truck feels like i am on a wake up bar on the highway

[rangerraider1979]

I was going down the road at around 55 when it levels out in overdrive and my truck felt like it was going on the wake up bumps on the highway I pulled over nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Checked my u joints they seem fine So I get back in and it does fine on acceleration and levels out in overdrive and starts it all over again. So I let off the gas it stops I put it in drive and hit 55 and it does not do it. So I crawled underneath this morning I noticed a little tranny fluid on the tailshaft hmm I dont know I am stumped. What is it how do I fix it I do not want to break something that can be prevented....

 

[Mike Tonon]

Something similar is going on with my Ranger, but I think it's u-joints (not lose, but dry), they sound like squirrels making squeaky noises under my truck. I spray the u-joints with lube and most of the sound goes away.

You could have relatively tight, but dry u-joints.
Also, tires out of balance, alignment, unbalanced or bent driveshaft, bad tires.

 

[rangerraider1979]

I have to put off working on it till saturday now. I think I will put my other tires back on I know they are balanced. If it dont go away then I will go to pull the drive shaft out I planned on changing the trans filter and fluid and seals. so new u joints and a good look at the drive shaft will be my next step and then I will go on from there also think I am going to check rotors. I have some practically new ones in the shed probably get them turned and put them on since I need new brake pads anyways. I guess its an elimination game. If anyone else has any Ideas please let me know. I just hope its not the tranny

 

[97RangerXLT]

Welll... if you are leaking fluid I would check the fluid level. If it is low it could cause problems but usually a tranny with low fluid will slip and the truck will feel like it is in neutral.

Tires that are out of balance will be noticeable at certain speed ranges, so swapping out the tires for known good balanced tires is a good step.

If the fluid and/or tires don't fix it....

Having the issue appear in only overdrive is kind of ominous. ..

 

[kunar]

My first thought is u-joints. They can feel okay, meaning no noticeable play, but be off center and vibrate pretty bad.

 

[rangerraider1979]

Yea thats what has me stumped is its only around 55 it does it it quits around 60 65 but I noticed yesterday that its there in drive just not really noticable so I am praying its just the tires or even rotors wont have time to mess with it till friday after noon though. I am getting ready to restore this truck for my daughter. I only have about 10 months till she gets her DL so this project needs to start going my way... Is the drive shaft the same in a standard cab long bed and a extended cab short bed??? I have one laying around for a extended cab.

 

[rangerraider1979]

My first thought is u-joints. They can feel okay, meaning no noticeable play, but be off center and vibrate pretty bad.

Kunar Ill take you down 75 towards Findlay and let you feel it

 

[Big Jim M]

Many years ago before radial tires that vibration would have been egg shaped tires. That is exactly what they feel like.
Big Jim

 

[rangerraider1979]

no broken belts that I can see..... So no goose eggs but I am going to change front tires tomarrow see if that helps..

 

[94RoadkillRanger]

(94 Ranger 3.0 auto) I'm still rebuilding my 4R44E and I have a U joint for the rear end. I'm having to cut my old u joint out so that I don't bend the aluminum shaft. One thing you can do is clean you shaft. I was told that dirt can create wobble. If you have to rebuild your tranny yourself, it's not easy but only cost $290 in parts for me.

 

[enjr44]

Vibration between 55 and 65 is almost always tires or wheels. That is the speed where tires/suspension/shocks cannot damp the movement. Are you sure it is only in overdrive? Try it when not in overdrive. Last time I bought tires the truck jumped all over the place. They re-balanced them two times and finally replaced two of them to get it fixed.

 

[rangerraider1979]

I went and took it down the road and put it in drive about 60 it did it just not as bad im changing tires today after I finish my honey to do list happy wife happy life as they say

 

[rangerraider1979]

well new placing the new tires up front seemed to help but noticed on my passenger side I had a hell of a time getting the tire off seemed like the rotor was warped and the hub was expanded... I even had a hard time getting the new tire back on it just didnt feel right..

 

[rangerraider1979]

ok still doing it after tires I need to get this fixed