Drivetrain vibration
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 232
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From: Ontario, Canada
This sounds like poorly balanced or out-of-round tires. particularly since you noticed it after putting the rims/tires on. That's the speed range you'd notice that.
I think the OP of the thread has a much more serious issue. I would at least ask if they could take a look at the slip yoke, maybe repack it since it's a known issue. OR...I would find another dealer or an independent mechanic that specializes in trucks for a second opinion. I did this when I had to sue Ford in 1989 after they refused to warranty a transmission repair on my Mustang GT, claiming the clutch locked up and ripped the transmission internals apart. I won.
I think the OP of the thread has a much more serious issue. I would at least ask if they could take a look at the slip yoke, maybe repack it since it's a known issue. OR...I would find another dealer or an independent mechanic that specializes in trucks for a second opinion. I did this when I had to sue Ford in 1989 after they refused to warranty a transmission repair on my Mustang GT, claiming the clutch locked up and ripped the transmission internals apart. I won.
Still loving the truck too!
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 232
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From: Ontario, Canada
Up-date... took my truck in to get the sat radio antenna repaired and have a look at the shudder I was feeling.
They are going to change out my drive shaft due to 'excessive play' and see if that fixes the issue.
The tech also noted he would check the number on the rear springs to make sure they were the "more current ones" as the earlier ones were too soft and allowed (another old school term coming here) "axle wrap", where the rear end would roll slightly under the big torque applied to it.
Will up-date the up-date when I get an up-date...
They are going to change out my drive shaft due to 'excessive play' and see if that fixes the issue.
The tech also noted he would check the number on the rear springs to make sure they were the "more current ones" as the earlier ones were too soft and allowed (another old school term coming here) "axle wrap", where the rear end would roll slightly under the big torque applied to it.
Will up-date the up-date when I get an up-date...
New User
Joined: Mar 2012
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Drive Train Vibration
Drive Train Vibration, Sounds familiar...
I had the exact same problem on my 2009 F150 5.4 3v 4x4. Dealer could not find anything. All of a sudden the Rear Drive Shaft Center Bearing seized up and I came to a dangerous sudden stop. Had to get it towed to a garage. Mechanic took the rear drive shaft off and I drove in 4x4 using the front drive to the dealer. Drive shaft and bearing replaced under warranty, But...
Prior to this I had 8 sudden flat tires, most of the time blowing out while on the highway, twice throwing me off the road. The last time, It was like I slammed on the brakes. it threw me off the road hitting a large rock. It also took a chunk out of the rim. Finally I demanded the tires and rims be replaced, it was unsafe. The Dealer replaced them under warranty and I paid extra to get better rims and tires. But... I now think the drive shaft was causing the tire problem all along.
Right away I noticed a small ticking sound from the engine area, I took it back to the dealer and they said it was nothing to worry about, they all did this.
Of course 11,000 miles out of warranty, I now have a loud intermittent knocking noise at low idle. The dealer says it’s the same Cam Phaser problems as previous years. Now the Dealer and Ford both say they won’t fix, it is out of warranty. I took it to other mechanics and they all say it is the Cam Phaser Problem.
I Read the earlier model Cam Phaser problems but could not find any recall or warranty for the 09. I'm new at this, any suggestions.
Thanks Trikeman.
I had the exact same problem on my 2009 F150 5.4 3v 4x4. Dealer could not find anything. All of a sudden the Rear Drive Shaft Center Bearing seized up and I came to a dangerous sudden stop. Had to get it towed to a garage. Mechanic took the rear drive shaft off and I drove in 4x4 using the front drive to the dealer. Drive shaft and bearing replaced under warranty, But...
Prior to this I had 8 sudden flat tires, most of the time blowing out while on the highway, twice throwing me off the road. The last time, It was like I slammed on the brakes. it threw me off the road hitting a large rock. It also took a chunk out of the rim. Finally I demanded the tires and rims be replaced, it was unsafe. The Dealer replaced them under warranty and I paid extra to get better rims and tires. But... I now think the drive shaft was causing the tire problem all along.
Right away I noticed a small ticking sound from the engine area, I took it back to the dealer and they said it was nothing to worry about, they all did this.
Of course 11,000 miles out of warranty, I now have a loud intermittent knocking noise at low idle. The dealer says it’s the same Cam Phaser problems as previous years. Now the Dealer and Ford both say they won’t fix, it is out of warranty. I took it to other mechanics and they all say it is the Cam Phaser Problem.
I Read the earlier model Cam Phaser problems but could not find any recall or warranty for the 09. I'm new at this, any suggestions.
Thanks Trikeman.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 232
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From: Ontario, Canada
A dangerous and sudden stop would be bad where I live... lots of nasty rock cut walls and ditches as well as big a$$ed trees to hit if it seized up. Hoping it gets fixed and no issues after, like you Trike, I have no idea how to pursue anything further but since you had already lodged a complaint while it was under warranty, can't you get it repaired as an after the fact item?
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,449
Likes: 5
From: Fort Pierce, Fl
Make sure the E-brake is releasing all the way, I had an 07 that suddenly started a terrible shudder almost felt like the back end was going to bounce off the ground. Next time try engaging the e-brake slightly and see if it changes. Weird things can happen! Winter salt will play games with you.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Make sure the E-brake is releasing all the way, I had an 07 that suddenly started a terrible shudder almost felt like the back end was going to bounce off the ground. Next time try engaging the e-brake slightly and see if it changes. Weird things can happen! Winter salt will play games with you.
I will do some testing later and post...
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Got the new drive shaft done and it has improved but still has a shudder issue. It feels about the same accelerating from a stop in 1 and 2 and still quakes at around 65kph.
Not too sure about the brakes sticking here, no apparent issue, no heat or anything evident.
Waiting for word back on next step but I was looking at other forums on here and found the 6.7 diesel boyz are busy customizing their suspensions and stuff so I will pay some attention to what they come up with for their babies and maybe modify my plans/truck accordingly.
Still not giving up on it, costs way too much to jump away and I like it a lot.
Not too sure about the brakes sticking here, no apparent issue, no heat or anything evident.
Waiting for word back on next step but I was looking at other forums on here and found the 6.7 diesel boyz are busy customizing their suspensions and stuff so I will pay some attention to what they come up with for their babies and maybe modify my plans/truck accordingly.
Still not giving up on it, costs way too much to jump away and I like it a lot.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 232
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From: Ontario, Canada
Forgot to add... the tech told me he checked for "older springs" and found them the up-dated ones, the others were too weak and required a shim kit to align the rear end with the drive shaft properly.
I will ask about the bad shocks idea tomorrow when I drop by. Does it make shuddering happen at certain speeds or was it kind of everywhere? I imagine there is some sort of harmonic spots to amplify the shuddering at certain speeds but just speculating.
They wondered about the tires as well but they are leaning toward "other causes" for now, they will balance them just in case.
I will ask about the bad shocks idea tomorrow when I drop by. Does it make shuddering happen at certain speeds or was it kind of everywhere? I imagine there is some sort of harmonic spots to amplify the shuddering at certain speeds but just speculating.
They wondered about the tires as well but they are leaning toward "other causes" for now, they will balance them just in case.
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Re Shutter
My F159 09 5.4 v3 had a shudder and as stated in previous post kept blowing the air out of the tires and throwing me off the road, fill the tire back with air and ok. After I replaced all the rims and tires I found wet sand and snow had caked up in the rims and wondered if it was putting the tires off balance. I also had one tire get a bulge on the outside of the tire but on the side you could not see it.
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ok, well it's back in the shop again. Ford wanted to try a few more things. Odd that they called me to bring it in only after I had written a rather stern letter to them. I have noticed this, and can now make the problem happen almost anytime if someone has about 20-30minutes to ride with me. I had an occassion to drive to Nashville a couple of weeks ago and after driving at highway speeds for 1-1 1/2 hours, we came upon a accident and had to sit in traffic for quite a while,BUT when we started crawling again, 3-5mph, it will jerk the hell out of you-like being hit from behind. I guess it's downshifting or having trouble jumping back into gear. We even went about an hour further then got off the interstate unto the service road and just crawled like before, and it jerked hard again, damn near hurt my neck!! Does this help any of yall reading, what are yall's thoughts? I really like reading the replies!!! thanks for the time.
John
John
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Joined: Apr 2012
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I have a 2011 F150 SCab with the 3.7L engine and 3:73 gears, 6.5 bed. It also has a vibration comming from the rear end. It starts at 45 mph and continues to 85 mph. You feel it in the seats and the passenger seat vibrates so bad that it looks like it is comming off it tracks. I have had the wheels balanced 7 times in the 5K miles that it has on it. Dealer tells me that it is normal. It has spent over 10 weeks in the shop and it still has not been fixed. I drove several trucks before I ordered this truck. The ones I drove ran great but because the dealer didn't have one with the options I wanted I ordered the truck. The next time I purchase a vehicle I wll buy one that is on the lot that I have driven that comes closest to the truck I want. I am currently planning on trading this truck on onother one.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,513
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From: Sioux Falls Area
I have a 2011 F150 SCab with the 3.7L engine and 3:73 gears, 6.5 bed. It also has a vibration comming from the rear end. It starts at 45 mph and continues to 85 mph. You feel it in the seats and the passenger seat vibrates so bad that it looks like it is comming off it tracks. I have had the wheels balanced 7 times in the 5K miles that it has on it. Dealer tells me that it is normal. It has spent over 10 weeks in the shop and it still has not been fixed. I drove several trucks before I ordered this truck. The ones I drove ran great but because the dealer didn't have one with the options I wanted I ordered the truck. The next time I purchase a vehicle I wll buy one that is on the lot that I have driven that comes closest to the truck I want. I am currently planning on trading this truck on onother one.
in your case, i'd be trying different dealers, and then independant shops. in most state, you do not HAVE to have warranty work done at the dealership. check it out before you jump in with both feet, but you have some options, you'll just end up doing all the leg work for it, so realize that before you go in.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-at-5-kph.html
this guy had some issues and was unhappy with his purchase as well. he did finally get some satisfaction from Ford, so i'd read the whole thread and follow his steps to resolve the problem. He did end up trading in the end, but in my opinion he took a pretty big hit on the truck, but considering his overall situation, he made the right call.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nt-defect.html
good luck and keep us posted.
I have the feeling that there are some ford reps that lurk around this site, i've seen lots of comments/suggestions that have ended up being incorporated into the next Model Year truck (select shift, e-lockers, and e-lockers that work in 2WD all come to mind), so your words may speak louder than you'd think..... JMO.
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Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Sioux Falls Area
ok, well it's back in the shop again. Ford wanted to try a few more things. Odd that they called me to bring it in only after I had written a rather stern letter to them. I have noticed this, and can now make the problem happen almost anytime if someone has about 20-30minutes to ride with me. I had an occassion to drive to Nashville a couple of weeks ago and after driving at highway speeds for 1-1 1/2 hours, we came upon a accident and had to sit in traffic for quite a while,BUT when we started crawling again, 3-5mph, it will jerk the hell out of you-like being hit from behind. I guess it's downshifting or having trouble jumping back into gear. We even went about an hour further then got off the interstate unto the service road and just crawled like before, and it jerked hard again, damn near hurt my neck!! Does this help any of yall reading, what are yall's thoughts? I really like reading the replies!!! thanks for the time.
John
John
anyway, your issue sounds like a 2-1 downshift, possibly combined with a slip-yoke issue.
do an advanced search for "2-1 downshift" and a ton a stuff will come up
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Search Results
not sure if that link will work for you or not, but this issue has been discussed in great length as well.
read through some of that and then get back to us and keep us posted.
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It is quite odd to hear these problems on a 2011. there were a few 2010's that had these symptoms, but they were fairly scattered from what i remember.
the shim kit was a mixed success. some people were having a driveline vibration while unloaded, but was fine when loaded. the shim kit often times reversed the problem and it would drive fine when unloaded, but would have a vibration when loaded.
regarding the pinion angle, i admit i'm slightly confused. the way i understand it, the shim kit was installed to change the pinion angle. So, i'm not sure what they did to change the pinion angle, except for to install a shim kit.
Just for fun, and because it is a pickup anyway
, put about 500 lbs of balast in the bed and go for a drive. see if that changes the driveline vibration.
also, try limiting your top gears as suggested above. maybe you've got some transmission shutter?
If this was an older truck, i'd suspect u-joints.... being new makes that unlikely, but not impossible.
if you do have that mysterious driveline problem others had in 2010 ... well, i don't know if they ever really got that fixed in the trucks that had this problem. maybe other's can speak up, but i dont remember anyone reporting back that it was "finally fixed!"
With regard to your "bump" taking off from a dead stop, some have had the slip-bump Tim mentioned. I drove my 2010 at work today and re-noticed that it tends to float in 2nd gear while stopped, and then when taking off, it quickly downshifts into 1st. It is most noticable when barely crawling foward from a dead stop. Feels similar to a slip-bump, but it is a downshift.
They do this, i think, to help the driver hold the truck back. take a motor that makes monstor torque at idle, 4:1 1st gear, and 3.5:1 rear gear, and holding the truck at idle can become a problem. holding 2nd at idle helps with this.
i would offer it as a possibility that your truck is doing the same, but is a little slow on the 2-1 downshift at idle. when these transmissions get stupid, the get *really* stupid and will shift very harshly.
Bout all you can do is keep leaning on the dealership.
If you suspect it is transmission, take it to a shop and have the fluid sampled and tested for problems .... or at least inquire if they can.
don't know what else to tell ya
the shim kit was a mixed success. some people were having a driveline vibration while unloaded, but was fine when loaded. the shim kit often times reversed the problem and it would drive fine when unloaded, but would have a vibration when loaded.
regarding the pinion angle, i admit i'm slightly confused. the way i understand it, the shim kit was installed to change the pinion angle. So, i'm not sure what they did to change the pinion angle, except for to install a shim kit.
Just for fun, and because it is a pickup anyway
, put about 500 lbs of balast in the bed and go for a drive. see if that changes the driveline vibration.also, try limiting your top gears as suggested above. maybe you've got some transmission shutter?
If this was an older truck, i'd suspect u-joints.... being new makes that unlikely, but not impossible.
if you do have that mysterious driveline problem others had in 2010 ... well, i don't know if they ever really got that fixed in the trucks that had this problem. maybe other's can speak up, but i dont remember anyone reporting back that it was "finally fixed!"
With regard to your "bump" taking off from a dead stop, some have had the slip-bump Tim mentioned. I drove my 2010 at work today and re-noticed that it tends to float in 2nd gear while stopped, and then when taking off, it quickly downshifts into 1st. It is most noticable when barely crawling foward from a dead stop. Feels similar to a slip-bump, but it is a downshift.
They do this, i think, to help the driver hold the truck back. take a motor that makes monstor torque at idle, 4:1 1st gear, and 3.5:1 rear gear, and holding the truck at idle can become a problem. holding 2nd at idle helps with this.
i would offer it as a possibility that your truck is doing the same, but is a little slow on the 2-1 downshift at idle. when these transmissions get stupid, the get *really* stupid and will shift very harshly.
Bout all you can do is keep leaning on the dealership.
If you suspect it is transmission, take it to a shop and have the fluid sampled and tested for problems .... or at least inquire if they can.
don't know what else to tell ya
Mike, i think you are hitting the nail on the head!!
They(ford dealer) called me and wanted to try one more time to work on the truck. So when a loaner truck was available, I took it to them. they had the truck for 4 weeks!! during which time they only called me one time and that was to tell me that the "regional" engineer from florida would be there Monday. Not another word was said after that, so after 2 more weeks I went by to check on it and was told they had done a "bunch of things and that it was about 90 percent better but still had a little vibration". Was also told that the regional guy and service manager were still "talking about things to do next". During this month, I drove by there several times and only saw the truck moved once or twice from where they had it parked in the service lot. So my service advisor called serv. mgr while i was there and apparently was told that I could take the vehicle if I wanted and they would call when ready to do more work on the truck, so I took it. NO change whatsoever in my opinion. I asked my guy to have service manager call me when he got back from lunch and I want to see the paperwork so I knew what they had done (if anything). Well needless to say I got no phone call or any paperwork. Your statement about the downshift really strikes home especially if you drive on the highway for a while and then have to slow down(creep) like going through construction or accident, it really shifts hard and will rattle your teeth. So if we are at an impass or crossroad, I think..........it's time to speak with an attorney. As much as I don't like them, it's the only way I'm going to get any results. Any final comments from any/everyone would be appreciated. It may get a little "bumpy" from here on out!!!!
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