Driveline Vibration

Driveline vibration exhibits a higher frequency and lower amplitude than does high-speed shake. Driveline vibration is directly related to the speed of the vehicle and is usually noticed at various speed ranges. Driveline vibration can be perceived as a tremor in the floor pan or is heard as a rumble, hum or boom. Driveline vibration can exist in all drive modes, but may exhibit different symptoms depending upon whether the vehicle is accelerating, decelerating, floating or coasting. Check the driveline angles if the vibration is particularly noticeable during acceleration or deceleration, especially at lower speeds. Driveline vibration can be duplicated by supporting the axle upon a hoist or upon jack stands, though the brakes may need to be applied lightly in order to simulate road resistance.

1. Raise the vehicle promptly after road testing. Use twin-post hoist or jack stands to prevent tire flat-spotting. Engage the drivetrain and accelerate to the observed road test speed to verify the presence of the vibration. If the vibration is not evident, check the non-driving wheels with a wheel balancer to rule out imbalance as a possible cause. If necessary, balance the non-driving wheels and repeat the road test. If the vibration is still evident, proceed to Step 2.
2. Mark the relative position of the drive wheels to the wheel bolts. Remove the wheels. Install all the wheel nuts in the reversed position (wheel nuts can be installed in their normal orientation on axles with dual rear wheels) and repeat the road speed acceleration. If the vibration is gone, refer to the tire and wheel runout procedure in WHEELS AND TIRES article. If the vibration persists, refer to Driveshaft Runout and Balancing  in this article.