Vibration when hubs are locked

[Sven]

Just wan ask before i decide to climb under the car, The SFA feels perfectly smooth when in 2WD, but as soon as i lock the hubs or engage 4x4 i pick
up a pretty rough vibration, could it be the front prop shaft spider bearings (my Guess), or the swivel hub bearing adjustment?

[WayneSchalk]

Just wan ask before i decide to climb under the car, The SFA feels perfectly smooth when in 2WD, but as soon as i lock the hubs or engage 4x4 i pick
up a pretty rough vibration, could it be the front prop shaft spider bearings (my Guess), or the swivel hub bearing adjustment?

Put the van in 4H without locking the hubs and see if you get the same result. that way you can narrow it down to the prop or not

[CasKru]

Just wan ask before i decide to climb under the car, The SFA feels perfectly smooth when in 2WD, but as soon as i lock the hubs or engage 4x4 i pick
up a pretty rough vibration, could it be the front prop shaft spider bearings (my Guess), or the swivel hub bearing adjustment?

Put the van in 4H without locking the hubs and see if you get the same result. that way you can narrow it down to the prop or not

Agreed

Could be bent front shafts as well... this you should be able to pick up if you engage the hubs but leave it in 2WD... only try this once you have done the test above because the front propshaft will also turn when you do this

[Mud Dog]

Whether you engage the hubs and not the X-fer box or vice-versa, the half-shafts and the prop will still rotate as the vehicle moves. It serves to eliminate nothing. Chances are 10 to 1 that you have an unbalanced / bent front prop or the slip joint is worn or worn universal/s. Slightly lesser likelihoods are that the pinion bearing or x-fer box output shaft bearing are worn, least likely is that it's a diff or half-shaft problem. Start with the prop, have it balanced (and refurbished if necessary).

[ThysdJ]

Whether you engage the hubs and not the X-fer box or vice-versa, the half-shafts and the prop will still rotate as the vehicle moves. It serves to eliminate nothing. Chances are 10 to 1 that you have an unbalanced / bent front prop or the slip joint is worn or worn universal/s. Slightly lesser likelihoods are that the pinion bearing or x-fer box output shaft bearing are worn, least likely is that it's a diff or half-shaft problem. Start with the prop, have it balanced (and refurbished if necessary).

Agree.. The whole drive-train will turn, no matter which side it is "driven" from...

Unless the vibration is really severe and occurs at low speeds I would not really worry about it. On all my SFA Hiluxes (3 of them) I had that same vibration, it came along at about 90km/h and was not severe enough to shake the fillings out of my teeth, but only enough to be annoying.

Have it checked out if it really bothers you..

[Sven]

thanks guys for the advice, will post what the final outcome is.

[LouisZ]

Front prop not balanced, check the splines on the Yoke too.

Even so after this is done you will still get the vibration at 90km/h still after the prop is done.