The difference here is I think Ford actually doesn't consider this as a problem but rather a design flaw that doesn't affect the truck's overall operation. In other words, nothing broke to cause this and this won't cause anything to break, just annoying.

 

I also find it ratther irritating thhat these issues are labeled as a "characteristic" when they should be looked into and remedied. I know that vehicles wwill not be perfect in every aspect...however issues like vibration and shuddering are NOT normal. If they were then every vehicle would have them...not just trucks. There is a design flaw at work here causing these issues and it seems Ford is not willing to spend the money to resolve it.

As it looks...I would hate to have to resort to spending money to fix something that Ford should resolve with their product.

I have not given up hope yet...and remain hopeful that the dealer will continue to work and try to get the issue resolved. When I get the driveshaft replaced, I will let you know how it all pans out.

 

In my job I work with suppliers and their engineering groups all around the globe. Your experience of Toyota vs. Ford doesn't surprise me. Most companies know they have to be committed to quality and put a lot of effort towards it. However, only a select few (and I do mean few) have a culture that fosters high quality in every way all the time, and it creates a whole different experience for the customer.

Most companies have so many problems to fix that they are resource limited and have to prioritize what is worked. If they fixed all the problems then they would go bankrupt, and that's why a lot of problems never get addressed. On the other hand, there are a few top tier companies that have so few problems that they can afford to take great interest to fix most of them. In my trade, the best products are from Japan and are associated with companies spun off from Toyota and their quality culture. So I guess it doesn't surprise me when Toyota had time and money to help you out with your problem.

 

Good perspective. Plus it was a calculated marketing effort from Toyota, sticking with your product goes a long way. While I love my Ford, and it serves a different purpose than my Tundra, there will probably always be a Toyota product in our driveway as well.

Back tot he matter at hand........I wonder if the driveshaft swap will solve it.

 

Well I have had several Toyotas...a Camry and a Sequoia...both great vehicles. This is my second american made vehicle (aside from my 1967 mustang). I bought this Ford truck mainly due to the great reviews especially for the ecoboost...which has not disappointed as of yet.

The service manager called me a fee minutes ago and said. "Well it seems we went the wrong way with the shim kit huh? We will go the other way and get it right for you. We'll get this problem resolved" That was the first time I heard him say anything like that and frankly I hope he does get it fixed!

He also stated they will also do a driveshaft swap.

I honestly do not believe the low end shudder has anything to do with the driveshaft...and really believe it to be a differential issue with how it feels when coming to a stop. That is just my opinion however and it all remains to be seen.

I have been driving my wife's Infiniti G37s to work these past couple of nights to put some miles on it since she basically has 1.2 miles until she gets to work...and it always reminds me of how much of a little rocket that thing is! Just the smallest press of the pedal and it is screaming down the road. I do however immediately feel how much more comfortable my F150 is and how different the steering is. I have really gotten used to the outright comfort of my F150 and how good it drives down the road and how comfortable those seats are!!! (best seats I have owned to date so far). The vibration at 65 is barely noticeable when unloaded...however the low end shudder especially when coming to a stop is very noticeable.

Anyway...I will be out of town for the next week and will get the truck looked at as soon as I get home.

 

I'm really hoping for a fast resolution Rob.

It makes sense to me that it could be a driveshaft issue, but I can't think of a single differential issue that could cause this. When you accelerate you cause axle wrap because the axle is being torqued towards the rear of the truck. This will alter pinion angle and can cause a shudder with the U-joints going out of tolerance. Of course if there is a problem with the U-joints they will shudder when they otherwise shouldn't.

When you brake you cause axle wrap on the opposite direction, as the axle is torqued towards the front of the truck. Your own trial supports this, as(IIRC) you lost your shudder on acceleration but it got worse when you braked. This is exactly what would happen if this was the cause, because clamping the front of the spring will resist torquing rearward(accelerating) much more than it would towards the front(braking).

I'm confident the dealer is on the right track with this, and if we were closer I would bet you a steak dinner that it has nothing to do with your differential.

 

Tom...I hope he is on the right track and it does get resolved. I sure wish you could feel exactly what I am feeling when I am braking...and it only happens when I am at about 25 miles or less coming to a stop. Maybe I will try the clamp trick again tonight to see if it does in fact stop that issue from occurring even with the shim kit installed. It's worth a try.

BTW I had a steak dinner in Seattle that you would not be too happy about paying for...lol I had a 32 oz. ribeye that was $80! The bill at the end of the night with just myself and my wife was $320.

 

If you try it, clamp the overloads on the rear instead of the front and see if it happens. My bet is that the shudder on acceleration will be worse, but it will be much better when you brake.

I don't know Rob, with what you've been through trying to track this down SOMEONE owes you a nice steak dinner!

 

Thanks Tom I surew could use a nice steak dinner! I am going to Chicago next week and will surely be having one somewhere!...lol

Well I actually went out and clamped the FRONT of the springs again and drove it and it almost eliminated the shudder when braking. (maybe it did eliminate it..but I was feeling the road) So just by doing that obviously it is not the differential as you have stated.

I will go do the rear now and see what it does.

EDIT:

Well clamping the BACK of the springs did bring back the shudder on braking and a tad more pronounced on acceleration...although I do have to say I have not had much shudder under acceleration. Still no vibration at 65 unloaded.

Ok so here are some things that irked

me! I was looking around under the truck when doing the clamping and I saw this!



Those jack wagons messed up the paint on the rear diff!! WTF?

Oh and to make things worse when I was looking around under the truck I noticed that the spare tire was actually a Goodyear Wrangler ATS and it is only an 18 inch!!!

The tires I have on the truck are Bridgestone Duelers which are 275/55 R20 and the spare is a Goodyear Wrangler 275/65 R18! WTF?!

Here is a picture of the shim kit I believe:



It looks to be the metal plate above the spring block.

Ok what is this?

 

Prince Valium

That ticks me off with the difference in tires as well, if the manufacture puts 20in on a truck then the spare should be the same. Even though the 18in and 20in are technically almost the same their not.

275/65/18
Sidewall 7.0inches
Radius 16.0in
Diameter 32.1in
Circumference 100.0in

275/55/20
Sidewall 6.0inches
Radius 16.0i
Diameter 31.9
Circumference 100.2

Now I only hope that little difference never effects anything if I ever have to drive with my spare for any distance.

 

Well Prince, in that first pic, you have there an ancient hieraglyphic message. It's actually a prophecy. Notice from left to right, you have a police figure pointing a future weapon at a mutant two legged beast that is trying to attack. You can see the bullet right over the officer's dog's head as the dog is leaping up to attack the beast. I am a specialist in deciphering these messages. The meaning is quite simple. It means that the beast has succeeded in attacking your truck, but, he will be defeated by Good. And the help of a faithful dog. You do have a dog I hope.

 

It appears to me the paint on the axle tube is simply flaking off. Not dealer's fault (no scratches). You can see more is about to come off on the left side of photo.

I think the answer to "what is this?" is bump stop. It provides a bit of cushion and keeps suspension from making direct contact with the vehicle should the suspension go full travel.

 

Actualy that is not a buump stop...there is one on either side of the truck on the frame. The bump stops are right above the axle.

At first i thought it was a lifting point but that would be that can't be.


Thanks for the laugh! I always seem to find pictures of faces and things like that in almost everything I look at, clouds markings on whatever...I see things like that all the time. Yes I do have to dogs so maybe I am in luck!

 

Ford's spec on an AWD vehicle (the most pickey about tire size) is a maximum difference in circumference of 0.25" and you are within that, so no harm should ever come to any drivetrain componet from driving on that tire, especially since you do not have AWD

now, if they had put a 235/70r17 or something goofy like that, i'd raise an eyebrow, but those two sizes are actually very close. there would likely be more difference in circumference between a nearly worn out tire, and a nearly new tire of the same size.

So i guess what i'm saying is ... i wouldn't worry about it.
it's a spare, with any luck it will never see pavement.

 

OK prince, if you're ready to listen to the rantings of a lunatic.........that thing that you're wondering about, is a weight, nothing more, nothing less. You should have one on the other side too. Wonder why they only put them in the back? Manufacturers started hanging weights on things to get rid of drones, harmonics and vibrations. Ever seen the weights inside the quarter panels on a late model mustang? Everybody wants horsepower and good fuel mileage, right? They kind of cancel each other out. Now, throw emissions in there. That effects mileage and power both. One way to alleviate that problem is to cut overall weight. But that comes at a price. Unexplained noises and vibrations. Just imagine that your vibrations are always there, you just cant feel them (6.7 ticking noise always has been there but the engine is so quiet that now you can hear it). Just for a hoot, try cobbling up some more weight to hang on those points and see if it affects anything.