balancing a drive shaft ?

[kenwin30]

hey guys, got a 99 4runner with 140k, the 4r is really vibrating alot at highway speeds, i think i need to have my drive shaft looked at,i think it needs to be balanced or maybe the drive shaft is bent, is this something to take to the yota dealer or can my local mechanic handle this, thanks !

 

[rclint]

Either one will subcontract the work out to a machine shop, or tell you that you need a new drive shaft... all things being equal paying a machinist to balance a drive shaft will be expensive to say the least !! So purchasing either a used drive shaft from a junk yard being the best bang for the buck, or spring for a new one may still be cheaper than having it balanced.. Most of the time balancing drive shafts or making a drive shaft is done when the part is very hard to find....

On second thought I may be thinking of lengthening or making a drive shaft, I can't remember off hand (getting old I reckon) still i bet you can find a junk yard jewel like new cheaper than you can hire someone to balance the drive shaft, and either way unless your dealer or mechanic has an extensive shop with a nice sized lathe it will be subcontracted out.

 

[Michael_P]

Probably a u-joint. Is this lifted recently? If so the axle angle could be off.

 

[mopar_monkey]

i hit a rock and bent the driveline on my dakota a few years ago and went to a shop that specialized in building and repairing drivelines, he built my a new one for $200 and actually built it stronger then stock, the factory one was like $1000.

 

[kenwin30]

within the last month i have new tires, balanced tires, alignment, and new u joints. never been lifted either

 

[tom slick]

Find a drive line shop, or at least a shop that specializes in differential work in your area. You might just need new u-joints.

 

[Steve S]

First check the tire balance then check for a stiff u joint . Under the truck with a rear tire jacked up and a jack stand for safty rotate the drive shaft and look for a wobble, then a damaged ujoint, then remove the ujoint from the yolks and feel them by moving them both ways by hand . Again, first go have the tires checked for balance the shop that installed the tires. They may check them for free . A balance weicht etc mak have fallen off.

 

[Shannow]

My 1990 4Runner had a greasable spline mid way down the rear drive shaft.


If it got dry, it used to get grumbly.

Have balanced drive shafts before by trial and error with two hose clamps.

 

[Eddie]

First check the U-joints and spline. Drive shaves rarly go out of balance but, suspose you could have bent it.

 

[Hootbro]

If you have a center support bearing on the drive shaft, I would start there first. These bearings are usually mounted in a rubber isolator that when worn, will cause drive line vibrations.

 

[racecougar]

Just about any driveshaft shop will balance your stock driveshaft for under $100. If the driveshaft is bent, they'll have no trouble making a new one for you.

-Rod

 

[Trav]

We pay $50 retail of the street $71 for a drive shaft balance at a drive line shop.
Re tube of the street is $170-300 inc balance depending on material used.

 

[ProStreetCamaro]

Balancing a drive shaft is cheap. We had a custom shaft built for our 63 Nova and it came to like $220 for a balanced heavy duty driveshaft.

 

[mechtech2]

We have to narrow down when and where this vibration is from.
Speed related or RPM related?
Front or back?
Brakes on or off?
For instance, does shifting down a gear when cruising change the vibration?
Why single out the driveshaft at this point?

 

[JakeR22]

Did you try putting it in neutral at vibration speed to see if the vibration goes away?

 

[kenwin30]

it starts vibrating at 55mph and above, at first i thought it was coming from the rear only, and here lately i feel it in my seat and in the floorboard beneath my feet, thew steering wheel never has any vibration at all, and i havent tried putting it in neutral when the vibration starts

 

[kenwin30]

one more thing besides the vibration, my rear end sounds like i have mud tires on the 4runner

 

[mopar_monkey]

sounds like a bearing, it maybe traveling through the drive line and into the trans causing the sensation of a vibration up front.

 

[kenwin30]

had a mechanic look at the rear end about 2 weeks ago, but i might have to get a 2nd look

 

[kenwin30]

i noticed something this morn with my 4runner, while i was pulling my lawn mower at 50-65mph, i noticed alot more vibration in the floor board area, why would the car vibrate more in the floor board area while pulling a trailer?