Hey don't have a Dakota, but I do have a 2005 QC CD. I experienced same issue. This is what dealer tried 1) balance tires/nochange 2) replaced drive shaft/no change 3) pulled axle to see if warped etc../no change. The final issue that resolved the problem was the YOKE it was bad once they replaced that all was good.

 

I wonder what percentage of vehicles are affected by this. I haven't had any hint of anything like this in my pickup's 13,000 miles so I wonder if there's a good chance it'll never develop on my pickup.

 

Howdy ptschett, how's it going?

I'm getting a pretty bad shake braking moderately at highway speeds, although none cruising. I believe there's a TSB out there for it - did I see that here or another forum?

My local dealer looked at it once, didn't fix it, it's going back.

 

I am having the same vigration problems. They trid to fix once with no luck. I am bringing it back for them to try again.

 

I have an o6 Dakota 4x4 with the off road tires and mine vibrates pretty bad braking when up to speed also. Don't know what to do about it. I havent taken it back to dealer...I don't think they would help much, plus I need my truck for work and don't want to wait on them. So do you guys think it's the tires or the yoke or...? There has to be some similar symptoms we could all agree on eh?

 

I hated to have this be my first post, but I too, with my brand new '05 dak laramie just had TSB 05-004-05 applied and it has not solved my vibration problem 50-70MPH. My wife gets car sick if we are on the highway for anything over 15 minutes. Sad... I have yet to tell them to try again.



- Michael

 

More than likely the Goodyear Tires. The caveat is that the Goodyear stores do not recognize tires installed by Dodge as a warranty item thru them. Two Goodyear dealers I have talked to stated this, " Dodge is getting a better deal than we are go back to Dodge". You will also find that the Goodyear tires will not give a great amount of mileage wear. Also, most dealers do not use real torque wrenches when installing wheels/tires. Most use airguns with "calibrated" torque sticks. On every occasion that I brought my Dakota home after having the wheels changed I tested the lug nut torque with my "Certified Torque wrench" and found that I was lucky to have 1 of 4 wheels even close the 85 to 115 FT# owners manual recommendation. Almost always the torque was in the 60 to 75 ft# area, in other words the wheels were slightly loose. Loose wheels equates to vibration. I set my wrench at 100ft# and seems to work well. I have 22k on mine and they look like they may make 30k with luck, then Michelin's go on.
My 2005 club cab went thru 18 warranty tires and 9 warranty wheels before an acceptable comprise was accomplished, plus a few cuss words thrown in. The selling dealer finally started pulling new 2wd Dakota's off the lot and we test drove four before we found one that gave a smooth ride. We traded those wheels and tires to mine. About 95% of vibration went away.
Part of the problem is the rear shocks on the Dakota are too hard when there is no load in the bed. Right now I have 2 each of 1/4" steel plates in the bed rear of the rear axle. This has helped reduce the vibration, besides lowering the rear end slightly. There is a bed liner installed, next there are the 2 plates, and finally a rubber bed mat on top. You cannot see or hear the plates rattle at all. I checked with KYB, Bilstein, Tokio, Rancho, Gabriel, and Monroe about replacment front and rear shocks. All but one advised that they are not considering making a replacement shocks at this time and nothing in planning, but Monroe advised they "may" have something late 2006 or by mid 2007 and only the rear not the fronts. Maybe all the members should start hammering on the aftermarket manufacturers to get off their collective butts and get busy, there is a definite market out there for a better than OEM shocks for front and rear. Nothing can be improved if you have to re-install the OEM junk.

Try putting a concrete blocks in the bed and see if you get an improvement, I feel that you will.

Recently, I have made 6 trips from NW GA to Central Illinois hauling a 5' x 8' U-Haul trailer and bed and truck rode the best with at least 500#. Mileage was mid 15 with trailer and 2 trips were just the bed loaded enough that it dropped the bed 2.5" inches. Surprisingly the mileage was 21 mpg with a least 800# in the bed. I have factory towing package.
Also, a Tech Bulletin from Dodge about rear end vibration, don't remember the number offhand, but I have seen it previously mentioned on this site. Has to do with rear axles and brake drums and shoes.
Hope this may help.
Cody Kid

 

most of the time the tires are out of round. this is caused because the steel belts inside the tires tear. causing an abnormal patten in the rotation. during balancing they should of noticed this. if the rims are bent the tires would slowly leak air. spray a light film of water on the rim edge and look for tiny bubbles

 

I am 9 months into this problem. The dealership (Champion Dodge, Gulfport, MS) initially denied the problem. Since then they have changed 1 wheel, changed the driveshaft, called in a Dodge tech who confirmed the problem, supposedly did a road force balance test, and had goodyear change the tires. Tire change helped slightly.

Dealership claims it is a dodge problem, they can do nothing without Dodge. Now are blaming the "extra heavy duty suspension" which is supposedly feeding all road feel up through the suspension into the steering wheel. Want to change shocks, motor mounts, perhaps more.

I contacted Dodge and told them situation is absurd and that I want another truck. Dodge has supposedly been in contact with this worthless dealership. I am a repeat customer and they could give a s**t.

 

Look back a few months through the posts guys. Yes there are vibration problems with these trucks at highway speeds. That is/was caused by the P.O.S. Goodyear Wrangler tires. I fell victim to having to buy one last year. The dealer bought the other as a concession. Not much of one if I do say so. But one none the less. I shoulda' bought all four tires and thrown the Goodyears out. I'm gonna keep 'em and get my money worth from them.... every penny
As for the braking vibration there is a TSB for the rear axle for this. It states that it is for the 8.25 axle but clearly affects the 9.25 axle as well as it is the drums, brake hardware and sometimes affects the axle shafts as well. My truck has the 9.25 and had this very problem. My dealership here in Phoenix took care of this problem fully and even turned the front rotors on the truck. They actually told me about the TSB when I went in to complain of the braking vibration. I think that there is a copy of the TSB here on the site.
The dealers won't usually replace the tires unless they are BRAND new. If you get the chance buy the Michelin LTX light truck tires. I had them on my '01 Dakota. They are among the best available.