove as smooth as butter. After I stopped to drop a coworker off, it started happening again.

I feel it less when there is more weight in the truck...passengers.

Is this related to the slip joint? Is it another known issue? Its driving me nuts because I loved how this truck drove for the first 2500 miles and now it's just not comfortable.

• 100% stock. I added an Xtrusion rack, but the problem was there prior to the rack.
• Drive/Sport/Neutral doesn't matter. I've tried shifting to different gears and the vibration remains.

I think @VegasRanger has posted similar issues

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[VegasRanger]

Yeah I feel it less with passengers also. Any mods? Also, check your rear axle for leaks, I know it’s been a problem on some of these trucks and that was causing vibrations. Couple of threads on the subject. Check the rear wheels and see if any fluids are on them.

 

[ksuds49]

Yeah I feel it less with passengers also. Any mods? Also, check your rear axle for leaks, I know it’s been a problem on some of these trucks and that was causing vibrations. Couple of threads on the subject. Check the rear wheels and see if any fluids are on them.

Problem occurred with 0 mods. I now have Xtrusion rack (updated post).

Wheels appear clean (no fluids) and no spots on driveway. I'll look closer this weekend...but where specifically.

 

[VegasRanger]

Problem occurred with 0 mods. I now have Xtrusion rack (updated post).

Wheels appear clean (no fluids) and no spots on driveway. I'll look closer this weekend...but where specifically.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/rear-axle-leaking.4233/

 

[VegasRanger]

Also if you’ve done any off roading recently, maybe a wheel weight fell off, could be something as simple as that and just needs to be balanced by a tire shop.

 

[ksuds49]

UPDATE: Took to Americas Tire on a break from work. They balanced and found three wheels out of spec from .5oz to 1oz. Quick drive and no vibrations until 90mph. Also tried to tell me that because I have off-road tires (stock tremor tires) I should expect vibrations ?

Will report back after a few days of driving.

 

[ksuds49]

UPDATE: No issues since 8/11 with a mix of off-road, in-town, and highway driving. Wheel balance seemed to be the issue.

 

[Chris M]

I am happy for you.
Had mine road-force balanced and still have a vibration at highway speeds.
I've already reserved a spot at the dealership to have the drivetrain gone over for related issues.

 

[MIBuckeye]

Been fighting vibration issues since i bought my Tremor Lariat 4500 miles ago. Went away after having the driveshaft replaced for a while. Now it's back. Brought it to the dealer for wheel balance. Told no balance issue. Still present at 45-85. Shake the visor and radar detector as well as the passenger seatbelt, steering wheel and floor boards. Drives me nuts. Brought to local Firestone for road force balance. No road force issue but two wheels off balance (1.5 oz & .5 oz) was smooth as silk for the first time ever for 25 miles of driving. Parked in garage and drove today. Vibration back with a vengeance. It is completely sporadic. I've got a 1500 mile road trip this weekend so who knows. Using NVH, vibration says its 2nd order tire vibration.
Really getting tired of this.

 

[VegasRanger]

Been fighting vibration issues since i bought my Tremor Lariat 4500 miles ago. Went away after having the driveshaft replaced for a while. Now it's back. Brought it to the dealer for wheel balance. Told no balance issue. Still present at 45-85. Shake the visor and radar detector as well as the passenger seatbelt, steering wheel and floor boards. Drives me nuts. Brought to local Firestone for road force balance. No road force issue but two wheels off balance (1.5 oz & .5 oz) was smooth as silk for the first time ever for 25 miles of driving. Parked in garage and drove today. Vibration back with a vengeance. It is completely sporadic. I've got a 1500 mile road trip this weekend so who knows. Using NVH, vibration says its 2nd order tire vibration.
Really getting tired of this.

I’m in the exact same boat. Gone through multiple sets of tires and balances. Comes and goes. Like you said, sometimes it smooth and sometimes it’s horrible. I’m in the process of getting a new one piece driveshaft built here really soon. The local driveline shop had everything but the flanges and I was able to find them today and ordered from Ford. Soon as I get them, I’m getting the one piece put in. I was borderline ready to trade this truck in. Also, my NVH app would sometimes say it was tire related and sometimes driveline related. 80 percent of the time it would say driveline though.

 

[Chris M]

I’m in the exact same boat. Gone through multiple sets of tires and balances. Comes and goes. Like you said, sometimes it smooth and sometimes it’s horrible. I’m in the process of getting a new one piece driveshaft built here really soon. The local driveline shop had everything but the flanges and I was able to find them today and ordered from Ford. Soon as I get them, I’m getting the one piece put in. I was borderline ready to trade this truck in. Also, my NVH app would sometimes say it was tire related and sometimes driveline related. 80 percent of the time it would say driveline though.

NVH app???
How does that work?

 

[VegasRanger]

NVH app???
How does that work?

It’s an app I bought on the App Store. Pricey, but pretty cool. You turn it on, go for a drive and it’ll tell you where it thinks the vibration is coming from. Tires, driveline, or engine.

 

[Chris M]

$99.99
Dang!
Not going there just yet, but thanks for the heads up!

 

[VegasRanger]

$99.99
Dang!
Not going there just yet, but thanks for the heads up!

If you're ever in Vegas, you can test it using mine lol

 

[Larry]

I bit the bullet and spent the $99 for the NVH App for Android. I'd been feeling vibration at 70MPH recently and attributed it to needing new tires. After new rubber, alignment, balance and then road force balance I was still feeling the vibration. The NVH App indicated drive shaft issues. My experience with service techs diagnosing subjective issue like vibration was going to turn into a debate so $99 seemed like a good investment to have some additional evidence to support my case. At first dealer's tech reported could not duplicate issues (seat of pants) diagnostics and I had to remind them it was at 70mph that symptoms appeared. So they redid the test drive and tech detected vibration. Next step was to do another test drive with NVH sensors. Dealer says results indicate all tire related vibrations! Uugh , here comes the they said/they said conundrum between Ford dealer and tire dealer.
I was able to convince Svc writer and manager to do a wheel swap test drive with wheels from a new ranger to completely rule out vehicle drive line issues. Waiting for them to get around to that in the next day or so.

Will let you all know how my saga plays out.

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