Can't remember what this one means...

And I feel like a bit of an idiot for it. But took swmbo truck into town tonight which involved a short run down the interstate. Over 70mph there was a vibration that got worse with an increase in speed and lessened with a decrease. Quick inspection when I got into town revealed nothing, so when I got back and had more light I got to looking again. No low tires no uneven wear that could see on a whim I put my foot on the upper edge of the tire and pushed. Got a thunk, reached in and graded the upper part of the tire, pushed and pulled and was able to get an 1/8 of an inch or so of movement back and forth. Both sides were like this. It's a 02 S-15 with about 160k on the clock. I'm pretty sure if I jack it up and can get movement its ball joints, any ideas on where this vibration is coming from? Right now I'm assuming ball joints or wheel bearings.

I've got to say that the 70mph is kind of a rarity for this truck, as we both rarely run over 50mph even down the back roads we live on. Gas prices, and the prolific deer population around here just don't make it a safe idea to fly down the road.

Thanks in advance.

Sounds like ball joints. Wheel bearings tend to make a sound more like a low growl.

Tire balance, most likely.

Some minor imbalance being allowed to resonate due to the bad ball joints. I want to say the S-10 had hand packed bearings to the end, so you might get lucky there and be able to do em cheap while you have the front end apart.

All 4wds had cartridge bearing/hub assemblies, and the last of the 2wds did as well. I forget the year split on that.

It didn't feel like a wheel imbalance. And it didn't go away with a slight turn of the wheel.(moving side to side in the lane) Add to it the movement at the top of the wheel and I'm leaning towards ball joints. Good news is, they appear to be cheap with a quick look at rock auto.

Knurled wrote: All 4wds had cartridge bearing/hub assemblies, and the last of the 2wds did as well. I forget the year split on that.

2 wheel drive 2.2 auto trans. Her mom bought it, and it was handed down to her, I'm not complaining, but Damn its slow.

Spinout007 wrote: It didn't feel like a wheel imbalance. And it didn't go away with a slight turn of the wheel.(moving side to side in the lane) Add to it the movement at the top of the wheel and I'm leaning towards ball joints. Good news is, they appear to be cheap with a quick look at rock auto.

Bad ball joints won't give you a vibration.

Being an S10, it may have a driveshaft that has double cardon joints at both ends, and weighs about 3,000 pounds. They vibrate. a lot. all the time. and they are horribly expensive. and even if you buy a new shaft, it may still vibrate.

I'd still balance the tires first.

doesn't seem like out of balance tires would result in 1/8" play ... 'course it won't hurt to balance... regardless

Extended cabs have a 2-piece driveshaft.....

Cheap ball joints on a S10 just leads to doing them every 10k.... You are far better off to spend money on the uppers to get any service life out of them.

Bad U joints or out of balance drive shaft, centerbearing.

You may have two problems. Bad ball joints (your movement) and an out-of-balance or out-of-round wheel/tire. The latter made you discover the former I'm assuming you already looked for chunks of mud/ice on the wheels.

hey Keith, he's in Gainesville Fla.

mud maybe, but ice

Yea, I've got a "wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" over 70 (F150). My guess with that low tone is tires. Possibly bearings, but different grind during an excessive turn.

If you have bad ball joints (Is there an S10 that doesnt?) I bet you dollars to donuts the idler arm and pitman arm are loose as well.

Did you feel the vibration in the wheel? Did the wheel shake? Did you feel it more in the seat? Did it feel like the whole truck was coming apart and you feared for your life? Unless they are damaged, throw a weight or get jambed with mud/snow a tire doesnt provide a crazy vibration in normal wear and associated imbalance.

Nope, didn't feel it in the wheel. It was more of a hum, that got more intense the faster I went. I couldn't hear it so much as feel it. As I noticed it over the radio, to the point of I shut the radio off, to listen for it.

Outside of ball joint play....

I would rotate tires first to see if it makes any effect on vibration.

Don't feel too bad for not figuring out the cause. I had a nasty front end shake that got so bad I parked my car for a week before the shop could get it in. Loose lug nuts on one wheel, lost a stud.

neon4891 wrote: Don't feel too bad for not figuring out the cause. I had a nasty front end shake that got so bad I parked my car for a week before the shop could get it in. Loose lug nuts on one wheel, lost a stud.

Heh funny story.... last time I competed in the challenge we were in such a daze finishing up the suspension install on the car at the end of a 4 day scramble to get two cars buttoned up that the guy putting the front wheels on neglected to torque down the lug bolts. (VW Gti)

Run home grab a quick nap and a shower, go back to my team mates place throw the slicks in the hatch, shut it and make a mad dash for the track. Got about a mile and a half down the street, and it feel like I have a flat so I dip into a subdivision so I can get off the main road. Get out and take a look. No flat. Team mate following me looks, nothing. So I get back in start going again, and it still feels like a flat. Second look and we realize I'm running a E36 M3 load of negative camber up front. Closer look and the drivers side was held on with one very loose bolt. Team mate goes jogging up the road and find 3 of my missing lug bolts as the passenger side is also down to two.

Luckily I'm able to get another drivers side lug in, and torqed down. After a frantic phone call to parts stores I find one that has another 8 in stock, and a stop by a tool store gets me the proper tap. By the time I got done doing.repairs, putting.decals on, I get through concourse at 2:30, and at 3 they're calling out to wrap up the Autox.

I've owned 4 S-trucks. Check the carrier bearing. It doesn't necessarily "growl" like a typical bearing. It lets the driveshaft wobble at certain loads/speeds.

I had to replace one at 46k on my Sonoma.

Its a known and common failure.

Didn't think standard cab s trucks had the carrier bearing.