Blazer front end vibration

[Nitefox]

For the last several years I've had an intermittent vibration in the front end of my '80 blazer. One day it will drive smooth, the next it will pull to the right and vibrate pretty heavily, moreso under deceleration around 15mph, when the hood and dash literally jump up and down. Under acceleration I don't notice it until around 35mph.

It is more pronounced in 4wd, but can still be felt occasionally in 2wd with the lockouts free. I'm thinking a rough spot in a wheel bearing, but this seems like an awfully strong vibration for that. I rarely drive the thing, so it hasn't been a huge priority to track down, but it should probably be fixed before something grenades.

I'm assuming that in 2wd with the lockouts free, the front diff and such shouldn't spin at all, so that narrows the list of possibilities down. Any other ideas?

[95gsx]

alignment plus tire balance? any excess mud build up?

[Nitefox]

The tires are definitely old, but this feels more like a mechanical vibration. The steering box is really worn from running 33's for the last 15 years, but I don't think they're that unbalanced, and I'm not sure why it would drive horribly one minute, and be fine 30 minutes later.

Shouldn't be mud or ice either, as it vibrates just as much during the summer if it's in 4wd, and sometimes in 2wd. Plus the tires have very little tread, and the windshield washer died a decade ago (1980 was the last year before they seperated the washer motor from the wiper motor, $130 unit), so it rarely leaves the road.

[tbird94]

if it only does it at certain speeds sounds like a tire balance problem... maybe wheel bearings.. cause when you lock it into 4-wheel drive your forcing it harder... putting more of a load on those bearings... maybe idk just a suggetion

[Mr. Jeff]

sell it and get that 32 done

[Mr. Jeff]

edit: 31 coupe

[82355]

Brake rotors bad? Caliper locking up? Can't you find a junk yard washer motor. I have a couple that I don't really want to get rid of, but there are thousands of those laying around in tree liners throughout the state.

Martin

[speedcrawl]

first of all an alignment will never cause a car to shake. it sounds like you have loose parts. if a tie rod is loose it will cause the front end to shake all to hell if it is really loose. i would check suspension fist because that would cause a major shake. i have seen many cases where control arm bushings become bad and shake only sometimes on certain loads if all else fails bring it to daily driver and i will figure it out for you. suspension checks are 14.00 and algnments are 55.00

[Nitefox]

first of all an alignment will never cause a car to shake. it sounds like you have loose parts. if a tie rod is loose it will cause the front end to shake all to hell if it is really loose. i would check suspension fist because that would cause a major shake. i have seen many cases where control arm bushings become bad and shake only sometimes on certain loads if all else fails bring it to daily driver and i will figure it out for you. suspension checks are 14.00 and algnments are 55.00

I might just do that, as I'm really tired of screwing with it myself. I was only supposed to have the truck for a couple years while I worked on the Jeep, now it's been..............10 or so, hehe. I suppose it could be a bushing or tie rod, as it is more noticeable on dry pavement than on snowpacked roads, but I'm still thinking wheel bearing, which I also don't feel like doing myself.

I just want to be done with the stupid truck, the jeep already has a rebuilt tranny, motor, rear end, etc, I just need to get it into a body shop...........and I need to find a better paying job. :ohnoes:

[toom1h]

I want the jeep done asap...

[BossRoss]

first of all an alignment will never cause a car to shake. it sounds like you have loose parts. if a tie rod is loose it will cause the front end to shake all to hell if it is really loose. i would check suspension fist because that would cause a major shake. i have seen many cases where control arm bushings become bad and shake only sometimes on certain loads if all else fails bring it to daily driver and i will figure it out for you. suspension checks are 14.00 and algnments are 55.00



have u never heard of the jeep death wobble?

[Nitefox]

It's more of a vertical vibration, than a side to side wheel or tire issue. I think it's getting worse, so I'll probably have to try to line something up soon or just limp it until after Christmas.

[speedcrawl]

yes i have and that is not alignment that is loose parts and i have felt it in my jeep

[Mr. Jeff]

sell it and get that 31 done

[Nitefox]

sell it and get that 31 done

Tell me about it. Part of me wants to sell the other 3 and work on that thing, but when my job of 10 years was still milking me for $10/hour, there wasn't much extra cash.

The temp jobs I've found already pay more than that, so I just need to find something accounting related that's permanent, then dig it out of storage.

[82355]

Sell it to me cheap.

Martin

[redsled]

Old thread, I know, but FWIW I seriously doubt your wheel bearings can do that. Somebody chime in and tell me I'm wrong if I am, but I highly doubt it can be the bearings.

[Nitefox]

I'm still at a loss for what it is, and don't want to take it to a shop right now since my temp job at UNL is ending.

I've been running in 2wd to minimize it. It's gotta be something in the front end, though I have no idea what. Or why it would be intermittent and cause it to pull to the right.

[speedcrawl]

try rotating your front tires to the rear if that fixes it it is a tire if not you still have loose parts

[kbz motorsports]

you might want to check out your front springs ie de-arcing or the leaves bending too much or a steering stabilizer shock or lack thereof, leaf sprung chevies are infamous for death wobble and mostly on deceleration that its prominent:nervous:

[Nitefox]

Rotating the tires doesn't work so well when the piece of crap has 3 different brands of 33x12.5's on it, lol. I think the last time I tried that it pulled so hard to one side that it was almost undrivable.

I really just want to point it north, put it in drive, and watch it head towards the grand canyon as I wave from a distance. :rofl:

[Mr. Jeff]

sell it and get that 31 done

[speedcrawl]

why wont rotating work it would tell you if a tire is making it shake

[toom1h]

Rotating the tires doesn't work so well when the piece of crap has 3 different brands of 33x12.5's on it, lol. I think the last time I tried that it pulled so hard to one side that it was almost undrivable.

I really just want to point it north, put it in drive, and watch it head towards the grand canyon as I wave from a distance. :rofl:

Grand Canyon is just a tad bit in the exact opposite direction

[Nitefox]

Ok, Spearfish Canyon. Whatever works in South Dakota.

http://www.lawrence.sd.us/images/SAVOY1.jpg

I could rotate it temporarily, but it feels way too much like a mechanical vibration to even bother. It could be the worn out steering box, as that thing wanders wherever it wants to as well.

[aquase]

you are never going to know unless you actually do something about it.

start with rotating tires first. easiest thing. then if that doesnt work move on to next.

[speedcrawl]

give me $15 and i will come look at it and tell you what it is i really need money and you really need to know what is wrong i think thats fair

[Nitefox]

you are never going to know unless you actually do something about it.

start with rotating tires first. easiest thing. then if that doesnt work move on to next.

True. It's been driving fine in 2wd though, just a slight vibration at 65 that does feel like tires. The 4wd problem has to be mechanical, and I'll just take it to a shop once I figure out where I'm going to be working after today. Temp jobs FTL.