2001 Tahoe 4x4 5.3L tow pkg. Shaking

[Winston]

Thank you for reading this and any insight you may offer. I have a vibration that starts at around 60, peaks at 65, then calms down at 70. At 80 it is still there only the amplitude is diminished. The shake is over 200HZ.

Also if I go over bumps on the hi-way the front will shake violently then stop.

What I have done:

New Monroe shocks, the original shocks I took out were frozen solid in the rear
4 new ball joints
New passenger lower ctrl arm
Welded the brackets that hold the lower ctrl arm to the frame, we found some cracks
Replaced the Monroe’s with heavy duty Edlebrocks
New tires, balanced
Installed a steering stabilizer
Had it aligned three times, every time nothing unusual was discovered with the front end
Replaced both propellers, with balanced ones that had new u-joints.

The truck rides rough, I could tell you the exact amount of change you threw on the road if I go over it, " Yup, 3 dimes a nickel, and two penny's, 37 cents"

To me the front tires both have a negative camber.

I have heard from balance shops it is the tires, I also have heard rear diff, wheel bearings, torque convertor, tires bent, pitman and tie rods.

I am going to rotate the tires and see if I could feel if the shake follows the tire, I doubt it.

The shake feels it is coming from the steering wheel, driver side tire, especially when you hit a bump, that side shakes.

Thanks again, and I will keep updating the progress until I find what it is. I was going to buy new sway arm bushings, new pitman arm, idler arm etc. However the front end shop told me, it is not those components because the shake starts at 60MPH, there fore it has to be the tires.

 

[Winston]

The negative camber causes the front tires to cut into the ground and squeal on pavement when making sharp turns. Could it be, that the torsion bars got screwed up with all of the work I have had done? Also the shaking has become more violent as time has gone by, is this because the camber is wearing out the tires?

When I do take the front tire off and spin the rotor, it makes a slight scraping noise, as if there is a high point on the rotor. Does not explain the violent death wobble when hitting a bump on the hi-way or the negative camber.

My thought is start replacing and parts related to the camber adjustment, maybe even torsion bars. One of the torsion bar adjustment bolts, driver side, is snapped off. Possible the front end shop (Town Fair Tire) did it. BTW, I have had only the one front end shop look at it, but have had three different mechanics look it on the lift. Could it be on the lift no problem then when under load it stresses out?

Thanks again for any insight you could share.

 

[Winston]

I found out what the issues are. The lower bracket that holds the control arm broke off the frame. The new ball joints were shot. There was a weld attempted but impossible in that spot, plus very unsafe, so we gave up. According to the new front end shop I brought it to, this is a common problem. Also the second mechanic who did the ball joints said he heard at an auction to stay away from these trucks because the Chevy frame falls apart. I traded it in for wholesale at Honda. They lifted it and said this is an issue they have seen before, cannot get rid of these trucks. Sorry to tell you, these are Mexican made junk. My Honda Piilot was built in Alabama, and Honda is building a massive plant in Ohio. GM annouced they too plan on building a new plant, in Mexico. Total crap, Never will I buy Chevy again, and this is from a guy who owned a 1972 Chevelle, 1975 3/4 ton, 1990 van. I will let everyone I know, not to buy these. Good Luck.

 

[CodeB4U]

I was just going to say check your frame, but you found that out.

What i have gather, is everyone who drives a chevy thinks its a POS, everyone who drives a Honda thinks its a POS, everyone who drives whatever make think it's a POS....because that is what they drive and they see ONLY the wrong in said make, and not the wrong of the other makes.

 

[Winston]

You are right, however, I am no spring chicken. I have owned and worked on over a dozen cars and motorcycles. I live on a farm, and grew up on a Vermot farm fixing tractors and old trucks. My favorite was the 1986 VW GTI when I lived in the city. I loved this car. However I broke that frame, taking corners at 50. My 1972 Chevelle was fun, and looked wicked, but I would not put my kids in the heap. I sold it at a huge profit. My brother and I have rebuilt 69 firebird, GTO, Buisk GSX, etc.The most powerful car was the 1963 Buick Wildcat with the factory Hi-rise and 425 roar. The frame on that was 3 times the size of this POS Tahoe. I have had Nissan, Volvo, Ford (the bottom for sure) and Honda. My Odyssey has 235K and is not stopping. My Pilot handed the 203 feet of snow better than any truck I have had. While you are right on, However this time and maybe because of all new cars are made like crap, I bought a POS Chevy Tahoe.

 

[03undercover]

If you did not buy this truck new you dont know what abuse it has been through ... if you dont like it sell it

 

[blackdiamond]

If you did not buy this truck new you dont know what abuse it has been through ... if you dont like it sell it

That and try not to bash the mexican made thing.. being made in mexico has nothing to do with it... look at international... im not trying to be an ass

 

[Winston]

Chevy is garbage

I know what I am talking about. My brothers have Jimmy's and they bought the new one, trailblazer. We are all mechanics, they are made as poor as all the other cheap crap on the road.

I was driven to school as a kid in a 1957 Chevy Nomad. My dad had three. a 55 two door, another blue 57 4 door. He sold a 56 convertible. My uncle bought new a 1963 vette that we would be stuffed in the back for trips.

I know what Chevy orange is from a mile away. I know what quality is. We repaired all of these and Nova’s, Impala’s, Buick GSX and a Firebird. My grandfather had a 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix for years what a car that was. My brother owns a 72 442 convertible. We had thousands of parts in the basement we sold after my father died. To tell me it is OK for a Mexican to make Chevy's is like saying it is OK for Inbev to own Budweiser. Or Sanofi to own Genzyme. http://americawakeup.net/acquisitions. Check this link out. It is not OK. It is wrong. AND they do make crap in Mexico with inferior materials.

When you are at a high level of business decision making and you are thinking of future investment in the global economy, you have to consider the costs. OK we get it, China on average is 30% less than the U.S. as far as labor costs. Material costs are not that different, the same guys sell to China as the U.S. To reduce labor by just 5% in the US is a huge deal. Ergo, U.S. lose in the global economy.

To take a government bailout (our money) and then build a manufacturing facility in Mexico is criminal.

Also, for me, even a bigger issue I have with our jobs going to Mexico, the environment. They are dumping toxins in the air and water, while we are installing million dollar scrubbers, gas co-gen, and elaborate waste water treatment. Google ‘cancer, Mexican border, and Texas.’ Here we jump through hoops like OSHA, raids from ATF using the Lacy act shutting down MFG, lawyers and their comp cases, etc etc.

So instead of pulling together as Americans and fixing these issues, we act like a bunch of fish, bite onto the race bait and insult each other. However, while we spin our wheels with Unions, Government and stupidity. India innovates a 2500 dollar car that gets up to 100mpg.

Yes, I am very disappointed and pissed off, because I wanted to go Chevy. No, I could not sell this hunk of crap to anyone and keep a clear conscious. I wholesaled it for parts and recouped less than half of what I spent. Yes, the first thing the auto dealer did was look at the frame. No my brothers still own Chevy’s and one Dodge. Yes I could have gotton this on the lift at my brothers, but I am a few states away. Many experienced mechanics looked at this and did not see the cracks in the frame. I have climbed under a 99, 97 and was amazed at the frame being in perfect condition. Yes I broke a frame on a VW and a NISSAN truck all from salt rot. I get it. But I still believe that if given the chance, America could go back to building the best cars in the world.

 

["EO" hat]

How frustrating... I really appreciate the heads up dude. Something to look out for, for sure. I feel even more fortunate that my '01 is, so far, seemingly free from prior abuse and/or defect. Best of luck to you.

 

[01T209]

Man, I am amazed at the negative comments about the 01 Tahoe. My experience is the opposite but will look into all of you guys comments. My 01 has 210,000 miles, fifteen western deer and elk hunts to its credit, mohave mx trips and colorado ski trips etc. Not been babied ever. Engine has never even been cracked open. Plugs, wires, 2 coils, water pump, gas and oil - that's it!. The frame and suspension has never cracked or shaken when towing my 6000lb outfit load. Vehicle was made in Wisconsin but I haven't looked to see where the frame was made. My business partner has two of these vehicles and has had the same response I have. His brothers both own several GM dealerships and they HATE these vehicles because the never break bad so no big service dollars. They will actually buy these vehicles whenever they can and park them. Only sell them to people who will pay top dollar because of the first year street cred. Chevy was getting its ass kicked by Ford and the Expedition and had to really come out strong to get back some of the SUV market so they built a really good vehicle.