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Rumble vibration while braking...
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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Rumble vibration while braking...
Hey all,
'04 6.0L Excursion Limited 4x4.
I recently developed a "rumble" with vibration while braking. I describe it as a rumble because I associate it to a similar sound, cadence, and feeling as if you were slowing down on the rumble strips you find on the side of the highway. It is mostly only noticeable at lower speeds. I know the sound and feeling of warped rotors, but this seems different.
If it makes any difference, one issue I've been dealing with is that the front transfer case does not release when 4x4 is off and hubs are in AUTO.
Help is appreciated.
Thanks
'04 6.0L Excursion Limited 4x4.
I recently developed a "rumble" with vibration while braking. I describe it as a rumble because I associate it to a similar sound, cadence, and feeling as if you were slowing down on the rumble strips you find on the side of the highway. It is mostly only noticeable at lower speeds. I know the sound and feeling of warped rotors, but this seems different.
If it makes any difference, one issue I've been dealing with is that the front transfer case does not release when 4x4 is off and hubs are in AUTO.
Help is appreciated.
Thanks
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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Fronts are are a year old. Looked at 1 side of the rears and they were fine. Rotors look ok.
Vibration is noticeable between 10-40mph while braking.
I just dropped it off at a shop with a guy that's pretty knowledgeable on Fords. Will see what he says tomorrow, but until then keep the suggestions coming.
Vibration is noticeable between 10-40mph while braking.
I just dropped it off at a shop with a guy that's pretty knowledgeable on Fords. Will see what he says tomorrow, but until then keep the suggestions coming.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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I got a call from the shop. They said the vibration is coming from rust spots on the rear inner side of the rotor(s). This has me puzzled because I figure the pads would knock off any rust...unless it's building up in the slots (Powerslot cryos)?
I told them to button it up and I'll take a look this weekend.
Thoughts?
I told them to button it up and I'll take a look this weekend.
Thoughts?
Thread Starter
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Senior User
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I emailed the rotor mfg and they told me it's entirely possible for the rust to penetrate into the base material and cause this, especially in climates that de-icing agents are used (like where I live).
I just thought it odd because the Excursion never sat for long periods of time (MAYBE 2wks) without being driven and is always kept in the garage when home.
I just thought it odd because the Excursion never sat for long periods of time (MAYBE 2wks) without being driven and is always kept in the garage when home.
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Senior User
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Got a better update when picked up Excursion. Apparently the rust is coming thru from the backside of the rotor, working its way out to the pad surface. Said you can't even turn a rotor with that because the rotor will flake around the area with the rust.
They are seeing more and more of this.
So apparently I have a rust zit working its way up thru the depths.
They are seeing more and more of this.
So apparently I have a rust zit working its way up thru the depths.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
From: South Central KENTUCKY
HELP
I was handed off a mess that sounds just like this. My friend is deployed overseas, and his truck was giving him fits and his woman can't drive it.
2001 f250 ext cab, short bed, auto, 4x4, 7.3
new ball joints, new brakes, front end alignment lots of work differant mechs
drive great, straight turning etc, all is fine
problem is when you hit the brakes. When ever you brake it feels and sounds like the whole road turned into a rumble strip. All speeds, but only when braking
If you lightly touch brakes you can feel it to, but when you do a normal stop the whole truck shakes or hops.
like i said it feels like you are braking on the rumblestrip.
ideas
2001 f250 ext cab, short bed, auto, 4x4, 7.3
new ball joints, new brakes, front end alignment lots of work differant mechs
drive great, straight turning etc, all is fine
problem is when you hit the brakes. When ever you brake it feels and sounds like the whole road turned into a rumble strip. All speeds, but only when braking
If you lightly touch brakes you can feel it to, but when you do a normal stop the whole truck shakes or hops.
like i said it feels like you are braking on the rumblestrip.
ideas
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
From: South Central KENTUCKY
Well I will look at that. He thought there was a loose tie rod end coming off the pitman arm the best i can understand him.
I was struggling with that area, because it drives so good. And it just had an alignment, and most alignment shops are looking for ways to charge more, so why didn't they try and have them replace it.
It was just aligned few weeks ago.
I know the front rotors are brand new and it was doing it before and after
I think i will jack up the rear and see if it is a rear brake.
Maybe if nothing visual i will remove the calipers one at a time, put a block in them and tie them up and try each one till i narrow it down.
It does pull very slightly to the left when braking, not bad, hard to judge with the vibration. A
AND it is not a wobbly vibration it is up and down just like hitting a rumble strip.
I was struggling with that area, because it drives so good. And it just had an alignment, and most alignment shops are looking for ways to charge more, so why didn't they try and have them replace it.
It was just aligned few weeks ago.
I know the front rotors are brand new and it was doing it before and after
I think i will jack up the rear and see if it is a rear brake.
Maybe if nothing visual i will remove the calipers one at a time, put a block in them and tie them up and try each one till i narrow it down.
It does pull very slightly to the left when braking, not bad, hard to judge with the vibration. A
AND it is not a wobbly vibration it is up and down just like hitting a rumble strip.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
A thought: The calipers "float" on pins that keep them centered. Mine are siezed and I have two symptoms:
- Weird braking with vibration.
- Major wear on the inside face of the rotor, with the outside face having reasonable wear and a "dirty" surface.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
From: South Central KENTUCKY
Tugly that is just what I have been thinking. I have always had a thing about cleaning and lubing the sliders. I know a lot of people do not. So maybe the guys that have been working on it have not done that. Also this truck is not a daily driver, so an even better chance it has sat around and got locked up.
I sent him a message, because he just redid the fronts, nad he was talking about how hard it was and how he didnt like the design. I just thought he was nto familier, but it could be that the pins were froze and that is why he was struggling.
Now that i type this he talked about having to glue the springs or something in place to reassemble.
So i guess the first thing i need to do is each wheel down and check it out first
huh
I sent him a message, because he just redid the fronts, nad he was talking about how hard it was and how he didnt like the design. I just thought he was nto familier, but it could be that the pins were froze and that is why he was struggling.
Now that i type this he talked about having to glue the springs or something in place to reassemble.
So i guess the first thing i need to do is each wheel down and check it out first
huh
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
The fronts are a piece of cake, compared to the rear brakes. There is so much clearance to work in there and the parts are so big, I don't know why he would balk at those brakes - unless he's used to teeny-tiny Toyota Tercels and the like. Now, if he complained about the rear brakes, I'm way over on the "Let somebody else do it" side of the scale.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
From: South Central KENTUCKY
OK, this year all ready this truck has had, right front wheel bearing, 4 ball joints, 2 rear rotors, right rear caliper , right front rotor, and alignment. Still doing the same thing.
I put some paint on the outsides of the rotors and went out the end of drive and back, all clean.
Interesting thing I did see. I jacked the rear end up and put it on stands. I wanted to see if i could feel it in the rear, or not. So i accell, and when I brake, it stalls the truck??? A 7.3 stalling just from stopping the rear wheels no load,,, wierd to me..
I took it to a front end shop just to make sure.
owner thought it was a front axle bearing, because one of the seals is/was leaking. But it is on the receipt that they replaced an outer axle seal, so maybe they just didnt clean it up. I figure if a bearing was down, you would feel it at other times, at least randomly, not limited to JUST braking.
I put some paint on the outsides of the rotors and went out the end of drive and back, all clean.
Interesting thing I did see. I jacked the rear end up and put it on stands. I wanted to see if i could feel it in the rear, or not. So i accell, and when I brake, it stalls the truck??? A 7.3 stalling just from stopping the rear wheels no load,,, wierd to me..
I took it to a front end shop just to make sure.
owner thought it was a front axle bearing, because one of the seals is/was leaking. But it is on the receipt that they replaced an outer axle seal, so maybe they just didnt clean it up. I figure if a bearing was down, you would feel it at other times, at least randomly, not limited to JUST braking.