My Truck....way off topic

[GregR]

So my '03 Trailblazer has developed a vibration. First noticed it in Boerne during the RoundUp. Seems to get a little worse as speed increased, was more noticeable when pulling Joe's trailer. Funny thing is, I don't see it in the steering wheel as you sometimes can (like on our Camry.)
I figured it was a wheel out of balance. Finally had wheels rebalanced and tires rotated. Vibration is still there.

Any thoughts? Need any other info?

details:
'03 Trailblazer, 6cyl
120,000 miles

Thanks

[BrianB]

Can you tell what part of the vehicle its coming from? Rear wheel BRG? Drive shaft U joint, Tire balance wont show a belt issue. Did the vibration move when you rotated the tires?

[GregR]

vibration still feels like it's more from the front. Stayed there after rotation. Although what's got me baffled is that it seems to be a general vibration, suspension related. Sounds like I'm not making sense does it......

[blackthree4me]

Bad shock ?
Allot of the time a broken belt in the tire can do that

also check your trim? might be something flapping in the wind? spoiler fender flair ect?

[GregR]

trim is tight and tires were new in March. I'm hoping for a bad strut, but had read about GM torque convertors causing vibrations and want to see what my buddies come up with.
I'll let ya'll know if I ever figure it out.
Keep the ideas coming though!

[Bill K]

I know your Trailblazer has a few more miles than our Envoy. So, when you get it figured out, let me know so I'll know what to expect in the future.

[Ken]

If your not feeling it in the steering wheel, where or how are you detecting it? Noise in the dash? Shifter movements?

If your not feeling it in the steering wheel, I would be more suspicious of the source inside the engine area, more over the suspension. Couple years ago, my truck developed a dash rattle at low idle that turned out to be a throttle body assembly. The wife's focus developed a vibration that I pin pointed to the serpentine belt, which in turn has detected a rough turning tensioner pulley.

Ken

[68buggy]

It will be hard for anyone on the forum to advise you of whats causing a vibration. Working in the service industry I can tell you that if a customer called me about a vibration I would have to drive the car to figure out what the cause is.

But there are some items of advise that can be givin.

03 Trail blazer - I can't remember what year they went to rack and pinion and I am to lazy to all data it ( i will assume its rack and pinion steering)

If your not feeling the vibration in the steering wheel then you can most likly rule out loose componets in the steering like tierod ends and ball joint play.

Witch would only leave you the option of picking the car up in the air and checking for any slack in the front end and also checking your motor and transmission monts. ( try power breaking the car while some one watches the engine to see if the mounts are broken)

Then I would run the car up to speed on the lift and watch the drive shaft and see if the carrier bearing is good.

Beyound that you really would need a skilled tech to drive the car most skilled auto techs can determin alot about a problem just from a test drive.

If you are local (south houston ) you can stop by my dealer and I will look at it put it in the air and give you my 2 cents.

Gillman Subaru Shop foreman south west houston

good luck

After looking at your original post I see your in north texas so my shop won't do you much good. You also said the problem was worse when towing looks like drive line vibration with that info - drive shaft carrier bearing or engine trany mounts would be were I would look 1st.

[GregR]

Thanks for the tips. Will check out mounts as soon as I get a chance. Found a forum called TrailVoy.com and they suggest mounts as well, even the possibility of a rock in the trans mount (checked it, didn't find one)!
Will keep you guys posted...

[MURZ]

U joints maybe?? As you loaded the truck, the pinion angle changed and magnified the slack and misalignment.........

[Jack Duncan]

Greg, you can check your motor mounts statically by placing a floor jack under your pan,(Be sure to protect the pan with a board) and jack up the motor observing motor mount separation. The same for transmission mounts. General Motors trucks are famous for broken motor mounts.