Trailer Tire Speed Related Vibrations

IMPORTANT: Before attempting to diagnose a trailer tire speed related vibration, make sure the rear trim height of the tow vehicle is correct. Towing a trailer with excessive tongue weight, or towing with a vehicle that was not designed to tow much weight (1/2 ton truck, etc.), can cause the tow vehicle's trim height to be incorrect resulting in improper propshaft angles. This will change the U-joint working angles which can cause improper U-joint acceleration and deceleration cancellation to take place. This can result in a second order propshaft speed related vibration.

Trailer Tire speed related vibrations are caused by a component rotating the same speed as the trailer tires.

To diagnose trailer tire speed related vibrations:

Measure the tire's static loaded radius.
As shown below, select "Towing a trailer".

Select a Powertrain Type.
Follow the Road Test Procedure.

If the vibration frequency indicates a trailer tire speed related vibration, follow the diagnostic procedure shown below.

Select the type of tire vibration to diagnose.

First Order Trailer Tire Speed Related Vibrations, (TT1 on the vibration worksheet) First order trailer tire speed related vibrations cause one shake or disturbance for each revolution of the tire.
Second Order Trailer Tire Speed Related Vibrations, (TT2 on the vibration worksheet) Second order trailer tire speed related vibrations cause two shakes or disturbances for each revolution of the tire.
Third Order Trailer Tire Speed Related Vibrations, (TT3 on the vibration worksheet) Third order trailer tire speed related vibrations cause three shakes or disturbances for each revolution of the tire.
Other Order Trailer Tire Speed Related Vibrations Other order tire speed related vibrations cause multiple shakes or disturbances for each revolution of the tire. This type of vibration is not very common.

This page was last modified Thursday, March 05, 2009 09:02:04 PM