A car vibrating or wobbling at highway speed is annoying and potentially dangerous. It’s an issue you can’t ignore if you’re going on a long drive. If this is true with your Ram 1500, you might want to know the cause and how to address the problem.
The Ram 1500 vibrates at highway speeds due to wheel issues, a failing driveshaft, damaged brake rotors, and bad tie rods. So, how can you resolve problems causing your truck to shake while accelerating?
Below we discuss the causes of Ram 1500 vibration at highway speeds and effective fixes.
Imbalance in the Wheels
Cars can vibrate and wobble at highway speeds due to wheel imbalance. If your Ram 1500 has unbalanced front wheels, you’ll notice an excessive vibration at the steering wheel. The whole vehicle’s body vibrates due to unbalanced front and rear wheels.
You’ll also feel this vibration if your truck has wheel alignment issues. Wheels will get out of balance or misaligned after hitting potholes or hard objects. If you fail to balance or align the wheels during maintenance, you’ll experience vibration at highway speeds.
Effective Fixes:
If you suspect that wheel imbalance or misalignment is the cause, take the truck to a technician. The technician will use a wheel balancer and correct the imbalance issues.
An imbalance in wheels can cause premature wear and tear of tires. So, check the condition of the tires before leaving the repair shop. Ensure the technician replaces worn tires and balances the wheels.
Uneven Tire Wear
Tire wear is not uncommon in cars used regularly. But if your Ram 1500 tires wear out faster than they should, you’ll experience vibration when driving at highway speeds. Wheel imbalance can cause the tires to wear out, causing flat spots on different parts or wear on one side.
Driving over deep potholes or large gravel can cause damage or uneven wear to the tire. Sometimes, you might notice that the tire’s sidewall has a bulge or bubble. That indicates wear or damage to the tire’s casing or carcass.
Fixes:
Inspect the tires on your truck to see if they have signs of wear or damage. Pay attention to the tire treads to spot signs of uneven wear. Flat spots on different parts of the tires indicate you have uneven tire wear.
Cracks and bulges on the tires can also lead to vibration. Replace the worn-out or damaged tires. Then take your truck to the repair shop to have the wheels balanced.
Defective Wheel Bearing
A defective wheel bearing can cause Ram 1500 vibration at highway speeds. Ignoring a faulty wheel bearing can cause safety risks, as the wheel can fall off while driving.
If your truck has worn or damaged wheel bearings, you’ll hear strange noises while driving at low speeds. You might hear a grinding or humming noise in the cabin. Moreover, the truck might make a knocking noise while cornering.
Driving habits or carrying heavy loads will cause the wheel bearings to wear out and eventually fail.
Effective Fixes:
Test the wheel to identify the problematic bearing. Jack up the truck and spin each wheel by hand slowly. Listen to any humming, grinding, or scraping.
If you’re a DIY enthusiast with the tools required, you can replace the worn or damaged wheel bearings. Alternatively, take the truck to a local repair shop to replace the defective wheel bearings.
Failing Driveshaft
The driveshaft delivers engine torque to the wheels. It allows the wheels to rotate to move a car back or forth. If your Ram 1500 has a loose or deteriorated driveshaft, it’ll vibrate at highway speeds. You can feel this vibration on the truck’s floor, seat, or steering wheel.
The driveshaft will fail and cause vibrations due to the following:
- Defective U-joints or bushings
- Improperly bolted or loose driveshaft
- Worn coupler
- Damaged carrier bearings
If your truck has a failing driveshaft, you might hear squeaking noises while driving at lower speeds. Ignoring issues with the driveshaft can cause further damage.
Fixes:
You can diagnose the driveshaft to check if the issue occurs due to improperly bolted or loose components. Tighten the bolts if necessary.
However, if you’re not a DIY enthusiast, take your truck to a repair shop for fixing. The mechanic can replace worn or damaged U-joints, couplers, or carrier bearings.
Bad Tie Rods
Tie rods attach your truck’s steering components to the front wheels. Functional tie rods ensure smooth, responsive steering. However, the tire rods can wear out or get loose over time. When the tie rods go bad, your Ram 1500 will vibrate excessively at highway speeds.
The vibration will be more intense at the steering wheel and cabin. Defective tie rods can also cause clunking or rattling when turning the steering wheel at low speeds.
Solution:
Locate the tie rods and inspect them to see if they’re loose. Use a wrench to tighten the castle nut on the loose tie rod. If your truck has worn or damaged tie rods, replace them.
You only need to jack up the vehicle, remove the front wheels and remove the bad tie rods. Replace with new tie rods and ensure to tighten the castle nut.
Tire Pressure Problems
Underinflated or overinflated tires can cause Ram 1500 vibration at highway speeds. Low tire pressure can also cause tires to wear out. If you drive at high speeds over potholes or speed bumps, the underinflated tires might cause damage to the rim.
Similarly, overinflated tires cause uneven tire wear and increase the chances of bulges on the tires’ sidewalls.
Fixes:
Check all tires to ensure they have the manufacturer-recommended pressure. If you find underinflated tires, inflate them as required. Check if for punctures or uneven wear and replace the affected tires.
If your truck has overinflated tires, use a flat-head screwdriver to let the excessive air out. Use a tire pressure gauge to ensure you get the ideal tire pressure.
Loose Lug Nuts
The lug nuts can get loose over time and cause your Ram 1500 to vibrate at highway speeds. If you neglect these nuts during maintenance, they’ll become loose and cause the wheel to wobble while driving.
Lug nuts can get loose due to the following:
- Failure to tighten them
- Damaged lug nuts threads
- Wheels hitting hard objects
- Wheel imbalance
- Using the incorrect size of the lug nuts
Effective Fixes:
Examine the lug nuts on the four wheels to ensure they’re tight. If they’re loose, tighten them with a lug wrench.
Replace any damaged or incorrect lug nuts. Then take your truck to the repair shop for wheel balancing to prevent this issue from recurring.
Damaged Brake Rotors
Brake rotors can get warped over time and cause your Ram 1500 to vibrate at highway speeds. These components are sturdy enough to last many years, but exposure to extremely high temperatures makes them wear out and get deformed.
When the rotors get deformed or bent, they affect the smooth rotation of the wheels. You’ll notice excessive vibrations when braking the vehicle at highway speeds.
Fixes:
Examine the brake rotors on all wheels and see if they appear deformed. If you’re a skilled DIYer, remove the warped rotors and install new ones. Test-drive the truck to see if you’ve resolved the issues. If the vibration persists, take your vehicle to a dealer or licensed mechanic.
Final Thoughts
Ram 1500 vibration at highway speeds can occur due to several reasons. Your truck might have unbalanced wheels, unevenly worn tires, damaged wheel bearings, a bad drive shaft, or defective tie rods. Examine your Ram to determine the cause and fix it promptly.
Take your vehicle to a local repair shop for wheel balancing or any other fix you can’t handle. Lastly, keep up with regular maintenance to ensure your Ram 1500 stays in prime shape.