going crazy......

[bluessrg]

My surf vibrates religiously at 100kph, and am going crazy trying to figure it out. Here's what has been done so far:
-wheels balanced (sooooo many times, no dice)
-full alignment (caster, camber, toe)
-replaced steering rack bushes
-replaced control arm bushes
-replaced shocks/struts (they were gone anyway)
-full alignment (again)

Now, the newest suspects:

-wheel bearings (I have 54000 km, do they need adjustment/replacement?)
-lower balljoint (boots are busted)
-hhmmmm (please chip in before I find a river to put this thing in....)

PS: the whole truck vibrates, and the wheel shakes side to side, and I have tried rotating the tires with no luck. Anyone?

[MattF]

Shagged U.J on the prop somewhere, I'd guess at.

[bluessrg]

Just remembered something, its prolly not the U joint coz the vibration persists even when I'm coasting with my foot off the gas

[lord lucan]

as matt , propshaft uj

[bluessrg]

Just remembered something, its prolly not the U joint coz the vibration persists even when I'm coasting with my foot off the gas

IIRC U joint vibration ceases when you let off the gas, am I right or am I right?

[bluessrg]

Update: checked the U joint, its solid. I also gave the tranny mount a tug and it looks okay. Before I bother checking the wheel bearings, am wondering whether they are the tapered kind that can be tightened or the fixed hub ones. Anyone?

[NiftyNev]

Tapered.

Nev

[blue surfer]

This may sound REALLY silly........ But I had a similar problem, and it turned out to be the tyres! Off side front was perished along the tread causing a blister. Wasn't noticable at first, until I was on a motorway one day and had to slow to 40mph. Was lucky it didn't explode when I was doing 90mph!!!

[NiftyNev]

A tyre can look perfect but be a dud. I had one on the front of mine for 5 years. It was only when I got two new ones for the rear and put the still good rears on the front that the problem went away. Even though the fronts were checked numerous times and rebalanced on a few occasions I still had a noise, pulling to the left and vibration.

Nev

[cabbage]

mine does the same!! i find that certain bits of road make it worse, made me nearly sick once, although i was suffering before i got in the motor!

i was thinking it was the front drive shafts as i found a bit of play in the middle joints, all my uj's and stearing bushes are ok.

[sv1000spilot]

Update: checked the U joint, its solid. I also gave the tranny mount a tug and it looks okay. Before I bother checking the wheel bearings, am wondering whether they are the tapered kind that can be tightened or the fixed hub ones. Anyone?

When my UJ's went there was no detectable play. Once the prop was off the problem became obvious as one of the UJ bearings was near enough seized up, and probably seized solid once hot with use....