No vibration at all since purchasing the car. It is very smooth at highway speeds and no drivability issues.
Yes or no: my '03 Cobra has bad vibration at > 80 mph
- Thread starter Jim S
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i have a slight vibration from 85-92mph. just that range. otherwise, smooth as buttah. its noticable, but not offensive yet. seems very similar to what people with 3" flowmasters call 'the drone zone' and is in that same rpm range too.
I ran in the Big Bend Open Road Race and averaged 110 mph, with a high speed of 120 and a total time of an hour. The car was flawlessly smooth. I have had it as high as 140 and have never felt anything that could be called a vibration.
Ive had mine since I had the car. So far 2 rears and 2 D/S have been replaced, now its back, but not as severe as before. You can feel it at 80, and you can feel the mirror vibrate as well.
Just recently it has reappeared. Havent had the tire balance or alignment checked, but not sure if thats whats contributing to the vibe.
Just recently it has reappeared. Havent had the tire balance or alignment checked, but not sure if thats whats contributing to the vibe.
the tsb to touch everything with a torque wrench in the irs fixed my clunk up slow inclined turns, and my 85-90mph vibration.
:coolman: 3,500 miles and no vibe (BTL!). I do not drag the car, but do get on it from time to time. Upto 130 mph, i have nothing to cpmplain about. Bought the car in 12/03.
sully03
New Member
vibration
before my 03, I had a 97 gt with the same problem. when that was fixed the dealership shaw that there was a bering missing in the tailshaft(or the verryback part of the tranny) of the trans, it progressivly got worse, then they replaced the tail shaft and it went away. I serriously think it is the same problem with my 03, I have noticed the vib since brand new and it is getting worse and worse and every thing else has been checked and checked. hope this help anyone out.
before my 03, I had a 97 gt with the same problem. when that was fixed the dealership shaw that there was a bering missing in the tailshaft(or the verryback part of the tranny) of the trans, it progressivly got worse, then they replaced the tail shaft and it went away. I serriously think it is the same problem with my 03, I have noticed the vib since brand new and it is getting worse and worse and every thing else has been checked and checked. hope this help anyone out.
I have the vibe above 80, in gear or in neutral or with clutch in or out. So far, the DS and rearend have been replaced. It got a little better with the first DS replacement, it got worse with the rearend replacement. I dont think the tech even tested it with the new rearend (although they tell me at the dearlership each time I take it in for the vibe that they cannot test above 65 mph). Dont know what to do next.
Before I put the Pro50 in, the stock shifter bolts came out while my wife was driving the car in the dark on a 5 hr trip. She reached over to shift on an off ramp (just as she got close to home) and could not find the shifter in the dark. When she did find it, it had erectile dysfunction and would not shift the tranny anymore. Luckily she was in light traffic and got the car to the shoulder and called me. Learned that evening how easy it would be to put in a new shifter and added loctite to the bolts.
Need to drive the car to MI next week, we will see how it does on another road trip. After that, I think it is time for a direct call to SVT. :bash:
Before I put the Pro50 in, the stock shifter bolts came out while my wife was driving the car in the dark on a 5 hr trip. She reached over to shift on an off ramp (just as she got close to home) and could not find the shifter in the dark. When she did find it, it had erectile dysfunction and would not shift the tranny anymore. Luckily she was in light traffic and got the car to the shoulder and called me. Learned that evening how easy it would be to put in a new shifter and added loctite to the bolts.
Need to drive the car to MI next week, we will see how it does on another road trip. After that, I think it is time for a direct call to SVT. :bash:
Been through all of that, it doesn't help as much as it should.. :nonono:
no issues at all with my car. I've had about a year and 3 months. Car has been great
My problem is when I took it to the dealer they said by law they can not exceed the posted speed limit. So therefore they cannot duplicate the problem. Ford service sux sometimes.............
Drove from TN to MI on Sunday. Long ride at 80 when traffic is moving past you at 90-95 most of the time. Took Cobra in to a local dealer in MI. They did the final TSB which had not been done to my car, the "reattach the exhaust" fix. It didnt work either. Ford is supposedly sending over an engineer tomorrow. Maybe he can fix it for good. will let you know the outcome.
Hey Jumpincactus,
That's a bunch of BS. The factory rep wound up fixed my vibe (personally), and never had to take the car on the road. After a new DS removed about 90 percent of my vibe, I made an appointment to talk to the rep about the remaining vibe issue. He called me the next time he was at the dealership at which time I asked if he new about the DS indexing proceedure. He said all the reps had learned this from Bill Franco, a Ford vibration analysis expert, and agreed that is what I would probably need. To make a long story short, I brought the car to him the next time he was at my dealership where he personally did the index proceedure and did not have to road test the car. He had a electonic device that mearured vehicle vibration and used that in lieu roadtesting. I wasn't around to see how they set the rear suspension on the lift, but all I know is that index proceedure worked and my vibe was gone.
Fred
That's a bunch of BS. The factory rep wound up fixed my vibe (personally), and never had to take the car on the road. After a new DS removed about 90 percent of my vibe, I made an appointment to talk to the rep about the remaining vibe issue. He called me the next time he was at the dealership at which time I asked if he new about the DS indexing proceedure. He said all the reps had learned this from Bill Franco, a Ford vibration analysis expert, and agreed that is what I would probably need. To make a long story short, I brought the car to him the next time he was at my dealership where he personally did the index proceedure and did not have to road test the car. He had a electonic device that mearured vehicle vibration and used that in lieu roadtesting. I wasn't around to see how they set the rear suspension on the lift, but all I know is that index proceedure worked and my vibe was gone.
Fred
i just got mone back today with a new driveshaft. before, above 80 the vibration was bad enough to make you r butt go numb and it got worse with speed. they changed my driveshaft and the vibe is almost completely gone. the only time i feel it is if i am coasting above 80. if i am on the gas pedal at all (light or heavy) there isnt any vibration at all. its weird to actually be able to use my rear view mirror at highway speeds. 
I had a vibe at 80,and with TSB in hand ignored indexing the D.S.
instead they balanced and rotataed the tires.I was all over them like white on rice.
They said its up to the tech discretion to index or balance and we alredy have so many mods its a Cobra body and chasis,all else is afterrket.Well I still had a vibe and it was never horrible annoying rear mirror and hardly anything from the steering wheel.
I just put in a solid axle and I'm hopping no vibe,David Smilovic
instead they balanced and rotataed the tires.I was all over them like white on rice.
They said its up to the tech discretion to index or balance and we alredy have so many mods its a Cobra body and chasis,all else is afterrket.Well I still had a vibe and it was never horrible annoying rear mirror and hardly anything from the steering wheel.
I just put in a solid axle and I'm hopping no vibe,David Smilovic
Dave,
I had the same problem with my dealer and wound up almost having a brawl with the shop foreman,who told the tech to balance the wheels. Before I was able to see what was going on, he had the rear wheels off the car. Well, once they were off, they were off, and they went ahead and checked the wheel balance, only to find that the wheels were fine and not out of balance. Of course, now 14 months later, the only two scratches I have in my car ar where the asshole tech scratched my wheels being careless with the impact gun.
I think the most pathetic thing about this whole issue is when you look back to when this thread started. Over a year later and the vibe issue still remains. My first post to this thread was on 7/25/02, and that was after the car was fixed!
I had an 01, prior to the 03, and although I didn't have the vibe in that car, I believe many others did.
Fred
I had the same problem with my dealer and wound up almost having a brawl with the shop foreman,who told the tech to balance the wheels. Before I was able to see what was going on, he had the rear wheels off the car. Well, once they were off, they were off, and they went ahead and checked the wheel balance, only to find that the wheels were fine and not out of balance. Of course, now 14 months later, the only two scratches I have in my car ar where the asshole tech scratched my wheels being careless with the impact gun.
I think the most pathetic thing about this whole issue is when you look back to when this thread started. Over a year later and the vibe issue still remains. My first post to this thread was on 7/25/02, and that was after the car was fixed!
I had an 01, prior to the 03, and although I didn't have the vibe in that car, I believe many others did.
Fred
Vibe is finally gone, only have a slight vib above 95, but can even still use the rearview up above 110. It was a struggle, but the best path is to ask for a Ford engineer to look at the car. Actually, the dealership I took the car to in MI, Harold Zeigler in Plainwell, was very nice and worked with me to get the proper attention from Ford. They even drove the car above 80 mph to verify my description of the intensity of the vibration (something that is not approved by Ford and my local dealer in TN would not do).
In the end, I learned that there is a new driveshaft being designed which will fix the vib problem. Not sure of the availability, but I think it should be within the next 3 months. They replaced my DS for a second time and it fixed the problem. The explaination I was given was that the problem is due to the tolerance allowances on the DS and the IRS succeptibility (sp?) to vibration vs a fixed shaft rearend. The new design is supposed to tighten up the tolerances in manufacturing significantly.
Probably said too much here, but wanted to let all know that Ford is working on the problem and believe they have a solution in the works.
LS
In the end, I learned that there is a new driveshaft being designed which will fix the vib problem. Not sure of the availability, but I think it should be within the next 3 months. They replaced my DS for a second time and it fixed the problem. The explaination I was given was that the problem is due to the tolerance allowances on the DS and the IRS succeptibility (sp?) to vibration vs a fixed shaft rearend. The new design is supposed to tighten up the tolerances in manufacturing significantly.
Probably said too much here, but wanted to let all know that Ford is working on the problem and believe they have a solution in the works.
LS
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