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03 , 1500 shake in rear

3K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  cosbourn 
#1 ·
I have a 2003 1500 4X4 when I get to 65mph I get a shake in the rear , put on new tires 285/70/17 Bridgestones , rotated and balanced again , changed shocks , any suggestions on what it can be . 101400 miles 5.7 Hemi
 
#11 ·
hey ramtech do you know if the '04 1500's have externally balanced brake rotors? I noticed that both my rear rotors are missing any type of pin weight in between the inner slots?
had my driveshaft off this morning and my rear most u joint has full articulation without any type of grinding or catching or anything..which makes me think that it's fine.
 
#3 ·
any luck esemans? I'm having a similar problem in my '04 4x4. Happens at 40 mph and around 65mph. Seems to be intermittent, like 3/5 times that i hit those speeds. I can speed up or slow down in between those speeds and it goes away. I did the same thing and balanced my tires, that didnt help. Rotated them to take them out of the pool of problems, still had the same problem. I haven't lost a driveshaft weight and my u joints seem to not have any slack in them? I have a relatively annoying pinion seal leak that has made itself very apparent the last 6 months that makes me think it's driveline attributed. What blows my mind is that when I haul anything north of 500lb's plus myself it does not have any vibration..Any advice or info anyone? Similar experience with this? ...I'm about to lose my mind over this whole thing.
 
#4 ·
To the OP, any vibration when applying brakes? Check your u joints.

Cosbourn, how low was the gear oil when you noticed the pinion seal leak? If it has gotten low enough your pinion bearing and other gears may have began chewing themselves up. Have you replaced the seal yet?
 
#5 · (Edited)
maybe an inch below the filler whole. it wasn't too bad. There was enough fluid in the pinion to still be leaking like crazy under the truck and on the surrounding area around the pinion and gas tank and bottom of the bed. But the vibration was apparent before and has gotten worse with time. I have only owned the truck for just over a year now and when I bought it I crawled up under it and checked everything out, there was no leak a year ago..so it was a relatively slow leak. there was also no vibration when i bought the truck so im thinking that the leak and whatever's going on are related..I have not replaced the seal yet, I have just for the mean time been checking fluid levels every two weeks and filling accordingly. Have been doing it that way for the past 6 months nursing it on the same quart of gear oil. I have been a full time student and now working full time and can't find time to dedicate to figure out what's going on. There is no grinding or catching so i wouldn't think i have lost a pinion bearing. but for sure the pinion seal is trashed. I've heard dealerships will do it for like 70$ plus the price of the seal? that's about the cheapest thing i've heard coming from a dealer other than an oil change. HAHA!
 
#6 · (Edited)
it's not a dripping leak but it is enough fluid to see accumulated on the lip of the input shaft on the yoke right before the seal with the seal being moist.

Is anyone having similar problems or found a solution?
 
#7 ·
The only solution to the leak is to replace the pinion seal. When the pinion bearing starts getting play in it it will bang and wear at the seal until it starts leaking. A loose pinion bearing will cause a vibration as well. This may not be your vibration problem, but while you are having that seal replaced it would be a good idea to have that bearing inspected at the same time.
 
#9 · (Edited)
yeah i know that the only solution is to replace the seal, that part was a given. and when a dealer replaces the seal arent' they required to check the bearing for fitment anyways? i would certainly hope so.

i'm more concerned with the vibration as the seal is an easier job. it wouldn't be crazy to think that the vibration and seal were/are caused by a failing u joint would it? gas applied doesnt seem to affect the vib at 40 or around 65 and i can slip into neutral at those speeds and it's still apparent.
 
G
#8 ·
Yup ^^^ replace the seal. My vibration was a combination of things and we worked through it by using the process of elimination.

A rear u-joint was looser than the tech liked so that got replaced. It was better but still there. Then, the intermediate driveline carrier bearing was rougher than the tech liked so that got replaced and the vibration got better. Finally, a road force balance on all 4 tires and wheels eliminated the rest of the vibration.
 
#10 ·
did you see the tech test the u joint maddog? my rear one has the smallest amount of give but i couldnt see how it be the cause because it's so small. when shifting from D to R to D there is a squeeky/clunk coming from the rear end that I don't think is coming from the Trans. Did you have that before you changed your U Joints?
 
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