I am hoping someone out there can help me as my dealer can not and my patience is wearing thin. Let me give you the scoop on my problem. I've got an 01 X Limited 4X4 3.73LS (i posted here as there is much more traffic.). I have had an intermittant vibration in the front end for the past 3 months. (32,000 miles -- 30,000 of which on highway) In the beginning it would occur between 20-30 mph and feel like I was running over rumble strips. It seemed to be after I had it in 4 wheel as we had quite a bit of snow this winter. (I haven't had it in 4 wheel in over 2 months and it's still there.) The vibration would just come and go with no rhyme or reason and would usually last for about 10-15 seconds. I scheduled an appointment and the dealership kept my X for 2 days. The repair order stated that they -- tightened and realigned the exhaust and mounts and tightened and realigned the engine and transmission mounts. This fix was ok for about 2 days. The following monday the vibration came back -- only this time it was at highway speeds. I made another appointment and left the X for another day. The dealership said that they found a TSB about the front hubs and that they would replace the driver's side. The only problem was that I would have to wait 2 weeks for the parts to come in. I explained that I put about 1500 miles a week on the X on the highway and was worried that the vibration would be a problem. They told me that "it should not be a problem" but would not put it in writing. Needless to say I did not feel safe enough to use the X that much on the highway. They finally took the truck in for the hub replacement and had it another 2 days. By the time I got her home the vibration had started again so I immediately called and let them know. Their answer was that the vibration should be gone! Since then I have spoken to the customer relations gal, the service manager and the dealership general manager with no real help or answers. I took it back again last friday and on Saturday was told that they test drove it extensively (actually 12 miles!!!) and called the ford hotline. They would have to wait until tuesday for an answer as Ford would be closed monday after easter. As I needed the truck for work and my own personal use I picked it up on Sat. and almost went ballistic when I saw that their extensive road test was only 12 miles. Now all I can get out of them is that their guys have said that the problem should be gone and I would have to prove to them that the vibration still exists.
I'm almost at the breaking point with this. I have offered to leave the truck as long as they want and told them to drive it as much as they want but they keep telling me to bring it in when it is acting up. As this problem comes and goes at it's own leisure and I need to be all over the northeast for my job this is a problem.

I am sorry that I have been rambling but I hope that someone out there can give me some kind of an idea what I can do.

The vibration comes and goes without having to hit the gas or brake. I can feel it across the front of the floor and it feels like it's running over rumble strips.


Thanks for listening..............



01 X V10 Limited Estate Green...............

 

Check and see it either front axle is spinning when you drive. Get out and look and have someone drive the truck slowly toward you. If it is then 1 hub is not unlocked and it's probably the axle or the driveline that's vibrating.

 

I have a 99 f-250 sd 4x4, I had the same felling in my truck, explained it as a "rumble-strip ride" and the dealer could not find anything. Until I had to have it towed in. They replaced 2 seals, 2 o-rings, 2 hubs, 2 parts kits, and 2 shafts for a parts only total of 1869.11 (their cost, they did it under warranty). Hope that is not your problem, but your diagnosis sounds exactly like mine.

 

I also had some vibration but around 60mph.Dealer replaced the front wheel bearings(32,000mi).Problem gone.I have heard that these weak dana50s are prone to wear out bearings.Very expensive to replace.Hope this helps.

 

Hey, thanks guys for the responses. They have already replaced the drivers hub and bearing assembly. AND NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!!!!!! After taking the general manager for a 40 minute ride yesterday with absolutely no vibration -- it started again last night and was the worst I had ever felt it. I honestly thought that I was going to have to get home on the hook. This morning it was still acting up so I took it right to the dealership. The service manager kind of rolled his eyes when he saw me there again -- but I basically told him we were going for a ride. He actually did not want to go and said that they were waiting to hear from the Ford Hotline. I kinda told him that he did not have a choice so off we went. Well -- it would not do it for the first 3 or 4 blocks and I was ready to freak. When it finally started I thought that his head was going to pop off. Appearently they thought that i was whining about a little rattle or something. When it started and the whole front of the truck was vibrating and the dash rattling like hell from it he kind of sat straight up with a very shocked look on his face. He told me that if he had to deal with something like this he'd be awful upset at things as well. Thank God that it finally did this with one of the dealership guys in the truck. Wow!! What the hell -- am I nuts??? How many guys are actually happy when they find out their truck is broken? Just very happy that they finally know that there is something wrong with it. He did tell me that from what it is doing that it is caused by the hub and bearing assembly being bad. Appearently only one side was supposed to be bad and they had already replaced it so that is why the did not believe me. Now I just have to wait for them to get me a vehicle and they "are going to fix it".

Is there anything in the driveline that this condition would adversely wear out? I don't want to have them change the other hub or the same one again and not look far enough to replace anything that might have been damaged due to this condition.

Again, thanks for the replies.........................



01 X V10 Limited Estate Green..................

 

My problems, as I posted above, were the same. I originally had a bit of a vibration, they replaced a hub. Then I had the vibration come back and after some more complaining, they replaced the other hub. Then about 2 weeks later I had to have the tow and that is when they replaced all of the parts I listed above. Seems that it was a combination of not putting the hubs on right coupled with a vacuum seal problem. The hubs were attempting to engage on their own (I have manual lock hubs and the switch inside as well). They finally replaced whatever seals they figured were bad and no problems since. But I did shell out $1000 for a bumper to bumper aftermarket warranty for the piece of mind it gives me. I have used it once or twice for other things so it was a good (?) investment.