ASK ARB – ride
height and vibration

Hi ARB,

I have a Triton dual cab 4×4 with auto transmission. I want to raise the ride height to give more ground clearance but have been told that you can get a vibration at some speeds due to the drive shaft angle changing. A friend did his and at 90-105 km/h he gets a vibration that makes the ute not nice to drive.

Is this the case in all Triton suspension lifts? How can this be overcome?

I have been told that taking the tail shaft out and turning it half a turn can help with the problem.

Thanks,

Craig

Hi Craig,

Thanks for your question regarding suspension upgrades for the Mitsubishi Triton and possible driveline vibrations.

Driveline vibrations can occur when you raise a vehicle (not just a Triton), and the raised height changes the relationship of the flanges at the differential and transfer case. Old Man Emu engineers ensure during the development process that the recommended height increase does not cause driveline vibration or, if it does, that a suitable fit kit is developed to eliminate this vibration. In some cases where a suitable solution is not possible, this becomes the limiting factor to the amount of ride height that can be increased.

It is very important that the correct springs are selected to ensure that the correct ride height is achieved. When a heavier-than-required spring is selected, you generally will receive a greater ride height but could face the issue of a driveline vibration. This is generally the first area that we would check if a vehicle was experiencing driveline vibration.

In vehicles that are sensitive to driveline angle changes, there are some possible solutions to correct driveline vibration such as caster wedges, indexing the driveshaft (turning the driveshaft as you mentioned) or even balancing the driveshaft. These need to be addressed on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis and are not necessarily a ‘one solution fits all’ approach and are best conducted by an experienced mechanic.

As mentioned, it is worth purchasing an engineered suspension system like Old Man Emu that has been designed to ensure you don’t experience these issues.

– Mark de Prinse, Manager
Old Man Emu