HeavyC

I know, interesting way to have a first post but here goes. I know it might be a stretch that anyone would know what is going on with my rig, but here goes.

I notice an intermittent vibration at around 55 mph and up. It doesn't get worse as I go faster. It comes and goes, and seems to be worse when I drive in a straight line than on curves. My Jeep isn't lifted, and the vibration seems to be getting worse. I first noticed it after doing some off-roading. My Jeep got stuck on a rock, and blocked my wheels from steering. I actually turned the wheels until the rock broke in half. At the time I didn't think I hurt anything. After that I also noticed that my truck had problems coming out of locked 4x4. It actually took my Jeep a few minutes for the "lock" light to turn off. I've also noticed that the vibration isn't as bad with a passenger in the car.

My Jeep is an 87 Laredo with an auto. No lift. And the t-case is an NP-241 (I think, the one that has 4-high and 4-lock).

Any help would be awesome. Thanks.

sandaddik2

im not sure what the vibration is but i know the 231 and 242 transfercases sometimes need to be messed with to get them out of 4wd.

HeavyC

So I am still having the vibration so I thought I'd give this a bump. I tried driving it down the highway in unlocked 4 hi and still got the vibration. My tires are almost bald so I thnk that might be the issue but I am still unsure. I also checked my wheel barings but there is no wobble in the wheel when I have it jacked up. Any input would be a big help. This is my firsT jeep.

2Evil4U

A lot of stuff can affect front end wobble.

Bad u-joints, shocks, steering damper, tire balance, bent rim, etc.

Does it make any noises or is it just shaking?

HeavyC

After changing our my front passenger tire for the spare it seemed to clear up for a while (though there was still a vibration), but now it is getting bad again.

The only noise I can hear is it sounds like the passenger wheel bearing is squealing, but when I had it jacked up I couldn't move the wheel (no play).

If it is the front drive shaft u-joints, wouldn't driving in 4-hi stop it from vibrating? Or would it make it worse? There's no difference when driving in 4-hi.

96_xj

wheel bearings...

mine have no play.... and yet.....


turn the sound up and "pulsing" in the video's sound is a vibration too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http:...?v=rDP4DLfedg8

HeavyC

Are you talking about the "droning" sound that speeds up and slows down? Mine is more like a high pitched squeal, like the made by worn out breaks (though not as loud).

No4x4Yet

I had a vibration simliar to what your describing, also noticed it under braking. Turned out it was the tires wearing unevenly in the front. Swapped them front and back and havent looked back,

XxXJ99xX

You know you couldve just knocked the wheel weights off your tires and thats what could be causing the vibration, just another thing to check of course lol

Diesel

Ever use fix a flat? Get new tires.

Trac Bar(bushings, angles, bolts), Axle Mounts, Tie Rods, Caster Angle, Control arm bushings, Steering box bolts/spacer, Frame(cracks in frame could make steering box feel loose), Damaged steering stabilizer, Bad ball/u joint, drive shaft not balanced, bad front hub, idler arm.

Check those.

HeavyC

I haven't used "fix-a-flat" on it, and I can't see any places on the wheels where weights might be missing. Also, all of the front end suspension and steering components seem to be tight (this is my first Jeep, so I don't entirely know how they should feel).

This all started right after the last time I did a little wheeling (like literally on the drive home I noticed it). While wheeling I got stuck on the edge of a deep puddle. The driver side tires were pretty much submerged, and the passenger tires weren't in contact with the ground. Me and my friend got it out by rocking it back and fourth and pretty much gunning it. After that I went on a couple other trails, and got high centered on some rocks (I know, pretty stupid). My friend looked under my truck when I was stuck and told me that my rear end was what was stuck. While stuck I tried turning the wheel, and was blocked from doing so when turning to the left. Finally while turning it (not putting a ton of pressure on it at all) the rock that was blocking me broke in half. I am not sure exactly how I was hung up on it, as I didn't look for myself.

Hopefully someone can make some sense out of that wall of text.

The weird thing to me is that it only seems to wobble really bad on one particular road (highway 2 between Sultan and Monroe for anyone who might know). When I drive at the same speeds everywhere else I can barely feel a wobble if at all.

The reason I feel it's not just the one road is that I started doing it all of a sudden, and I didn't notice it right after getting the truck (driving the same route).

I recorded a video of the squealing I am hearing. Maybe someone can tell me what it is, and if it has any relation to the wobble:

HeavyC

Well one more update. I think I fixed the problem, or at least found the source. My raggedy-***, bald front tires. I swapped out the front tires with the rears and noticed a HUGE difference. I drove my truck down the same road that I noticed it the most (highway 2), and the steering wheel is rock steady. Before it felt like all the wobble was coming from the front end, and my steering wheel would wobble back and fourth like crazy. Now the steering wheel doesn't even twitch, and all I can feel is a slight shudder from the truck ever now and then. And the shudder feels like it's coming from the rear of the truck.

Now could I have screwed up my tires when I went wheeling. The are damn near to the belt, and my friend said that when I was on the rocks I was practically sitting on the rims on the fronts. I wasn't loosing air, and I didn't air down before, but I guess the tires deformed so much my friend thought I popped both fronts.

XxXJ99xX

Well theres your fix, a set o new tires man and you should be good to go

HeavyC

Guess it's good reason to get new ones!

Now when I get new tires, can I run 31's? I won't be doing any wheeling, and I want to lift it as soon as possible, but can I wait a bit? This is my first jeep so I have no idea.

No4x4Yet

Could still need an alignment. I rotated my tires over the weekend and my vibrations went away, but I've noticed them comin back. looked at my tires and I can see the arent aligned properly. Im bringing it into the shop afterwork today.