I have an issue with a wobbling right rear wheel on my 08 F-250 and, so far can't find whats wrong. I was told by a tire shop that my rims were NOT warped and, seeing them spin on the balancer, decided maybe new tires would help. $1697.00 later for a set of new Michelins and they helped slightly, but still when I place ANY of my wheels on that right rear side, that wheel assy. will wobble ever so slightly. Even the spare will, but none will anywhere else.

Ive looked at the axle with the wheel off, and there's an ever so slight wobble to it. It's not in the rotor. It is rock straight. But the hub with the lugs will wobble just a bit. Add a 20" wheel to a slight wobble and it grows. It's irritating to be going down the road and hit 47 mph and feel the a*# end shimmy side to side slightly.

The problem is, I have no decent dealership I can trust. Ive had such bad luck with my local dealer, wont go back into it but every time they've had it they either caused more damage or lied to me about what I actually needed/didn't need, and basically took advantage of me. I just need someone with some experience with these full floating axles to give me an idea of what to look for/ where to start looking so I can fix it.

Im mechanically inclined, and have done most all work on ALL my vehicles up til now. I can usually fix most anything, but I haven't the first clue where to start with this. Ive got no caliper movement. No wrecks or lift kits. Completely stock. Nothing's happened that I can think of that would cause this. Aren't these axles pretty tough?

The only idea I've been able to come up with is maybe the hub got knocked a little off kilter when I bumped the tire up against a curb when I had to take a corner short. It wasn't that hard of a hit. Seems like it would have bent the aluminum wheel before it would have bent something about the axle, don't you think? Could it have knocked the wheel bearings off a little? (I'm not the greatest with wheel bearings but I learn)

I'm just guessing, but am begging anyone who knows about these axles or knows somebody who knows a lot about these axles to give me some sort of hint or an idea on where I could start. Thanks ahead of time. Sorry such a long post but wanted to cover most everything I could think of.

 

bumping it up to keep it fresh...

 

I would take the wheel off, rotor and put a dial indicator on the axle, see what the runout is really. If it is bad all you can do is get another, I don't know whats allowed for that but I would imagine it isn't very much.

 

U need to recheck UR earlier work. Possibly replace the hub assembly. Note the bearing willneed replaced also.

 

To me it would make more sense to check the hub/bearing assembly. Your wheel bolts to the hub on these Full Floater differentials rather tahn an axle flange on a C-clip style diff. You can pull these axles with wheel on. If I was checking bearings I would pull brakes and wheel off so the hub can spin free. Spin the hub by hand and feel for roughness or "dryness".

I think it would be pretty tough to bend an axle, nearly impossible to bend the flange portion on a FF without something noticable to your eye. I have heard of people twisting axles.If an axle was bent it would more likely be toward the middle like in the axle tube. Could pull the axle and roll it on a very flat table it should show any warpage.
Do you run really big tires?
If you have to check for runout on hub flange or axle I would recomend a dial guage from harbor freight like someone else already said

 

No, I run the stock 275/65 20 tires. And I havent done ANYTHING I can think of to bend an axle. Someone told me these axles are tough as nails, and it would be really hard to bend one. I dont drag race it or even pull that often with it. I thought maybe that the hub could have been knocked a little off center when it hit the curb, but it wasnt that big of a hit. Like I said, seems like it would have bent the rim before the axle. But thanks for all your suggestions. My hope is that someone who has some experience with this will see it or a diesel mechanic will see it and suggest something that will point to the problem. And thanks Scott for the bump.

 

Are you 100% sure it's the axle and not the drive shaft?

 

fisrt thing run it on jackstands with the wheels on and watch the caliper to see if its floating from side to side this will varify if you have an issue at all. from there pull it apart and check the hub bearings and axel. also as stated check runout with a dial indacator

 

Cheezit, have you retired, I see you sig says former.

 

not old enugh for that. just moved on to hopefully what turns out to be bigger and better things

 

OK, well good luck in your new endeavors.

 

Cheezit Ive put it up on jack stands and run it and the caliper doesn't move at all. The only thing that wobbles is the tire. With the tire off you can see a slight wobble of the wheel studs but the caliper is rock solid. Could the bearings be a little crooked, possibly from hitting the curb, and that would be the problem? Cause these axles are pretty tough and hard to bend, wouldn't you say?

One thing.. running it on the jack stands with the wheels on vs off... what would the difference indicate if the calipers moved with the wheels on vs not moving with them off? I looked at them with the wheels off... will look at them in the morning with wheels on.Thanks!!

 

this is really sounding like a bent axle or bearing issue to me. I am suspecting a dial indicator is needed as the next step...but really your butt has already done that for you.

 

having the wheel on there help keep every thing set in place

 

Take this part off and check the part it mounts up to. Look this part over real good. It takes about an hour of your time. Here is a better picture of what I mean. UR thread is similar to another that bumped the curb. If the bearing cup fall in and out U have UR problem.