A new issue with wifey's wagon

[Timmayy]

Just when I thought all was good a new problem arises.

I'm getting vibration while driving. Acceleration and cruising, not on deceleration. I pull into a parking lot and open the windows and listen. I hear little grinding and other little noises.
I pull the front wheels off, passenger side is a little loose. I just give the hub nut a little turn and it's nice and tight.
The drivers side isn't so good. I can't turn the drum by hand. I pull it off and it doesn't feel like the bearings are bad. I can spin the bearings with my fingers. As soon as I put the hub back on it is hard to turn again even with the hub nut loose.

I'm sending it to my buddy in a couple of weeks to do the brakes and check it out.

Just something on my mind. Will the transmission cause a vibration under acceleration also? Maybe its my anxiety but I pulled the trans inspection plate off and made sure all the torque converter bolts were tight.

Any input is always appreciated.

 

[Snotty]

What year and make/model is your car? I experienced a similar thing when the u-joint went out on my '62 New Yorker. Because of the ball and trunnion design, it did not let go, but seriously vibrated under acceleration. It may not be your wheels at all.

 

[Timmayy]

What year and make/model is your car? I experienced a similar thing when the u-joint went out on my '62 New Yorker. Because of the ball and trunnion design, it did not let go, but seriously vibrated under acceleration. It may not be your wheels at all.

Sorry, 67 Fury wagon.

 

[Timmayy]

I did not think about the u-joint. Thanks for that suggestion.

 

[CBODY67]

The front u-joint can cause a slight vibration at highway speeds, even with tires balanced as good as they can be. The "key" is a speed-related squeak under initial acceleration. Which happened on our '66 Newport Town Sedan back in the middle 1970s.

If the driveshaft slip yoke bushing is worn, which will also cause a fluid leak at the rear of the trans output shaft housing, it can also cause a slight vibration. With the output shaft housing seal being the culprit as the yoke's splined end is wobbling a bit.

The rear transmission mount can also cause some driveshaft mis-alignment when it degrades and fails. Which can also lead to a vibration (possibly like a u-joint?).

If something in the transmission is slipping, that might be evident when the trans shifts from gear to gear. Or in the case of lock-up torque converters, a shudder every time the converter tries to lock-up at highway speeds (except at zero throttle or going downhill).

Your description might indicate "metal to metal" contact somewhere in the front wheel area?

Please keep us posted as to what y'all discover,
CBODY67

 

[57fury440]

On the side that is hard to turn the drum, is it possible the shoes are adjusted too tight? As far as your vibration, what CBODY67 said.

 

[Timmayy]

On the side that is hard to turn the drum, is it possible the shoes are adjusted too tight? As far as your vibration, what CBODY67 said.

I don't believe so. If it was then I would assume that it would be difficult to pull the drum off. I can take the drum off by hand with no tools.

 

[1970FuryConv]

I pull the front wheels off, passenger side is a little loose. I just give the hub nut a little turn and it's nice and tight.
The drivers side isn't so good. I can't turn the drum by hand. I pull it off and it doesn't feel like the bearings are bad. I can spin the bearings with my fingers. As soon as I put the hub back on it is hard to turn again even with the hub nut loose.

My guess is that the weight of the driver side drum is bringing out a failure in the wheel bearings.

 

[Timmayy]

Just an update. It was the u-joints. They were pretty worn. Now it cruises like the boat it is. Thanks for the help.

 

[jimmyessbee]

Just when I thought all was good a new problem arises.

I'm getting vibration while driving. Acceleration and cruising, not on deceleration. I pull into a parking lot and open the windows and listen. I hear little grinding and other little noises.
I pull the front wheels off, passenger side is a little loose. I just give the hub nut a little turn and it's nice and tight.
The drivers side isn't so good. I can't turn the drum by hand. I pull it off and it doesn't feel like the bearings are bad. I can spin the bearings with my fingers. As soon as I put the hub back on it is hard to turn again even with the hub nut loose.

I'm sending it to my buddy in a couple of weeks to do the brakes and check it out.

Just something on my mind. Will the transmission cause a vibration under acceleration also? Maybe its my anxiety but I pulled the trans inspection plate off and made sure all the torque converter bolts were tight.

Any input is always appreciated.

I had a 67 coronet into which I swapped a 440. A few months after the swap I heard an odd vibration and ignored it because it was only a few miles to home. I didn't make it home until I had a tow. Once I opened it up I found just what you were checking. My flex plate bolts had come loose. It didn't wreck anything, though, except the bolts and the cover.