I have had some drivetrain noise and vibration for a while but I have noticed it get worse this summer, and it became a lot more noticeable when I put in a D1 CDL last weekend. Today I checked for play in the front U-joints and couldn't feel any. I checked for play in the front wheel bearings also and didn't find any. I did notice alot of driveline slack though and decided to shoot a video.


I have changed out all of the drivetrain fluids using Valvoline max life ATF and 85w-140 gear oil. The front 3 U-joints were swapped out with Precision 344s and a new centering ball about 10 months ago.

Do you guys think this is normal or is the t-case on its way out?

 

When you spin the tires forward and then change direction or stop quick you you will get a sound like the one in the video. Try leaving the tire lifted and putting the truck in "N" and then spin the tire. Have some one spin the tire as fast as possible while you look at everything from underneath.

Try and move the drive shaft up and down by hand. Look at the output flange on the t-case and see if you see any play in the flange or drive shaft.

When you cut out the transmission tunnel to install the D1 shifter did you make the cut out large enough so the shifter doesn't touch the cover plate?
If the shifter is making contact with the tunnel cover it will vibrate the the whole center console pretty good.

Are you sure you don't have a wheel out of balance?

 

Thanks, i'll check that stuff out. I don't think I have any tires out of balance, but some are cupped. I'm sure that is making some noise but it sounds like there is a high pitched whining/whirring noise coming from the middle of the truck near the transmission, transfer-case or maybe the front diff. I'm ruling out the front shift for now since it has new u-joints and I don't have the typical "chirping" noise. I also don't think its the transmission since the sound only is effected by vehicle speed and load and not what gear i'm in.

When I put in the CDL I cut the hole big enough so its not touching the shifter lever but it is touching the base that the shifter lever is mounted too. That could be why its so much louder.

 

Yeah I had to go back in and cut a bigger hole out and it really cut down on the vibration.

The way you describe the high pitched whine it kind of sounds like that same sound I'm getting also after installing a D1 shifter. I get a high pitched sound and I've been thinking that is might be the breather hose from the T-Case. The sound only happens at high speeds and it changes sound when I let off the gas. I am pretty sure it is either the breather hose or a bearing, but so far I haven't been able to narrow down the problem.

I'm thinking about blowing smoke down the vent tube for the T-Case to make sure I got it back on all the way and didn't crack it, causing a leak.

 

This is the best "How-To" guide for installing the D1 shifter that I've found. In the guide it will show you how large you need to cut the hole around the shifter and also how you should seal up that newly cut hole. (It's a Microsoft Word document)
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...73612305,d.b2U

The D1 kit I bought actually came with the Gaiter Sealer (BRT9813) but I didn't install it the first time because I couldn't figure out how it was supposed to go in there. After I found this how-to guide I took everything back apart and sealed it up the right way. It really cut down on the sound and now I don't worry about water getting in.


I did not cut the hole large enough the first time. The tunnel cover was resting on 2 of the 4 bolts that hold the shifter boot on and since the new shifter mounts to the transmission it was vibrating the heck out of my center console.

(the original shifter bolts right to the cover and doesn't touch the transmission so there are no vibrations, the D1 shifter bolts to the transmission so all the vibrations are transferred through the shifter now. A large enough cut out is very important.)

 

I just remembered that I also switched to the heavy Duty gear oil around the same time so I'm wondering if that has something to do with it.

 

Jared, what are you running for gear oil? Im using Valvoline 85w-140, I niticed a little reduction in gear whine when I made the switch from 75w-90. (This was before the CDL install)

Im pretty sure the new shifter is making the noise. When I installed it I wasnt thinking about vibrations and I cut the hole just big enough to operate the shifter and then duck taped the tonnel cover to the shifter base... haha it sealed it good but its kinda loud