There are about 100,000 post and re-post on here for the 2005-2006 Dakota's having vibration/pulsating/shuddering problems. You will find all kinds of solutions, answers, things to try and fix these issues.

The problem with these trucks is it could be one of many items to replace, or you could have to do it all.

I've got an 05 with 65K on it and I had to replace tie rods, sway bar end links, put all new pads and rotors on before my brake pulsating and vibrating went away. It sucks having a newer vehicle like this with that low of mileage and having to put tons of $$$ into parts I shouldn't have to this early in it's life. I'm a much happier camper now that this problem is solved.

Just do your homework on here.....start searching and reading anything you can find on here.
I got most my help from guys on here. We've all had these problems on here and all have left step by step help on how to get a ride back to new!

Good Luck and hope you don't end up dropping thousand's to fix your new ride!

 

Will do,thanks.

 

There is a TSB on the rear brakes and axle.

I have had to replace rear drums, front brakes twice, front rotors 3 times, tie rod ends once, sway bar bushings 3 times. all on 115k

I do drive like an idiot but Jesus.

The last bug I worked out is that if you have the updated chrome rims, you need to have them ballanced with 'fingers' instead of the center cone as the pressed chrome fronts are not hub centric. Seems simple but it took me 5 years to figure out and finally my truck runs smooth

 

Is this virbration issue only a QC issue or both QC and CC??

Now I dont really count because of the milage of my truck but I dont have those issues yet my truck rides smooth!

Is the vibration in the seat of your pants or on the steering wheel?

As I can see it is a common thing but I would check the simple things first, I say this from experience.

Check the tires, new tires can be defective .....I have 4 rear tires on a truck at work with 7k on them and they are finished (vibrating)

1) Check them on a balancing machine while you watch and go to somebody else with a decent machine and get an extra opinion.
If there is NO hop in the tire, you can count them out.

2) I am thinking hanger bearing and agree with whoever said U-joint area.

 

What's a TSB ? And what's QC & CC? My truck vibrates in the steering wheel & the center console shakes. I've had my tires rebalanced 3 times at belle tire. Its not as bad but its still there. I'm going to replace stuts & shocks next. thanks for the feedback guys.

 

tsb: technical service bulletin. not a recall, but the manufacturer acknowledges there are enough complaints about something to do something about it. QC: Quad cab (4 full size doors), cc: club cab (self explanatory). The shake, shudder or vibration under the TSB has to do with the rear axle and brakes. The shudder happens sometimes when braking from high speeds. Mine does it every now and then. The TSB involved replacing axle shafts , drums, backing plates, etc (someone correct me if I'm wrong here). Yours sounds like something completely different. My steering wheel shook when I first got it, but a good wheel balance got rid of it. You could have some worn components in the front end causing your problem.

 

Most older style tire balance machines are only good to 65 mph, but usually if they balance out good to 65 they don't vibrate over 65. UNLESS you get one that requires alot of counter weight to balance.

You don't really want like over 25 to 30 grams of counter weight on a rim...when you get up over 65 your tires kind of expand slightly and it changes the balance and alot of counter weight will shake.

I would check to see how much counter weight you have on your rims, if you find one with a bunch of weight on it, I would have them break the tire down, spin it 180 on the rim, and rebalance it.

One other thing, I had a Jeep grand cherokee that vibrated over 65, I had the tire rebalanced twice and each time they were putting a ton of weight.. so they thought they had given me a bad tire, the put a newer one on there and again it require a ton of weight to balance, so they pulled the tire off and checked the rim and it was WAYYY off. What they figured out was that the rim originally had a counter weight inside to off set the weight of the TPS, and probably had been knocked off during a tire change.

They could add a tone of weight and make it show 0 on the balancer, but it still shook, I dropped the spare rim which was the same as what is on the jeep, and had them put that rim on and my problem was solved.

 

do you have factory wheels or aftermarket?

Also are they just using a standard spin balance or a roadforce balance machine?

When I picked up my truck it had aftermarket wheels and a vibe around 65mph. the dealer rebalanced the tires which worked for about 20 miles then they were doin the same thing. So I ended up taking it to a local shop I deal with and he used a "road force Balance Machine" it immediately said the tire was out. so they peeled the old weights and ended up putting new ones on in totally different locations then original.

Apparently the new style machine works much better for larger rims and picky vehicles.

 

haha...the dakota certainly is a picky vehicle...reminds me of a high maintenance woman....always needing to be pampered and have lots of money spent on new things for her..lol

 

Funny.... my wife is far lower maintenance than my Dakota is!

My front end warbles and vibrates also. Aftermarket wheels, and have had the tires balanced 3 times, as well as alignment done several times. Also did 1 ball joint, and gonna do shocks and sway bar ends as well. New rotors (bone stock BTW) radically helped the braking problems.

I can't tell if I need new tie rod ends, but they are cheap so I might just replace them. I only found 1 bad ball joint, and the control arm bushings look good, but if this round of parts doesn't fix it, then I'll do new upper control arms/bushings/ball joints, and replace the remaining ball joint