Bad Vibrations

[66mustang_289]

Has anyone had experience with bad vibrations on classic mustangs. I have 66 Mustang with a 289 and 3spd. manual. Two years ago my dad and I did a complete break job, includeding new drums all the way around. (4 wheel manual drum breaks) For two years we've fought horrible shakeing, especially around 50 mph. We always assumed it was from wheels and tires becomeing un balanced but last fall we got new styled steel wheels with new tires and the problem remained. We finally decided that the new front drums must be really out of balanced, they even appeared like they may have been mis-bored. I bought another brand new set of drums yesterday, put them on today, the problem is still there. The new drums actaully have weights welded to them like they've been balanced. Can anyone suggest other possiblities. I realize there are numerous possiblities, but I really feel that it has something to do with the wheels/hubs.

Richard

 

[lauras70mach1]

Driveshaft.

 

[rick byerly]

I'd say drive shaft allso I had the same problem I changed the tail shaft bearing and yoke because my yoke wore a grove in it it still vib. took the drive shaft to get it balanced it was that far out they had to replace it.

 

[Ronstang]

Try taking the driveshaft loose from the rear end yoke and rotating it 180 degrees and reinstall it. This will sometimes cure drivetrain vibration, no guarrantees but it is free and easy.

 

[66mustang_289]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I'll look into the driveshaft. Does anyone have any opinions that the hubs could be giving me a problem. I'm trying to decide if I should try new hubs also. The only reason I have concern about the hubs is that during the break job, we got pretty physical with the hubs to get the break drums off since its a swedge fit. I doubted it at first but now I wander how likely it is that we damaged one of the hubs since the obvious has been ruled out.

Richard

 

[XStang302x]

I had some bad vibes once...I mean BAD. Hell it used to make a MiniDisc player skip with it sitting on a towel lol. Ahhh my younger days... Check the drive shaft and Universal joints.

-Frank

 

[65stang289]

I vote driveshaft mine did that for 2 days and then the u-joint snapped in half. I have never seen this happen in my life. I was driven fine down the road and it got real bad then I felt the driveshaft hit the tanny tunnel and start sliding on the ground.
Why do people ride your ass when the driveshaft is dragging on the ground at night with sparks coming from it.

 

[lauras70mach1]

You can mess with the hubs all day long, but the simple fact is they don't spin fast enough to cause the kind of vibration you're describing. They will more likely growl or grind. Actually, if your hubs were that bad where they were causing a vibration problem you would most likely feel it in the steering and or be able to feel the play in the hub by jacking up the car and pulling in and out on the wheel/tire.

Try putting a hose clamp on the rear axle end of your driveshaft - the weight of the screw in the hose clamp is often enough to either begin to balance out the shaft or make the vibration worse. You wont have to pull the shaft off to do this, either. You can play around and actually temporarily balance it yourself by sliding the hose clamp around on the shaft. Remember, this shafts over 30 years old and it's probably shot.

Also, make sure your u-joints are good/complete and you have either all radial tires or all bias plys, your wheels are not out of round or warped and they are balanced.

As stated by a few others, the driveshaft can cause ALL SORTS of problems and I'd be dollars to doughnuts its the source of your vibration. Try the hose clamp trick and get back to us.

 

[grabberorange]

I had a bad vibration last week. Brought the stang to the trasnmission shop to have the kick down lever seal changed. He changed the transmission mount because there was no rubber left, just metal to metal. It made a huge difference. just another idea.

 

[Ozsum2]

It could be anything, yoke, driveshaft, mounts, u joints, even dampener or torque convertor. Did I mention alignment and bearings? Do you feel it in the seat of your pants, or on the steering wheel?

 

[Ozsum2]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I'll look into the driveshaft. Does anyone have any opinions that the hubs could be giving me a problem. I'm trying to decide if I should try new hubs also. The only reason I have concern about the hubs is that during the break job, we got pretty physical with the hubs to get the break drums off since its a swedge fit. I doubted it at first but now I wander how likely it is that we damaged one of the hubs since the obvious has been ruled out.

Richard

Do the hubs move? I think you need to get away from the hub theory and explore new ideas.

 

[ratio411]

U joints are worn

 

[pabear89]

But I think Oz is onto something,
A better discription of the vibration would help.
Does your Ujoints have grease fittings?
If so are they 180 from each other, that will start a vib at those speeds.

PB

 

[66mustang_289]

Alright, I'm sorry I haven't responded lately. I still think it has to be in the front wheel/hub set up. I know many of you have been telling me driveshaft but let me explain: A few years ago we rebuilt the transmission and put new U-joints in and the car rode great, no more shuttering take offs or driveshaft vibrations. Two years ago we rebuilt the front breaks and this problem occured at the same time. The car is driven as a toy, fewer than 3000 miles a year which is why the problem was not a bigger priority to resolve sooner. Now I'm tired of driving a nice looked car with it shaking as it does. I don't think its the drive shaft because it's go new U-joints and driveshaft issures are higher in frequency than my problem. I may have mis-comunicated my problem. It is really more of a shake. And someone asked if I felt it in the steering wheel and YES i do. The steering column actually shakes with the problem. At 50mph if I look at the front two fenders, they're just bouncing up and down, with the car or course(they are bolted on fine). The front of the car is the worst of it. I apoligize if I didn't explain it enough to begin with. Does change anyone's opinion?

Richard

 

[66mustang_289]

My thought with the hubs is that the one we had trouble getting the brake drum off of may have gotten bent ever so slightly(?) and the drum and wheel my not be seating up properly.

 

[Hack]

My thought with the hubs is that the one we had trouble getting the brake drum off of may have gotten bent ever so slightly(?) and the drum and wheel my not be seating up properly.

With the car jacked up, turning the wheel by hand, how does it feel? Is it rough? Is there play or looseness in the wheel?

If not, look elsewhere.

 

[Ozsum2]

My thought with the hubs is that the one we had trouble getting the brake drum off of may have gotten bent ever so slightly(?) and the drum and wheel my not be seating up properly.

OK, that's a start. We know it is in the front of the car. Are you talking about the spindle when you say hub? I guess it is a posibility that you warped the drum. If you back off the shoes, the drum should just about fall off.

 

[66mustang_289]

When I say "hub", I'm talking about the piece that spins on the shaft of the spindle. Its not a warped drum, I am on my second brand new set of drums. The drum should not easily come off because the hub and drum are a swedge fit or that is the way it is on my 66. I am only 18 so I'm more fimiliar with disc brake set ups on the front.

 

[Ozsum2]

When I say "hub", I'm talking about the piece that spins on the shaft of the spindle. Its not a warped drum, I am on my second brand new set of drums. The drum should not easily come off because the hub and drum are a swedge fit or that is the way it is on my 66. I am only 18 so I'm more fimiliar with disc brake set ups on the front.

If the shoes are loose, and the spindle nut is off, there is nothing keeping it on there. Oh sure, it is tapered, but it should slide right off. Sounds like you have a fit problem or posibly the wrong drums. And are the drum and hub are 1 part?

 

[Valaraukar]

Yes, the drums should come off relatively easily. The only reason they would be tough to get off is if your brakes are too advanced, making your car brake all the time in essence.