[MikeQBF]

Do you experience the highway-speed hum, vibration or droning noise in your Transit?

I just went through the vibration and humming noise thread collecting bits of data looking for a pattern. I have found just enough to see hints of something, but no smoking guns yet, I need more data. If you have the problem or think you do, it would be super helpful if I had:

- Model Year
- Wheelbase
- Engine
- Rear drive ratio
- Speed range where you hear the noise

<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @BrianK*1954 <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> , <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @Stargeezer*8998 <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> , <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @belloinsella <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> , <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @jhal <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> , and <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @lolwisper4321 <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> , I was able to gather yours from postings in the other thread. Thanks!

 

[BrianK*1954]

Awesome, MikeQBF!!

I think all of us who either lease or own this vehicle knows in our gut something is inherently wrong with the driveshaft/drivetrain assembly. I think Ford knows it and I hope that we collectively as a group can raise our voices and say we are not going to let this matter fade out.

It was a royal pain in the a$$ when I had to drop off the 1st new van to San Tan Ford the week before Christmas and be told that the new driveshaft wouldn't be delivered until after the New Year. The parts didn't show up until yesterday, January 11th, and after the new parts were installed, and the vehicle road tested, that San Tan Ford discovered the humming noise remained.

We shall see what happens next....

 

[BrianK*1954]

For me, the humming/droning noise commenced @ 75 MPH and became much louder @ 80 MPH. Any speed below 75 MPH or above 80 MPH causes the humming/droning to stop.

 

[BrianK*1954]

MikeQBF: where can I find the rear-axle ratio?

 

[BrianK*1954]

Just found this.....

https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/ford-transit-driveshaft-flexible-coupling-lawsuit.shtml

The lawsuit alleges when Ford Transit owners complain to the automaker about the driveshaft problems, Ford allegedly denies knowledge of the problems and makes owners pay for repairs. However, the plaintiff says Ford has known about the driveshaft flexible coupling problem since 2014 and finally ordered a recall in June 2017.

 

[asdrew]

- Model Year
- Wheelbase
- Engine
- Rear drive ratio
- Speed range where you hear the noise

Ours is a 2015 148" T350 wagon with 3.7 engine, regular 3.7 rear end.

It now has 245/75 16 tires and the Giubo was replaced with no change in the drone.

The drone is noticeable and somewhat cyclical yet not terrible at 45-55 mph mostly when letting off the gas and coasting, but no vibration or anything. It seems more acoustic than anything.

 

[asdrew]

I am also still curious about the pinion noise damper discussed in one of these threads. I wanted to experiment with one yet haven't had the motivation & time to yet: There is a pre-recall and post-recall version.

 

[Batman]

Here is my info. 2016 148" WB, med height, med length, ecoboost, 3.73 limited slip, 50-55mph.
Hope it helps.

 

[86scotty]

I am on the highway constantly and don't really have any. It is possible, however, that I've just gotten used to it. I have a bit of tire noise since I added BFG KO2's which could be drowning it out.

I responded to this because I do have vibration, just different than the original question asked. I have vibration just off the line in first and especially second gear. It goes away as I shift through and get faster. I thought this was just needing a new flex disk and I could swear it went away for a few days after that was replaced but it's back already. It's a pretty good shimmy especially in second. The harder I accelerate the LESS it's noticeable but I don't find comfort in this. I generally drive my cars pretty conservatively.

 

[stantheman]

I ordered my Transit (MR T250 148 3.5 3.73LS rear) in May, delivered the end of August with the permanent driveshaft fix. I have the drone, the clunk, the vibration, the resonance, etc. Something in the total design of the van leads to all of the mentioned annoyances. Different speeds result in different annoyances on a daily basis. As long as it will remain reliable, I can live with the nature of the beast, but if problems result from these issues, I sense another purchase after the warranty period expires.

 

[alarmist]

I ordered my Transit (MR T250 148 3.5 3.73LS rear) in May, delivered the end of August with the permanent driveshaft fix. I have the drone, the clunk, the vibration, the resonance, etc. Something in the total design of the van leads to all of the mentioned annoyances. Different speeds result in different annoyances on a daily basis. As long as it will remain reliable, I can live with the nature of the beast, but if problems result from these issues, I sense another purchase after the warranty period expires.

Mine is positively car like. Must be the solid ABS bulkhead. Or my congenital deafness. Nobody who's ridden in it has complained though. People always wanted earplugs in my Sprinter.

 

[MikeQBF]

Good stuff! Keep it coming.

I don't want to pollute the data gathering by revealing the apparent consistencies just yet, but it quickly became apparent in the original thread that giubo or universal makes no difference.

The damper/resonator is going to be too difficult to enter into the analysis since we're aware of at least two types that are difficult to distinguish, aside from the presence/absence of one. Besides, given the ice and super-cold here I'm in no mood to crawl under the thing, anyway, and wouldn't blame anybody else for not wanting to check, either!

Scotty, your situation has got to be something different. If it were FWD I'd be looking at CV joints. [shoulder-shrug]

Brian, your 2017s likely have universal joints and not the giubos involved in the class action. It was an in-production change once the giubos were ID'ed as a problem.

 

[Budsky]

I think all of us who either lease or own this vehicle knows in our gut something is inherently wrong with the driveshaft/drivetrain assembly.

Not ALL of us.
Some of us have never had the noise.
I didn't in my 2015 nor have I heard or felt it in my 2018 although admittedly it has less than 500 miles on it.
FWIW my 2015 had the giubo, my 2018 is U-joint.

 

[ranxerox]

all of my van info is in my signature, where it should be to help anyone to analyze the many transit noises and complaints in a scientific manner.

not long after i bought the transit on my first long trip i could hear fairly loud almost rhythmic droning sound in the 60 to 70 MPH range,
it was so loud that it had me stopping every 50 to 100 miles to check for differential heat. the differential heat never got above the outside air temperature.

i just wrote it off as resonant noise from the unibody itself. (military Humvee unibody noise is so high that hearing protection use is recommended inside the vehicle.)

after installing an insulated front bulkhead a year ago i have not heard any noise from the rear of the van.

 

[alarmist]

all of my van info is in my signature, where it should be to help anyone to analyze the many transit noises and complaints in a scientific manner.

not long after i bought the transit on my first long trip i could hear fairly loud almost rhythmic groaning sound in the 60 to 70 MPH range,
it was so loud that it had me stopping every 50 to 100 miles to check for differential heat. the differential heat never got above the outside air temperature.

i just wrote it off as resonant noise from the unibody itself. (military Humvee unibody noise is so high that hearing protection use is recommended inside the vehicle.)

after installing an insulated front bulkhead a year ago i have not heard any noise from the rear of the van.

This. It's a big metal drum. If you don't hear a lot of odd noises get your hearing checked. If it bothers you put in a bulkhead or hang heavy curtains behind the cab.

 

[z06505]

Mine is insulated well. I have no noise or vibration. Nor do I have it in my cars or trucks with interiors. Drove empty Transits with no insulation and heard nothing but noises from road and tires.

 

[z06505]

This. It's a big metal drum. If you don't hear a lot of odd noises get your hearing checked. If it bothers you put in a bulkhead or hang heavy curtains behind the cab.

++1

 

[locman]

This. It's a big metal drum. If you don't hear a lot of odd noises get your hearing checked. If it bothers you put in a bulkhead or hang heavy curtains behind the cab.

Yeah, with the work vans we also covered the Adrian bulkhead perf with 1/4 plastic to cut down some more of the rear noises. Probably get one of the ABS versions on my next van to really seal it off. Cut down the smells from Triflow and WD 40 rags as well.

 

[alarmist]

That Sortimo bulkhead is the cat's a-hole. Seals the cab from the cargo area.

 

[MikeQBF]

You guys raise a valid point - noticing any driveshaft-induced noise could easily be due to trim and finish. In so many words, I suspect it's going to be more apparent in a Wagon given that lesser and higher-frequency noises are suppressed by insulation and panels. I would hazard you have it, it just gets lost in the overall noise and, like has been said, is written off as a fact of life with a big, empty tin box.

I'll go back through the notes here and in the other thread and add this point to the data.