Vibrating at lowest speed?

[cvar]

Question: what causes slight rear-end vibration (shudder) when accelerating from a dead stop? It goes away in after 5 seconds. It worries me.

I'm guessing the vibration is due to extra lift? Or perhaps I goofed while replacing my rusted hangers, the shackles, U-bolts, and leaf springs? The old (2) leaf springs were flattened out, whereas the new (4) leafs are heavy duty and remain curved with no load. It means my B4000 rear end is now 2 or 3" higher than before, so it's weensy bit taller than the front end.

 

[4x4junkie]

Might be your driveshaft.

See here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/June04/offroad.htm

 

[cvar]

That article suggests that my driveshaft is now entering the rear pumpkin at a steeper angle, so it vibrates a bit? That's not good.

I don't really want to lower the carrier bearing at the front end of the driveshaft. So for a 3" taller leaf spring, what size & shape shims would I use on the rear axle? I presume they'd be wedge shaped? Does it matter whether these shims go above or below the lift blocks that sit on the rear axle?

 

[Rowdy Fitzgerald]

I just talked to a dana specialty/ drive line shop today and he said the cairier bearring has to be positioned so the drive shaft is perfectly straight or the bearing will go out prematurely and it will vibrate.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Hence why everyone chucks em in the garbage and installed a 1 piece drive shaft from a 98+ ranger or 01-05 sport trac

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, the angle issue is at the carrier bearing, not the axle.

That article explains the issue pretty well I thought, and suggests a simple-as-dirt fix for it.