15 JKU Sahara Vibrations

koko1

New member
A little background. I purchased a 15' Sahara Unlimited a month ago. I have since upgraded with the following:

2.5" RK flex lift with 1/2" terraflex coil spacers front and back. Came with front LCAs, front track bar, front sway bar links, rear track bar relocation bracket. Net lift in the front is right at 3.6" measured from the spring perches.
Rancho rs9000 shocks
35" Toyo MT tires
18x9" Rockstar II wheels

Rancho rs7000 steering stabilizer to compensate for the toyo radial pull. This was done after the vibrations started.

I drove the jeep for 2 days with stock tires and did not feel any vibrations. I had the tires/wheels put on and do not remember any vibrations at that point for 2 days. I took it back to the tire shop because it was pulling to the right, which I now see is a common toyo tire radial pull. Ever since then it seems like I have vibrations. The did put hub rings in at that time, but I thought those were supposed to help? If the wheels are lug centric and they balanced them that way and now they throw on hub rings would that throw the balance off at all? The vibrations appear right at 43MPH. I have taken the tires back to the shop 4 times to have them balanced. I have taken them to a second shop to have them road force balanced. Both say they balance out. The vibration is a oscillating vibration that will vibrate for 1 second, stop then repeat. If I drop down to 40 it stops. This is a automatic and if I force it to 3rd, 4th or 5th while staying above 43 it still does it. The vibration does not seem to come through the steering wheel but more or a seat/floorboard vibration along with being able to hear it. I have had 2 alignment checks and my caster was high to begin with 6.1 & 6.5 but I have since shortened my LCA's so that should not be causing it. My toe was .07 left and .10 right. My camber was -.6 left and -.6 right. Could this possibly be a drive line vibration? I plan on disconnecting the front drive shaft at the axle and tying it up to see if that eliminates it but I am under the impression from reading tons of info that the drive shafts in JKU's shouldn't vibrate unless they are out of balance. Would normal high driving throw it out of balance? It does not appear to be any weights missing What about the rear?

Thanks
 

MR.Ty

Token East Coast Guy
Welcome to WAL! What's the load rating of your tires and what pressure are they set too?
 

koko1

New member
I have also read a thread that said something about lug retainer clips being pulled off when installing after market wheels?? I have only seen this once in my research but is that worth looking into?
 

koko1

New member
It is hard to remember because all of this is jumbled up in my head, and I know I mentioned this in my opening post, trying to figure it out but I believe the problem started when I took it back the 2nd time because of the pulling to the right. I honestly do not remember it doing this for the 2 days I had them right after purchase. At that time they said they balanced them again and put the hub rings in. From the brief research on this if they balance them on a balancer without a hub centric adapter that would throw the balance off when using the rings, correct?
 

MR.Ty

Token East Coast Guy
Thank You! Sorry I should have included that. Load E and cold PSI is set at 28.

Hmmmm. And the kit you got did not include a new front drive shaft? Does the vibration feel constant or feel like it comes and goes in waves?
 

hinrichs

Caught the Bug
It is hard to remember because all of this is jumbled up in my head, and I know I mentioned this in my opening post, trying to figure it out but I believe the problem started when I took it back the 2nd time because of the pulling to the right. I honestly do not remember it doing this for the 2 days I had them right after purchase. At that time they said they balanced them again and put the hub rings in. From the brief research on this if they balance them on a balancer without a hub centric adapter that would throw the balance off when using the rings, correct?

Rings should not matter on the balance machine at all due to the design of the adapter it fits all different center bores. The rings should help on the jeep nothing more. You shouldnt need to do this, but if you have the time, loosen up the wheels, then jack up the jeep and carefully tighten them evenly in a star pattern to really center them on the studs.

To me, the speed that it is happening sure sounds like a tire balance issue, but doesnt make sense since they were balanced how many times now. I get the same kind of thing intermittently around 45-50 but I dont even both trying to get mine balanced anymore. Ends up just being a waste since shops around here dont like to do it.
 

koko1

New member
Hmmmm. And the kit you got did not include a new front drive shaft? Does the vibration feel constant or feel like it comes and goes in waves?

No, stock drive shaft. Yes defiantly in waves. It is best described as a sub woofer type vibration that oscillates. It will vibrate, brief one second pause, then vibrate. If I am below 40 MPH it does not do it but when I hit 43 MPH it starts almost like clock work. It does not affect the way the jeep handles at all. The jeep drive good and has no other driving issues. This is more of a annoyance because I know it shouldn't be doing it.
 

koko1

New member
Rings should not matter on the balance machine at all due to the design of the adapter it fits all different center bores. The rings should help on the jeep nothing more. You shouldnt need to do this, but if you have the time, loosen up the wheels, then jack up the jeep and carefully tighten them evenly in a star pattern to really center them on the studs.

To me, the speed that it is happening sure sounds like a tire balance issue, but doesnt make sense since they were balanced how many times now. I get the same kind of thing intermittently around 45-50 but I dont even both trying to get mine balanced anymore. Ends up just being a waste since shops around here dont like to do it.

Ok thanks. I will try that. They were balanced by the first shop 4 times including the 1st time when new. I then took it to a second shop, only 1 in my area that had a road force and would balance a 35" tire, he said he took all the weights off and started from scratch. It took him 1.5 hours to balance them and he said they all balanced out averaging 2-3 ounces. The thing I can not get past though is for 2 days before I took it back to them it didn't seem to or I didn't notice it doing this. So something points to during that time which is either hub rings or something they did with balancing it. Is there a way to install hub rings incorrectly? But that would mean both shops installed the rings incorrectly because it is still doing it after the road force balance. I also asked the guy at the second shop about a tire being out of round and he said the road force would not let him balance them to zero if there was a problem with the wheels/tires as far as defects go.
 

koko1

New member
So I pulled the front drive shaft. Same vibrations. Pulled the rear same vibrations. Checked ball joints. All past test. What does this mean? Has to be tire or wheel right? Probably a defect in one or more of them. Am I in the wrong if I tell them I want a whole new set ordered since they can't balance or tell which tire is bad?
 
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koko1

New member
Took the jeep back to the tire place this morning. They said they would rotate the spare in to see if they can find a bad tire or bent wheel. Why they wouldn't have done this the previous 3 times it beyond me. :thinking: I just told them I pulled the front drive shaft and rear drive shaft at different times and the vibration was still there so it is not a drive shaft issue. All suspension is torqued so it is not that. Ball joints have 1500 miles on them and pass the test so it is not them. The only thing left is the tires or wheels. We shall see what they come back with but I think it may be a slightly bent wheel if they say the tires are not out of round and are balanced.
 

RjSkippy

New member
Took the jeep back to the tire place this morning. They said they would rotate the spare in to see if they can find a bad tire or bent wheel. Why they wouldn't have done this the previous 3 times it beyond me. :thinking: I just told them I pulled the front drive shaft and rear drive shaft at different times and the vibration was still there so it is not a drive shaft issue. All suspension is torqued so it is not that. Ball joints have 1500 miles on them and pass the test so it is not them. The only thing left is the tires or wheels. We shall see what they come back with but I think it may be a slightly bent wheel if they say the tires are not out of round and are balanced.

If they don't balance them out after three trips you may have a tire that's out of round. If the vibration is in the seat it may be one of the rear tires, if its in the steering wheel more likely the front. :twocents:
 

koko1

New member
That is what I keep telling them. Either that or slightly bent wheel. Both are new. So I picked it up today and I thought I was golden. Got up to 43 no vibration. Got to 50 mph and it is twice as bad now. I'm fed up. I have been very polite because the old guy at the desk is nice but I am telling them tomorrow I want them to either order another set of tires / wheels in or give me a refund. I have been up there 5 times in 12 days and each time they say they have it fixed. The have had 5 times to figure out what tire/tires are bad. You would think someone with common sense would take it for a test drive after they "balance" them. It felt like it was coming from the rear last time. Now it feels like the front right.
 

wcarlson40

New member
You need to borrow a buddy's stock wheels and put them on and drive it. If the problem goes away, and your buddy's Jeep vibrates with your wheels, you have proof and I would demand a refund.
 

Byte

New member
My experience with E rated tires is limited to the KO2's I have on my Tacoma now. The truck is very light for E rated tires and I have to keep them up around 50psi on the pavement to keep them from causing a vibration. JKU's should weight enough to alleviate some of that issue. At 28psi the weight of your JKU may be enough to cause some flex in the side walls that really shows up at higher speeds. All I can suggest is to experiment with some different tire pressures and /or try wcarlson40's suggestion of using a set of stock tires/wheels to see if the issue persists. The stock M/T is only a C rated tire.

Hope you get it sorted.
 

09blackruby

Member
I had hub rings on my Honda with aftermarket wheels. Car drove like crap for a long time just as your explaining, until I figured out the problem on my own. It was the hub rings. They were to tight and the wheels were not mounting flush to the hub even tho they were evenly torqued causing the car to have a shake, wobble. I'd have the tires balanced and it would still shake just a bit differently each time. I took the rings out and let the lugs center the wheels and the car still to this day drives great. Not saying this is the issue but you could try removing the rings then torque your wheels back on in the star pattern. If aftermarket wheels as someone else mentioned, also make sure the little clips that hold the rotors on have been removed. There's probably one on each rotor on one of the wheel studs.
 
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koko1

New member
When I installed the lift 2 weeks ago 3 days before I got the tires there was no vibration. I drove on stock wheels/tires for those 3 days. The tire shop even admits it is a problem with the tires/wheels and say it just takes time to get them balanced 100%.

I have questioned the hub rings but everyone I talk to and everywhere online says they can not hurt. The vibrations did not start until they put them on there the best I can remember, all of this is starting to get hazy but I believe I drove it for 2 days with no vibrations just that hard pull to the right. When looking at them they do not look fully seated on. Like as in, if looking at the wheel with is mounted on, you can see more of the ring at the top than at the bottom. I have not looked at them since they have balanced them but I noticed earlier this week when looking at them. I will snap some pictures this weekend of what I am talking about. They are the plastic ones.
 

09blackruby

Member
When I installed the lift 2 weeks ago 3 days before I got the tires there was no vibration. I drove on stock wheels/tires for those 3 days. The tire shop even admits it is a problem with the tires/wheels and say it just takes time to get them balanced 100%.

I have questioned the hub rings but everyone I talk to and everywhere online says they can not hurt. The vibrations did not start until they put them on there the best I can remember, all of this is starting to get hazy but I believe I drove it for 2 days with no vibrations just that hard pull to the right. When looking at them they do not look fully seated on. Like as in, if looking at the wheel with is mounted on, you can see more of the ring at the top than at the bottom. I have not looked at them since they have balanced them but I noticed earlier this week when looking at them. I will snap some pictures this weekend of what I am talking about. They are the plastic ones.

Doesn't cost anything to pull them and give it a try. They could be the wrong size. You never know. I was shocked that was the issue on mine. I felt stupid like I should had done that a long time ago.
 

jeeeep

Hooked
hub rings should be absolutely flush all around with the wheel otherwise it won't sit on the hub properly.
like was mentioned above, take them off and test drive
 
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RjSkippy

New member
My experience with E rated tires is limited to the KO2's I have on my Tacoma now. The truck is very light for E rated tires and I have to keep them up around 50psi on the pavement to keep them from causing a vibration. JKU's should weight enough to alleviate some of that issue. At 28psi the weight of your JKU may be enough to cause some flex in the side walls that really shows up at higher speeds. All I can suggest is to experiment with some different tire pressures and /or try wcarlson40's suggestion of using a set of stock tires/wheels to see if the issue persists. The stock M/T is only a C rated tire.

Hope you get it sorted.

I have Load Range E tires (Duratrack 295/65/18s) I run them at 34 PSI and don't have any vibration issues (other than the bad balance job the first time around). Since then they have been fine at 34 psi.
 
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