Truck vibrates/shakes when fuel tanks are low on fuel

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Slow302, Oct 5, 2019.

  1. Slow302

    Slow302 Medium Load Member

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    I bought 99 KW T2000 with 570k miles last year. Truck came with 100 gal tanks but i swap them with 120 gal tanks from 2000 T2000 that own as my part truck. Did that last year. Didnt have vibration 55+ until a months ago. Dont know what happened but in that time i swapped AG400 from my part truck since my 99 came with AG200 and threaded pin bushings were bad. Before i installed AG400 i put new Atro bushings in AG400. Also swapped steer wheels/tires from part truck since my tires was bold. Since then in troubleshooting put neew steer Bridgestone R283a tires and before they were installed they spun just wheels on ballancing machine and they were straight and ballanced them with tires. Tried centramatics, than Tru ballance on steer and drives. Ballance driveshafts, spun drives on jacks and there were round, installed new front leaf springs and bushings. New cab mounts. New shocks on steer, drives and sleeper. Leveling valve on truck. Tried moving tth wheel back and sliding tandems on trailer. Drives and trailer tires are in good condition. Nothing helped. Funny part is if i drive bobtail, there is no vibration. Soon i hook up to my trailer empty and loaded, it start to vibrate. Shocks on my 2016 Wabash dry van are year old. Replaced leveling valve on trailer since it was leaking and adjust hight since it was 1" higher with old leveling valve. Did help but not much. Fund out there is almost no vibration when fuel tanks are full, but once they are bellow 1/2, truck start to shakes. One thing, my 99 T2000 is long frame truck 260" WB. Part truck is 232" WB. Fuel tanks on my long wheel base truck sits behind sleeper, qnx on part truck they were tucked under the sleeper. I cant not move them forward because side shirt brackets are right in front fuel tanks and truck is also 11900 lbs on steers when 80k
    So its vibration shakes is more like when steer bounces on the road but they not. Vibration feels on the steering wheel and in the seat so both. So why the hell is vibrates when fuel is bellow 1/2 tanks. Had 04 Volvo with 125 tanks but never vibrate
     
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  3. baha

    baha Road Train Member

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    May need to ck ride hi on truck a lot of china made air ride control valves are being sold and maybe problem
     
    mhyn Thanks this.
  4. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Shes light on her feet.

    Fill her up. I like my tanks full at half with a pair totalling 335 to 345 gallons capacity. Thats a good Ton or more under there. Rides really nice then. Beats you up when empty.
     
  5. Slow302

    Slow302 Medium Load Member

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    Replaced leveling valve with same original from KW. Also on trl too. I dont mess with china parts
     
  6. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Have you has a 3 axle alignment done yet?
     
  7. Slow302

    Slow302 Medium Load Member

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    3 times
     
    baha Thanks this.
  8. jamespmack

    jamespmack Road Train Member

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    If them atro bushings are polyurethane it's your problem. They last longer than rubber and are great off road. However they transmit vibration, the rubber absorbs the vibration.

    Or your pulling air in the fuel system and starving the injectors.
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2019
    Oxbow, Trucker61016, Dino soar and 4 others Thank this.
  9. mhyn

    mhyn Road Train Member

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    most likely picking up air into fuel system.
     
  10. ErieMcDreary

    ErieMcDreary Medium Load Member

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    Does the vibration change with rpm or speed? When shaking put truck in neutral and coast, and/or rev engine. Obviously do this in a safe place, with no traffic around. If the shake changes with engine rpm, it's in motor/clutch, if it only changes with speed it's driveline.
    If it only happens with 1/2 tank fuel, check fuel pick up tube and tank connections, also check tank vent.
     
  11. Slow302

    Slow302 Medium Load Member

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    I did tried put in neutral, clutch in, out. Even shut of truck coasting in neutral. It still skahes. Its related to speed only. 55-75 mph
     
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