Advice Please!
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 149
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Advice Please!
I thought I had my bed shake figured out(when going over bumps at speeds under 50), but it turns out I don't...so far I have tightened all bolts, replaced rear shocks with Monroe Reflex, took out rear 1-5/8" block, tried the Sulastic rear shackles, played with the tire pressure, and put 160lbs of sand in the back. The tires are pretty much new, they are Cooper Discoverer ATR's (255/70/17). This is a 04 STX with only 44K on it. I am now contemplating Firestone air-bags and Bilstein 5100 shocks (for front and back). Will I just be wasting my time and money with this???
(I have searched for weeks with no solid info)
(I have searched for weeks with no solid info)
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,329
Likes: 4
From: manchester,ct
it is a waste of time. the beds shake a bit. no harm in that. also you have checked all the bolts and connections, so the bed is secure and safe. my bed shakes also, and has no problems. i just learned to live with it. my theory is that it is not the suspension, but the bed itself. these f-150 beds are so much deeper/taller than previous years. i think that there is just less strength in the bed walls causing a shake. not to say that the beds are weak, just not properly gusseted or braced to control or stop the bed vibration. but that is just my theory. i could be way off
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: manchester,ct
true, however some of the f-150s have a more pronounced shake than other trucks
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2006
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More pronounced is mine to a T...I just had it inspected and showed the mechanic and he was baffled. I was curious if there was anyone out their that has the same problem as me and tried either the air bags or bilsteins and what the outcome was. If not I am just going to do it. I am pretty much at the point if I can't figure this our or even lesson it, I will start looking for another ride...its just that annoying. I could probably adjust to the bed giggling, but being that it affects the cab as well is the most annoying part about it. Don't get me wrong, this is a smooth riding truck, but I am starting to regret trading my 89 f150 in for it.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,058
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From: South Jersey
It is normal for the beds on these trucks to have some shake to them. It actually helps to absorb some of the heavy bumps to improve ride quality. I've worked on all the other brand of trucks at work and they aren't much different when looking out the side mirror. You should has some piece of mind knowing that you checked all the crucial parts of the bed though.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Henrico, VA
Yeah I have been checking for this for the last 3 months and mine just doesn't do it so I consider myself fortunate because so many complain about it. I have even gone so far as to pull out the 2 swing tool boxes I have mounted at the rear of my bed and it still doesn't shake.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: manchester,ct
i dont believe that any suspension mods are going to help. if you notice that quack addict lost his shake when loaded with a cap. the top of the bed is what is shaking, so the cross bracing of the cap stops that. therefore i believe that the mods you are planning are just a waste of money. you should try a load secure bar. one of those ratcheting cross bars, just put it in the bed towards the rear and up high and that may help. also it will be less expensive than airbags, and it will serve a second purpose if it doesn't help.i think they go for $35 at harbor freight. just my $.02
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Henrico, VA
I wonder if the roll-up cover I put on my truck does the same for cross bracing. This might explain why I never saw it shake because the cover was installed 1 day after owning the truck. I actually bought it a few days before I picked the truck up so that it would be ready to install right away.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: northern va
i would have to say no due to it has no cross brace in the bed from what i can see. mine rattles but thats the tailgate bushings need to be replaced