463 chassis vibration costing me a fortune!

Chilipepper,

It is sometimes difficult enough to diagnose problems with the vehicle present let alone remotely, presuming you have done the basics, i.e established the tyres are balanced and not out of true runing, etc... You might want to turn your attention to the centre propshaft; in between the gearbox and transfer box.

Remove one flange, then twist each end of the flanges by hand and check to see that there is full articulation of the u.j.'s and, or cv joint, as fitted to latter W463's. There have been cases where the cv joint on the prop.shaft develops a limited movement hence the vibration.

Engine mounts will only vibrate upon taking up load, not at speed. Check to see if the flanges are a true fit, mateing each others faces squarely.

Transfer box mounts may cause vibration but these need to have excessive play in them to generate the vibration.

Transfer box its self, can be a source of vibration, much difficult to diagnose. You need to get in touch with some who has "Chassis ears" a piece of tool kit that has some six individual pickup sensors attached at various, likely, places of the vehicle and listening to the noise eminating from those points to coincide with the vibration, heard through a head set, whilst on a test run. Each point of pick up can be selected from within the vehicle to each of the sensors attached. I have, had two sets, but also had my complete tool kit stolen four times in my career, I no longer trade a mechnic now.

Good Luck,

Regards,