Vehicle shaking / vibrating
Vibration and shaking of the vehicle can be a result of a variety of failing things.
Some are easy to determine, but there are a few that might take a while to locate.
The first thing to do is to rule out the most common issue - tires out of balance.
After ruling out the tires you need to pay attention to whether there is a certain situation where the problem occurs, certain speed(s), during acceleration, during different load situations ( going up or going down a hill ) or when taking of from standstill.
If the vibrations is felt in the steering wheel at a certain speed, and they disappear if the speed is increased or decreased, its probably a front tire balancing problem.
If on the other hand the vehicle body start shaking at a certain speed, its probably caused by one or both rear tires.
In these situations the type of vehicle ( Front WD, Rear WD or 4WD ) might behave different and the cause is sometimes harder to locate.
Regardless of vehicle type, shaking and vibration issues that occur during different load situations, are often drive-train related.
On front wheel drive cars, this problem is often caused by a faulty inner drive-shaft or it's bearing.
On rear wheel drive cars, the drive shaft bearing supports and joints should be checked.
Exclusively a rear wheel or a 4wd vehicle problem..
This symptom is usually combined with +load vibrations, but in some cases the -load vibrations can be more noticeable.
Check the rear drive shaft bearing support. If its hanging in the rubber and the rubber is thorn on the lower side.. the downhill vibrations are worse than the uphill vibrations.. ;)
Citroën C5
2001, 2.0Hdi, 340tkm
Front WD vehicle with manual gearbox suffering from symptoms listed below. The symptoms indicate that the fault is in the Drive-Shaft ( RH Longer ) inner Triax Joint ( Spider ).
The fault wasn't constant which made locating the fault a bit tricky. At times the vehicle seemed seemed to be working fine, and suddenly after the next corner the vehicle was behaving as a rodeo bull. Keeping track of the symptoms finally payed out and the fault could be located.
- Vehicle body shaking during acceleration but is reduced as the speed/load levels out.
- Vehicle body shaking going up a hill, especially at 4th gear.
- Lifting the throttle pedal a bit while climbing a hill makes the vibrations disappear.
- Vehicle tends to "snake" driving slow on a flat surface ( garage ). Steering wheel moves slowly back and forth.
- No or very little shaking felt when taking of from standstill
In most cases where the Triax Joint is found to be the failing part, the drive shaft must be replaced. There is though, a slight chance, the problem is lack of grease and a spider bearing is stuck, causing the vibration.
The Spider or Tripod is available separately for some makes and models, but not all.
On this vehicle the drive-shaft was replaced with a used part having 15t km on it.
Before installing the "new" drive-shaft it was fully overhauled and fitted with new grease and gaiters.
Nissan King Cab, Hardbody
1991, D21, N/A tkm
This 4WD vehicle model has a Drive-Shaft ( Propeller Shaft ) consisting of two tubes connected to each other by a Companion Flange. A bearing supporting the shaft is mounted between the Propeller shaft 1st tube and the Companion Flange. Most of the times the bearing assembly is the part that causes the trouble and the bearing itself is ok, but the assembly and the bearing is sold as one unit.
Changing the bearing including its support assembly is done by separating the two tubes at the Companion Flange. It's a very simple job and can often be done without jacking up the vehicle, at least on raised models.
- Vehicle body shaking during acceleration but as the speed levels out, the shaking is reduced
- Vehicle body shaking and vibrating appear intermittent.
- Vehicle shaking climbing a hill, but the shaking is even worse going downhill.
- Pressing or lifting the throttle pedal a bit reduces the vibrations.
- Vehicle shaking, almost popping the dental fillings, when taking of from standstill
This vehicle Drive-Shaft Center Bearing was hanging only from the upper part of the support rubber, and that might have caused it to react worse to -load ( going downhill ).
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