yowzaeric Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Hi all! I have a 2004 Pathy with 23K bone stock to date but have ordered lift, and performance goodies. but I'm having a problem.... Has anyone else had a vibration start at about 40 to 45 and get more severe until about 50 then taper off until the Pathfinder drives normal at 60 to 65? I can rule out the trailer,tires and alignment. This only happens when towing and its on all trailers as light as a snowmobile trailer and as heavy as a 3500 pound travel trailer. I haven't towed in 4wd so I'm not sure if that changes anything. I have towed both with a different vehicle and there is no problem with either trailer. I'm thinking either output shaft or an out of balance drivershift. Any suggestions? Thanks Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Is the lift just ordered or is it installed? Is it a fast vibration that you feel in the body/floorboard, or only through the steering wheel? Do you have the part-time transfer case? If the vibration is fast (not through the steering wheel, such as due to a tire balance problem) and you have the lift installed, it could be the CV shafts causing vibration due to the increased angle from stock. You can verify this by removing the drive flanges on both wheel hubs to simulate having "unlocked" manual hubs. If the vibration disappears, then that's your cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 I drive a 95, so I'm not terribly clear on the 96+ Pathy's, but I have read a bunch about the bushings in the rear end causing swaying. Now, under heavy load, maybe those bushings being loose/worn is allowing the truck to vibrate? Just a shot in the dark. Otherwise, I'd say a tire out of balance possibly in the rear, which you wouldn't feel as much if the back wasn't loaded down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Hi all! I have a 2004 Pathy with 23K bone stock to date but have ordered lift, and performance goodies. but I'm having a problem.... Has anyone else had a vibration start at about 40 to 45 and get more severe until about 50 then taper off until the Pathfinder drives normal at 60 to 65? I can rule out the trailer,tires and alignment. This only happens when towing and its on all trailers as light as a snowmobile trailer and as heavy as a 3500 pound travel trailer. I haven't towed in 4wd so I'm not sure if that changes anything. I have towed both with a different vehicle and there is no problem with either trailer. I'm thinking either output shaft or an out of balance drivershift. Any suggestions? Thanks Eric Check your unis on the rear shaft. It does sound like a centre bearing. Do the late model Pathies have a two peice tail shaft? It is only happing under load is it? Have you floored you car without the trailer to see if it does it then as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yowzaeric Posted August 11, 2005 Author Share Posted August 11, 2005 Hey guys thanks for the ideas. let me try to answer the questions asked of me in some semblance of order: 1. No lift is in the truck no suspension work has been done it has 24,000 miles on it ( still in the wrapper) 2. I would attribute it to the tire balancing also except that I have two sets of tires and rims. it happened with both sets. Both were rebalanced and I still had problems. 3. This is a fast shimmy vibration felt in the floorboards only. Seems to be coming from the rear. 4. Not sure about the two piece rear- I'm embarassed to say I looked at all the bushings and other stuff under there but don't remember.. I'll check the unis in the rear. They seem tight but I've been tricked with that before. That's what was leading me to think the driveshaft was out of balance. Thanks for the ideas! I'm off to dig around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yowzaeric Posted August 11, 2005 Author Share Posted August 11, 2005 Forgot two things... This is only happening with a trailer attached. I haven't been able to simulate the vibration under strong acceleration either.. Only thing that happens then is that the tires break free and I'm buring down the crappy stock tires... bridgestones-- yuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 I drive a 95, so I'm not terribly clear on the 96+ Pathy's, but I have read a bunch about the bushings in the rear end causing swaying. Now, under heavy load, maybe those bushings being loose/worn is allowing the truck to vibrate? Just a shot in the dark. Otherwise, I'd say a tire out of balance possibly in the rear, which you wouldn't feel as much if the back wasn't loaded down. that's my shot in the dark too... check your hitch.. maybe something there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 2004 = still under warranty :contract: . Take it to the dealer (with one of the trailers) and get them to fix it. My two cents (1/2 cent in Canada ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yowzaeric Posted August 13, 2005 Author Share Posted August 13, 2005 Well Trainman is the winner.. sending the pathy packing with the camper to the dealer.. We'll see what the problem is... thanks again for all the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Well Trainman is the winner.. sending the pathy packing with the camper to the dealer.. We'll see what the problem is... thanks again for all the help. Don't forget, we need to know the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Yes, let us know what they found out. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yowzaeric Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 I'll post the results here.. Thanks again for the suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yowzaeric Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 Ok guys- I just got off the phone with the dealer on this one. it appears to be a two part problem. 1. transfer case output shaft was bent.- Why there was not a vibration all the itme is beyond me. 2. They also rebuild the rear end. supposedly the bearing were bad ( at only 23K) Not sure which part fixed the problem but I'm not getting the vibration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Glad to here she's all fixed up. No cost to you I hope? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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