I have 96 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 5.9 L and I get a strong shaking and vibrations at about 50 MPH. If I speed up a little bit it will stop if I slow down a little bit it will stop if I put the transmission in Neutral while driving and shaking the shaking stops. I am at complete loss as to what is causing the Very rough shaking. I have taken the truck to several mechanics and they have put it up on the lift and inpected it throughly. As a result of their advice I have done the following to try and fix the problem:

1. Changed out tires and ballanced

2. had new universal Joints Installed on drive shaft at reputable Off Road Shop

3. replaced track bar with a new one/

4. replaced Steering Damper Shock absorber

The above changes did not fix the problem I still have the same shaking at about 50 to 55 MPH. I wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem and what they did to fix it. I really can't drive the truck with this problem It is that bad. I really need to get it fixed so I can use this vehicle. Oh let me mention the vehicle has been sitting and not been driven in 2 and 1/2 years. It had a fuel pump probem and would not start I fixed that along with other things and had hoped to be driving the truck by now but cannot comfortably do that with this vibration and shaking problem.

 

Inspect the rest of your steering components.

Get an alignment.

How are your shocks?

Is the vibration the same after replacing tires?

Moving this to the tech forum.

 

I have a 96 Ram (170,000 miles), and I had shaking above ~65 that got worse with increasing speed. New tires, an alignment and a new Pitman arm cured it.

It is weird that your problem only happens at 50-55 mph.

I had to replace the fuel pump recently as well.

 

Start with a comp test see what's up, might be a miss in the motor. Last tune up was when?

 

I have the same issue (shaking and vibrating at 45-55 mph) only happens when truck is in overdrive. Any other speed, or with O/D locked out, it's fine. I've been chasing the issue for over a year and havn't solved it yet.

 

That's a miss. Have you fixed your plenum? Tune up? Check your cat?

 

how can it be anything but the OD gear? no way a misfire is only noticeable by shaking when OD kicks in? thats seems crazy. I've read about this problem and nothing engine, wheels or suspension fixed it. so it has to be a transmission issue im guessing.

 

I did a tune up on my 96 with the 5.9. Ran smooth at the shop, and on the way home, until it shifted into O/D..... then it felt like the truck was going to shake itself apart. Turns out, I had two plug wires switched. (hard to see back there....) Fix that, smooth as silk regardless of gear.

The problem wasn't really noticeable until the torque converter was locked, and the trans shifted into O/D. Then it was patently obvious.

 

how does that make sense? if plug wires were crossed, the engine would run rough at any rpm and any gear. Make zero logical sense to say you dont notice till od kicks in. thats not how engines and transmissions work LMAO Same with all the people saying it's wheel balance or driveshaft or u joints or tires or ball joints...NONE OF THOSE ARE RIGHT! this is clearly a transmission issue, not a poorly running engine due to misfires.
All those things are noticed in ANY GEAR. **** if you have plug wires crossed, just reving the engine should show the engine not running proper, it wouldnt be hidden till od kicks in and never is noticed if od doesn't kick in.
Plus every thread has someone who changed all those things unrelated to the transmission, and it fixed nothing in the transmission and didnt stop OD from shaking....for good reason.
Im going to replace the transmission, and let you know.
if it is ACTUALLY the engine misfiring, im selling the truck ASAP because i have taken a mechanics class and ive worked on cars/trucks for 25 years and ive never seen a misfire shake the whole truck BUT ONLY when OD kicks in because it makes no sense. That would be a crazy design flaw, next you'll tell me if the power steering fluid is low my differential falls off...IT MAKES NO SENSE LOL

 

Ok. When, or if... you figger it out, please let us know what the final fix was, and how much you spent on stuff you didn't need to fix.