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Old 10-15-2011, 08:12 AM   #1
Pete Hanson
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Strange shudder

I'm curious if any other Dodge owners have experienced this problem. I have a 2004 Dodge 2500 Diesel with 4 wheel drive. It tows very well and runs like a clock. However, when towing my Monty I get a strange shudder coming from the truck (I think) when I pull out from an intersection while turning onto another road. If I pull straight through the intersection there is no shudder. This leads me to believe it is something in the 4 wheel drive but who knows. I plan on taking it to my mechanic but i thought I'd ask if this sounds familiear to anyone.
 
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Old 10-15-2011, 08:17 AM   #2
HOOK
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Could simply need diff. oil changed or an additive. Sometimes the oil in locking or limited slip differentials will cause a chatter in the clutches. Larry
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Old 10-15-2011, 08:32 AM   #3
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Does the shutter seem to come from the front end of the truck? A friend of mine just told me about an issue that some Dodge trucks had. There is a video on U-Tube that overviews a problem some Dodge owners had with their trucks. Googgle -"Dodge Truck Death Wobble". Apparently some Ford and GM trucks had a similar problem. Initially Dodge claimed there was nothing wrong, but due to a high amount of visibility of the issue Dodge has now issued a recall to fix the problem with the Dodge front ends.

I don't know if the shutter your experiencing is the same as the wobble in the video, but its best to be safe and check it out.
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Old 10-15-2011, 09:33 AM   #4
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Wheel hop?????????
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Old 10-15-2011, 10:40 AM   #5
Pete Hanson
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dpam; What my truck is doing is nothing like the "death wobble" in the Utube videos. I don't have any of that nonsense going on.....thank goodness. When I first bought the truck the dealer mechanic pulled me aside and told me to replace the differential oil every 15,000 miles but didn't say exactly why. I think I've gone well beyound the last milestone (shame on me) so I think Hook is onto something when he says it could be as simple as the differential oil. I am going to change it the first chance I get and hope that no damage has been done.

Pineranch: I am not familiar with the term "wheel hop" but it sure sounds interesting. :-)
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Old 10-15-2011, 10:40 AM   #6
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Rear drive line has been known to do this.
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Old 10-15-2011, 10:54 AM   #7
dieselguy
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Wheel hop ... when one can see daylight between your rear tires and the pavement upon hard acceleration due to your suspension winding up past normal angles then suddenly releasing. In my hot rod days ... ladder bars would pretty much eliminate it. A good 4 link suspension retrofit would also cure the issue as well as empty your wallet. Wheel hop would be kinda hard to force with 12,000 plus pounds of fiver hooked to the truck I'd venture to guess.
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Old 10-15-2011, 11:19 AM   #8
pbahlin
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Are you in four wheel when this happens? You can get a shudder if you're in 4 wheel lock and turning. Mine does this if locked and it's normal (I think). When you're locked the differential is not letting the front wheels turn at different speeds as they need to do in turns.

Maybe you're in lock and don't know it.
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Old 10-15-2011, 12:33 PM   #9
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Had the exact same thing a few months ago. '04 Dodge 3500 4x4. I had the truck serviced and diff. fluid changed. There are two types of fluid the dealer can use. One is bulk and is brownish in color. This is what they used and I had the clunking when I started from a dead stop and turned while pulling the Monty. If felt like a Detroit Locker going around a corner. I took it back and they changed the fluid again but put the more expensive clear stuff in....no more problems. It has to do with the cheaper fluids and the limited slip differential. I don't know why they did not just put the good stuff in the first time.
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Old 10-15-2011, 01:32 PM   #10
Pete Hanson
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Pbalin: I shifted in and out of 4 wheel drive thinking that maybe it was partially engaged or something but the problem stuck around. I am sure it's not locked into 4 wheel drive but i know what your talking about when it is.

Gorgeguy: I think your probably right about this one. It makes sense and that is probably why the dealer's mechanic told me to change the oil every 15k. Have you heard of anyone using synthetic in the differential? I will check the owners manual to see what is recommended.
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Old 10-15-2011, 01:43 PM   #11
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I added a larger diff cover and changed the original fluid to Amsoil. That was 140k ago. New cover has a magnet on the dipstick so I can check it sometime.
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Old 10-15-2011, 02:24 PM   #12
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Pete, ask about the more expensive, non-bulk that is clear, I am not sure if it is synthetic or not. The Dodge mechanic said they have had some problems with the bulk stuff in a limited slip diff. when under load. I have pulled the Monty three times since the new fluid and have had no problems.
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Old 10-16-2011, 01:47 AM   #13
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Pete
Synthetic is what comes from the factory. The limited slip in our trucks does not use clutches so be sure the DON'T add any additives. I get the shudder occasionally with or with out the trailer on sharper turns when applying power, more noticeable when the road is damp. Now all that being said be sure the u-joints in the driveshaft are good as they can cause vibrations when they start to wear.
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Old 10-16-2011, 03:08 AM   #14
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Pete
A few years ago i also heard and felt something that felt like a shudder or a draging feeling. It felt like it was coming from the front end. Service manager asked me if i put the additive in when i changed the rear end fluid, said no because the manual said it was not needed. No more problems after adding the additive.
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Old 10-16-2011, 06:41 AM   #15
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Hi

Stick shift or automatic?

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Old 10-16-2011, 07:36 AM   #16
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This has been quite educational... I had a shudder in the rear end when towing, that was fixed by installing air bags which raised the rear end and solved that problem. The other one is when in 4x4 and making a turn the front end steering will cause the steering wheel to oscillate slightly which matches posts talking about the 4 wheels acting independently and on a turn causing the shudder. That's what I figured it was, but it's good to hear that I'm not unique.

Now with all these other posts, there are some many other opportunities and things to look for if ever I have different shudders in the future. Many thanks to the membership for the enlightenment.
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Old 10-16-2011, 10:10 AM   #17
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I just can't see a rear axle having wheel hop with the weight of a Montana on it. I would do as others have suggested and change to a major brand synthetic in the differential. If that doesn't fix the problem, I would look at the CV joints in the front axle. If IIRC, Dodge uses the U joint type and not the knuckle type CV joints. I remember my old 82 Chevy 3/4 ton 4 X 4 would jump if turned too tightly even when it wasn't in 4 wheel drive. It had the straight axle on the front.

BTW, I did have a 2003 Chevy that had a shudder when turning. I described it as feeling like you just ran over one of those old cattle guards. Ended up having to replace the rear gears under warranty. This was an Eaton locking differential, wheel drive truck.
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Old 10-19-2011, 03:28 AM   #18
Bob Pasternak
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My first Dodge CTD was a 2001 2500 I bought in '03 that had 17000 miles on it. We pilled our 5er about 5200 miles our first trip and as we were getting close to home that chatter started in the rear end. It was a 4x2 so it couldn't be front end. It turned out that that for a couple years Dodge used a rear end that if it was a 'limited slip' it was necessay to add a compound in the differential to smooth the clutches in it. You might try check that out. Our '05 used an 'American' axle and didn't require the gunk.
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Old 10-19-2011, 04:51 AM   #19
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Have you checked the drive shaft angle when not hooked to your rig and then when hooked up ? If the angle is too much you will get the shudder.
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Old 10-19-2011, 08:07 PM   #20
mojavemike
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Posi-traction friction modifier additive eliminated same symptoms. Dodge dealer said the american axle did not need it but it does. Worked for me.
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