[taperk600]

Ok, let's start off my sating I've had 3 3/4 ton cc sb trucks and one 1 ton cc lb srw truck...so I doubt this is in my head......

So, the issue I'm having is this: at highway speeds, my truck (since day one on 3/5) has had a slight drift to the left. Not a big issue. But add that to it also having a very strange vibration in the rear end... and it makes it a bit worrisome to drive. The vibration seems to be in the right rear corner. It's not what you would expect with a broken belt or the tire being out of balance, or something like that. But just to make sure, I rotated my tires yesterday. Same after the rotation. It seems to build from a slight vibration up to a point where it feels like the whole rear end of the truck is about to skip sideways as you're driving...add that to the pull...un-nerving at times. Doesn't seem to be related to a beaming type issue as road expansion joints/bumps don't change anything with it. Now I do realize that going from my 3500 long bed back to a 2500 short bed has given me a shorter wheel base, and I expected to feel more jounce over the bumps in the road because of it. But this isn't that...or at least it sure doesn't feel like it. Dealership says that they can't duplicate it...but they also have only driven the truck around town....and I only notice it at highway speeds. Going to meet up with a bud of mine with the same truck (his is a 2008 2500 ccsb Z71 just like my 2010) and we are going to swap trucks and follow each other for a exit to exit trip and see what each truck feels like. He says his rides just like my 3500 did.... very smooth. I guess we'll see...

I can tell you this.... if this is the way this truck is going to ride..it will be gone in a big hurry !!!! It's not fun when you can't relax driving as you are worrying what the rear end is going to do.....

 

[taperk600]

Nobody has any ideas ??? What about the harmonic balancer on the axle yoke ?? Looks like part of the rubber isolator is pushing out........

 

[07-Dmax]

2010, its under warranty, take it back and have them look at it. start a history of issues with it. also check out alldata.com for any bulletins on it. You may have a bad bearing, axle etc. jack up the back and block it up. put it in drive and spin the rear end while listening and watching. pull tires off and try again with tires off truck. see if you can find anything.

 

[daddysLBZ]

List of things that can do it:
1. Frame beaming[resonant at HWY speeds]
2. Wrong/unbalanced drive shaft,see if yours is a one piece aluminum.
3. Bad shocks
4. Tires out of round/broken belts.
5. Hanger bearing/carrier bearing[whatever you prefer].
6. Any accessories that hang on or off the truck that is exposed to wind load.
I'm all outta ideas....

 

[daddysLBZ]

Nobody has any ideas ??? What about the harmonic balancer on the axle yoke ?? Looks like part of the rubber isolator is pushing out........

If it's visibly broken/separated then what would you think?Get it back so they can make it right...

 

[Convoyduel]

Just to make sure the obvious is stated....

Problems that appear at highway speeds are related to things only occurring at high speeds. Those are:

1. Wind resistance
2. Tire/rotor/(drum)/hub rotational speed
3. Driveshaft rotational speed
4. To some extent, transmission is the problem relates to the output shaft speed or bearing load for higher speed gears. This is more common in manual transmissions.

Driveshaft/driveline problems tend to show up in the 50-60 mph range, often as a sharply increasing vibration, but often times go away or lessen at even higher speeds. They also tend to vary depending if the driveshaft is recieving torque from the transmission (acceleration) or the rear end (deceleration). Look for out of phase yokes, loose slip joints, bad u-joints or loose yokes. Bad carrier bearings tend to be problematic over a longer range of speeds. The more play in the driveline (should be none to the touch), the wider the speed range in which it is noticeable. Driveline problems are more of a rumbling sensation and don't often make a vehicle wobble.

Tire/hub problems are purely related to the speed of the vehicle and have no difference on torque. They cause a vehicle vibration that starts off as a slight wobble and then increases with speed to a frequence that causes a higher frequency shake. If the vibration or wobble is due to a loose component, as speed increases, centrifugal force will usually cause the spinning loose object (wheel, rotor, etc.) to balance out around its spinning axis. For example, a wheel with all but one or two lug nuts loose will do this for a while, but eventually the fatigue on the wheel at low speeds will cause a failure of the wheel or remaining lugs.

The left pull is odd, but may be a red herring. Although I have never had a problem with alignment from the factory, I am told by knowledgable people that often times, new vehicles are not within proper alignment by the time they leave the dealer lot, whether due to poor alignment at the factory or in-transit carelessness.

As for the seat of the pants feeling you are having, I'm not sure I fully understand what you are describing. I have found that compared to my previous 3/4 ton crewcab trucks (06 Dodge 2500, 06 Ford F250, 02 Dodge 2500, 01 GMC 2500), this '08 GMC does have a different feel to the rear end, sort of like it will skip or hunt if I give it more throttle. Of course, if I do give it more, it bites in and holds fast. Just sort of a slight feeling I've had, but nothing that remotely elevates to uncomfortable.

If it is something driveline related, put the rear axle on jack stands, remove the rear tires and wheels, put the truck in drive and carefully accelerate to the problem speeds. Without the resistance of the tires trying to push the truck down the road, the vibration would be reduced, but it should still be present if it is a driveline issue. If you do this, however, you MUST secure the rotors to the hubs by reinstalling the lug nuts before you engage the driveline, otherwise there is significant risk of severe injury from a rotor flying off!!

Good luck in solving the issue.

 

[JDT4430]

I agree with what the others have said about taking it to the dealer. You may have to do what I did after the third trip to the dealer for the same problem that I was having. I called the dealer and told them I was tired of bringing it in for the same reason and asked them when they would have a mechanic avaliable to ride with me so he could hear the noise that I was hearing. About three miles down the rode I asked him if he could hear what I was talking about and he said yes that it sounded like the pilot bearing on the pinoin in the rearend and after that trip to the dealer it was fixed. Can't complian to much about the other trips though because I got a new alt. and a new idler pulley for free.

 

[taperk600]

ok... thanks for the ideas....I have had it back to the dealer twice already...1st time was the day after I bought it. 3rd time is next Tuesday's appointment. They claim that they "can't duplicate" the issue........

Now, for what I've done so far:
Rotated all tires to all positions--- no change no matter what tire was where (& yes, the TPMS are annoying when rotating the tires !!!!).
Driven at highway speeds and swerved left and right numerous times to load one side of the suspension then the other--doesn't change anything. (this was a trick we used to do when I was working as a mechanic.. you'd be surprised what loading one side or the other can do to vibrations,noises, etc....)
Driven under acceleration/deceleration.....doesn't have and effect.
Had 2 guys who also have NBS 2500HD CC SB duramax trucks drive mine.... both of their trucks ride smooth like my 08 3500 did....both notice this vibration
I have crawled under & looked at the driveline (this is when I noticed to odd look to the balancer on the rear yoke...) .... appears to be correct drive shaft, all seems to be aligned OK.... but have not put it up on jack stands with tires off... will have to try doing some over the weekend.
Driving in 4wd does not enhance or reduce the vibration, although you can feel the front end parts rotating as compared to 2wd.

Doubt that it's frame beaming. Felt that in my older trucks at times (or what I thought was beaming)... not the same feeling. Plus, aren't these supposed to have a new style hydraulic body mount to eliminate that ????

As far as what I'm feeling..... maybe it's better described this way.... it feels like the right rear tire is "hopping" up & down as if it had a bad belt, etc.. Add to that the feeling of the whole axle wanting to go left and right at a different frequency than the vertical "hop". Does that make any sense ???? Definitely a strange feeling. And like I said, I've had 2 other guys with virtually the same truck drive mine & me drive their trucks -- both notice my complaint, both of their trucks drove smooth...
Going into this 2010, I traded in my 08 3500 CC LB Z71 (rode smooth)...before that was a 2004 2500HD CC SB Z71 (smooth)...before that was a 2002 2500HD CC SB (no Z71, but still smooth)... so it's something I haven't come across personally yet........

 

[Talkinguns]

Same Problem

I have an 08 and am experiencing a similar problem, just without the swerving and not as severe, but definitely a significant vibration. I initaially thought it was the aftermarket wheels and tires i had put on the truck, but i reverted back to my stock tires (after checking the balance) and the vibration still exists. It is isolates to the right rear, and is between 64-69mph. I have an appointment this friday with the dealer which now has me wondering if this is going to be covered under warranty? Anyone know?
The initial thread was posted in march, did the dealer ever find the problem with your truck?

 

[SR189]

I experiencing the same sort of problem in my truck, this weekend while pulling my traiel trailer I started to get a bad vibration throughout my truck between about 60- 70 mph while on the throttle. When I backed off the throttle the vibration went away. I don't think it has anything to do with the trailer, I pulled it on my trip with no problems, and pulled it on anothr trip without issue.

 

[Ck 800]

I got the same problem in my 2010 2500hd vibration when you put torque to on the rear diff around the same speeds the guys been talking about I changed u-joints diff oil put the additive in seem to help a bit some said pinoion Bering or axle Bering just wondering what you guys did to correct it? Thanks

 

[BUhl14]

bump anyone find a source to this?