i'd carry the truck back to where you got the tires from, and just tell them you've got a vibration - can they check out the truck and check the tire balance ? let them inspect ball joints, tie rods, track bar, steering box, etc.

inspection and price quote should be no charge. especially if you bought tires there.

get a price quote on anything they recommend. ask em how that causes vibration... sometimes you get some good answers, sometimes you get BS. i see your truck is a 97, so you could have a lot of worn out parts.

your tire place - do they look like they have a properly calibrated balance machine and somebody that knows what they're doing ? or does it look like it hasn't seen any maintenance in 20 years and/or a not so sharp operator.

 

Well today I crawled under the truck and decided to inspect the tranny mount. The rubber had some hairline cracks in it and I thought no big deal. Turns out, the vibration was coming from the transmission mount being worn. THE SOLUTION: I put a bolt thru the old exhaust hanger mount thats on the transmission mount and secured the bolt to the crossmember. The vibration was greatly reduced, and is almost non-existent. The stock dodge transmission mounts let the whole driveline vibrate up and down causing the vibration. My morning ride to school is no longer accompanied by a deep tissue massage at 45 to 49 mph.

 

That's some good information. I've had a vibration in mine lately, I'll check it. Was the whole transmission vibrating ?

 

I have the same thing around 45mph. I wonder how many others.

 

Agreed, and the "clunk" in the transmission is not normal. U-joints typically clunk when shifting from Neutral to Reverse when they're worn.

 

you may also need a degree or 2 shim for your pinion angle since you are dropped a bit in the rear, but most trucks dont need it until 4-6"

 

Well.......on my way to school this morning the vibration started again, this time I think it's worse than before. the vibration is more solid due to there being a solid mount under the tranny. The lowering shackles have been off of the truck for a while as I put 33's on it a month ago. I'm thinking of putting new u joints in the front and rear of the d-shaft. A few months back before I got new tires, I took my truck to kauffman tire and had them put it on the rack with one mechanic in the cab with the truck in drive. I had them bring it to 45 to 49 mph where I was experiencing the vibration and I saw both rear tires jumping up and down at least a half an inch at 45. The tire company said it was the tires and wanted to sell me new ones that day. I bought the new tires wholesale and had them mounted at a tire company so I could watch them do it. Could a bent axle cause this kind of problem?

 

did the new tires help any?????

 

If it's a 2 pc. driveshaft, it could be the mid-shaft bearing.

 

The new tires didn't help at all and it's a 1 piece driveshaft. What do I dump money on now?