Pathy Intermittent Vibration

[Adam]

Now that the rear brakes are fixed, onto this little mystery.

I am having a weird problem with my pathy, well it's probably been there for a long time just that everything was out of whack too. Anyways, I get a vibration that comes and goes on the highway. I can set my cruise at 100 and it will be smooth, then shake, then smooth then shake. What I don't get is that certain roads set it off. Yet it is smooth in Brandon's pathy, so I know its not just the nature of the beast. When I am getting on the highway to go to work It's all good till I'm at 110 for a bit then it starts to come and go. Starting to really piss me off actually. Maybe I will take a few days off and bring it down to mike and bender, maybe the dealer can fix it right. I know it's an old truck, but it should still drive smooth. At least it still drives straight.

I have replaced/had done:

-centerlink
-tie rods (4)
-ball joints (4)
-tires (brand new and balanced twice) and tried a few different sets of rims.
-Alignment

[JUDGE]

Have you checked any of the following,

-Bearings (They need to be re-packed anyways)
-Front rotors (Even new rotors can warp after one hard/holysh!t stop)
-Steering box (Is it the original? 300K+ if it is)
-Steering stabilizer (May be starting to fail)

HTH!

[Adam]

I am going to repack the bearings when I do the front brakes, so we will see if that solves the issue. The rotors will also be replaced but I am not sure if they are causing anything, because if you slow down when its vibrating you can feel it in the pedal, but when its driving smooth, the brakes are smooth too

I don't even have the Steering stabilizer installed right now (mount bolts backed out). The steering box is a good question, I think it might need to be adjusted but I've never messed with it before.

Thanks steph

[LGM]

We had a shake at 100km in the wife's Pathfinder, took it to NEN, ended up being driveshaft U-joints. Different model pathy, but just throwing that out there.

[fleurys]

U-joint also... I was going to propose that too... if all you say is new, then it could very well be this... If you want to know for sure, go 4Hi on a stretch of road at slow speed (20-70km) and give it... The fact of putting torque in 4hi should amplify the problem. You will know right away..

[Nissanboy97]

hmmm, maybe the CV's sounds similar to the problem im having but sounds different at the same lol. Check if there is play in the CV shaft try pushing it side to side. Just a thought

[Bow_Tied]

Tough to diagnose over the net....

Does the vibration start slow, slowly builds, hits its peak, then subsides, then is gone -only to repeat the whole process over again...or...is it gone for a long time then randomly comes back for a bit?

[Adam]

Its like what you first described, Ron. It really is tough to diagnose over the net. I need to let one of you guys drive it. I can change parts and stuff but am a complete moron when it comes to figuring out whats wrong.

Nissanboy, it wouldn't be my cv's as my hubs remain unlocked in 2wd. Although its funny, when returning from the camping last weekend it didn't shake that much and I left my hubs locked the whole way home lol...

[Simon]

If that's true, Adam, then I'd suspect wheel bearings. The hubs locked and the CV's spinning may have helped keep the front end running true, as opposed to having slop in the bearings.

[Bow_Tied]

Try this Adam - find a long curve, preferrably somewhat sharp. Drive it a little bit hard (but safe) in both directions the length of the curve. If it is a front wheel bearing you'd likely notice the vibration in just one of the directions (it'd be the one the trucks is leaning towards).

[Adam]

Ok so I tried this and I didn't notice any difference between each direction. One thing I do notice is that as soon as I get on the highway, if I bring it up to speed (110km/h average) its fine till i hit a bump, or uneven pavement, or a road with lots of cracks. Then it will start, I can slow down to below 80 and it will go away sometimes though. I checked the rear end bushings tonight they are tight and I replaced the lowers anyways with poly's so they are good. I am starting to think maybe my tension rods are going, though I replaced the bushings 2 years ago.

Btw there is lots of uneven pavement (Even a lot of the new stuff) in Ottawa! I am going to repack and re seat the bearings this weekend (with my new "tool") and see if that makes a difference.

[Bow_Tied]

Sounds more like suspension or steering now. Do you feel it in the seat, floor boards or steering wheel?

[Adam]

I feel it in the wheel and the floorboard. I sit pretty far back so I don't feel it in the seat. Now that I'm looking for something even at low speeds like 60kmh i feel a wobble on uneven roads. I let my friend drive it while I was in the back seat and it felt perfectly smooth back there. It was a refreshing change!

[Bow_Tied]

is there a steering stabilizer/damper on these rigs?

[Adam]

It had one that I installed last year but I took it off when I changed the alty and never put it back on. It didn't make a difference anyways.

[Big Bird]

I would check your tension rods. They are the ones that bolt the rear of the ctrl arm to the frame with bushings. They tend to rot out due to moisture and salt being trapped in between the bushings. I've seen my dads pathy had the same problem, where at highway speeds above 80 it would vibrate like mutha tucka. The tension rod had snapped causing the wheel to be held by one side in the front. Usually what I've seen is they would be rotting away then an impact would occur like hitting a rock, or a snow covered curb. After that you would start feeling the vibration. It also happened to Keith. This might help I don't know.

[HolidayNation]

Have you checked your tires to see if you have thrown the weights off, especially in all that muck and ice. I lost some leads on my old truck at the unbalanced tires caused me grief.just a thought

[Adam]

Yeah actually that did happen, Eric. But I have since had the tires rebalanced, actually twice, at different places. Thanks though.

John, I think my drivers side tension rod might be on its way out. I changed the bushings on them like 2.5 years ago when I first got the truck, but I was a n00b back then and didn't know about the issue they have. The holes are probably wallowed out. Nismojunky offered me the rods off of Simon's old truck and to install them when I come down. So hopefully that and the bearing repack fixes it or else I'm burning it to the ground and collecting the insurance

[dududuckling]

So hopefully that and the bearing repack fixes it or else I'm burning it to the ground and collecting the insurance

Then buy an R50,

[Adam]

Alright I re packed and did the correct torque procedure for the bearings while doing the brakes today. Let's home tomorrow's drive is a smooth one. I am gonna do the tension rods at robbs on Saturday.