I recently got tires on my F350 (BFG AT KO's) and noticed there was an odd wobble coming from the driver and passenger side so I went back to the tire shop and they said everything was fine, switched the wheels around and re-balanced them. The wobble also has a clicking sound coming from the rear end near the wheel hubs. I had the truck looked at by a driveline specialist and they got both rear tires off the ground and put the truck in gear and both rear wheels have the same wobble as well as the calipers being pulled side to side. I am waiting to hear from them tomorrow morning for a price to replace the axles, bearings, fluid and seals. I Have the Ford 10.25 rear end I dont know the exact name but Its not the dana. Since there is no axle code listed or tag left on the rear end they have to count the teeth and figure it out the "old fashioned" way. Are the axles known for going bad on these trucks often? I was used by a railroad and had very heavy 1/4 inch thick steel 19.5 wheels and tires on it not to mention all the other junk on it at the time. I guess that can wear them out pretty fast . The truck has 160,000 miles on it so I guess anythings possible.

 

Kdr358, just my $.02, but if your truck drove fine before you took it in for new tires I bet it fell off the lift/jack or whatever in the tire shop when the wheels were off and bent the brake rotors and/or hub flanges. Your truck has full floating rear axles, the hubs ride on two big bearings on a spindle and the axle shafts only drive the wheels. If both of your rear axle bearing were soo bad that the wheels wobbled like that I don't think it would go far before a wheel came off or locked up.

 

I never noticed the wobble with the older 19.5 wheels because of the offset, they were so close to the frame / wheel wells I couldn't see them in the mirror due to the rail offset so the tire center rides on the rails . But I watched them the entire time and they just used a floor jack one corner at a time. It seems that when the truck is in the air both wheels have the same odd "wobble" as well as the calipers moving the same on each side. I know the brakes need to be done but I dont think the clicking would be there. I also drove with the truck empty after removing all the railroad equipment with the 19.5s installed still and the bed would still wobble and bounce looking at it in the mirror. Would the Hub bearings cause a problem? Tomorrow I plan on looking into this alittle bit deeper myself and get a second opinion from another shop.

 

The axles may have nothing to do with the wobble..You can remove them easily and turn the wheels by hand to see if the wobble is still there. Plus with the axle out you may be able to see if its bent. I would look at the bearings and spindles for problems or axle housing being bent. I have seen spindles bent which would cause the axle to bind as it turns. Something stinks!!!


Dick

 

I know on the front ends oversized wheels and tires are are known to cause pre-mature wear of the front wheel bearings and the 19.5 wheels that were on it were HEAVY.. almost 200lbs each.. Im sure that didnt help either. I will post pics and an update tomorrow. Thanks!

 

Can't wait!!!!

 

I wasnt able to pull it apart today but I got a second opinion by another shop and they pulled the axles in front of me.. Both are badly pitted and bent and have almost no splines left. The only explanation that we could come up with is that Since the truck saw alot of hard use and had alot of weight in it since new it took its toll on the bearings and axles.. The hub units and bearings were replaced by a ford dealer based on the part numbers and the fact that they were like new until the axles tore up the new bearings. I was quoted 1,300 again for axles, all new bearings, seals and fluids as well as removing the carrier and cleaning everything and re-installing. I also have heavier aftermarket heavier J code springs. I will post pics of the old parts once there not needed anymore.

 

Wow... What do you mean pitted? They are bathed in oil...I'm guessing when you get the rear cover off its not going to look good in there. Carrier bearings and maybe pinion bearings from all the metal floating around.. How do you bend an axle anyway? Just about impossible with the design..Maybe no lube and everything got really hot..



Dick

 

It was an old railroad truck, I think the hub bearings failed and they drove it like that for a while and never really serviced it. It was driven hard and always loaded. It looks as if the bearings were not getting enough oil at one point in its life and like I mentioned I think they replaced the hub units only with worn axles.

 

I would make sure the new wheels are seating properly on the hubs/brake discs before jumping into rear end work! I have seen many many times where wheels will get cocked or sit weird and wobble when turned if something isn't just right!

Do you have the full floating rear end? Sterling 10.5"? If you do I would for sure say the wheels aren't bolting up right!!! There is nearly no possible way to "bend" a full floating axle to make a wheel wobble!!

 

Actually I KNOW whats wrong! The center hole in your new wheels probably isn't clearing the hub and is cocking the wheels! I have seen it before on these trucks.

 

The rims are stock Off a 02 F250. Would warped rotors cause this problem? As well as explsin the clicking? Maybe the rotors are tapping the worn brake pads causing it. I am off work early today and I will get a few pics once I get the wheel off. Thanks for all the help! I am just new to working on full floating axles and heavy trucks! I'm glad I posted here before spending 1300.00

 

I pulled off the rear wheels today and decided It couldn't hurt to check out the brakes while im under there. I replaced the pads and rotors as well as removed the little slide pins and cleaned them. I found that the drivers side (where the odd things are happening) caliper was frozen because one of the rubber boots tore and water got in the caliper bracket. I also pulled the axles and inspected everything, The axles are not pitted, bent or missing teeth, there perfect! so I jumped on the hubs, shook them wobbled them etc and both wouldn't move! so no problem there!, The hub bearings looked great and pretty recent . I also took a round "rat-tail" file and cleaned off anything that was in the center part of the rim. I re-installed everything and took it for a drive.. All the shakes went away but I looked at the tire closer and I think the tire itself. I will be taking it back again tomorrow and request a new tire be installed in place of it. I have maybe 100 miles on them since I got them last week. Thanks for all the help! It saved me from being taken for a 1,300.00 ride!


slide pins one after and one before the wire wheel!

Axle shaft splines



hub bearings


Axle flanges

 

Could be a bent wheel. Like you mentioned almost all tires have a little tiny bit of wobble to them when watching them closely. Anyone that balances tires will tell you this. Some are worse than others.