Ok i have an interesting vibration. I own a 2002 F 250 superduty 4x4. automatic transmission and 5.4 litre engine. I have owned the truck since brand new and have run mud tires most of the trucks life. I installed a six inch pro comp lift four years ago. I have about 120000 miles on the truck. I recently put the stock tires on for a trip to save gas mileage and noticed an interesting vibration. From what i can determine is that when the vehicle warms up it will start a vibration when you hit a certain kind of bump. more like a rise in the pavement like when they start and stop two different sections or when you hit a bridge section. the vibration will continue non stop at a steady pace until you hit another unique bump or you slow down to exactly 7 to ten miles an hour. I does not increase with rpm's it does not go away when you put it in neutral or downshift. I have never replaced any part on the trucks besides the brakes. When i changed the tires for the trip i checked all the front end parts and they feel tight. It has a duel steering stabalizer. i am about to replace the ring and pinion and do a master install kit, but really want to fix this problem first or at the same time while its all tore apart. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Is the vibration in the steering wheel like a back and forth of the wheel?

If so.....first re-check wheel balance and the steering damper. The wheel damper could have lost some gusto. Warning do not go cheap! The oem or the highest quality aftermarket part.

 

no its not really in the steering wheel. to me it feels like a u joint. But the u joints are all tight. I am thinking on replacing both the u joints in the rear when i do the ring and pinion. It vibrates the whole truck. As with anyone who has run mud tires i have felt bump steer and things like that and it feels nothing like that.

 

Quick update. on my WAY HOME FROM WORK I LOCKED IN THE HUBS AND IT SEEMED TO NOT VIBRATE LIKE BEFORE. I DID HERE A CLICKING LIKE DRY BEARRINGS BUT THE VIBRATION WAS NOT THERE. I WILL CONTINUE THIS TRIAL IN THE MORNING.

 

No one has any Help?

 

I have an early 99, and your posts read just like I wrote them or something. When I bought my truck, it had Super Swampers on it- no idea how long they have been on, but I'm guessing a while. Of course, with those tires, you don't really hear anything else!

Anyway, apparently, my hubs have been locked the entire time I've had the truck (a couple months). I just noticed they were locked a couple days ago, so I unlocked them and started experiencing the same issue you are having- certain bumps make the vibrations start, certain bumps make them stop. Also, like you, locking the hubs makes the issue go away.

I haven't went through checking it over yet, but here's what I'm leaning towards- the hubs. Mine are the factory junk- are yours? I'm replacing mine anyway, so I'll know shortly if that is the problem or not.

 

I didn't get to work on it this weekend, so can anyone chime in?

This is the first truck I've had with these type of hubs, so I'm unfamiliar with them. I'm almost positive this is a hub issue since locking them in makes it go away. Would removing the vacuum source do anything?

 

Yes i have the stock hubs although mine are manual. I don't believe i have the vacuum lock kind. No telling what condition they are in but i am planning on doing the ring and pinion in a few weeks so i will know shortly what it looks like in there.

 

Mine look like manuals, but they are vacuum too. Look behind your wheel- if you have 3 lines, they are vacuum (brake line, ABS sensor, and the vacuum line).

Even if they are manual, they could be worn out enough that they are not disengaging fully.

 

Sounds like the same problem i had. ended up being a wheel bearing assy. pull the abs senser and greasing the unit bearing. installed the senser and the vib went away so i changed it and no problems sense. the bigger tires play hell on them.

 

wheel bearing makes sense as well. i noticed yesterday i might have a very light wheel lean. looks like they are both leaning in. Or i have it set up to race daytona.

 

Did you get the vibration taken care of, and if so, what did you find?

 

Not yet i had to get the motorcycle all running good before i tore the truck apart. I am gonna start it this weekend.

 

it definatly sounds like a bearing problem to me, expecially if your wheels are leaning inward at the top, its very easy to check, just jack up truck near the outer edge on the lower control arm unless you have leaf spring front end then jack it up anywhere and wiggle the top and bottom back and forth and left and right if there is free play there then replace bearings, first make sure ball joints are not the cause of the wiggle if there is one. Big tires really love to eat up bearings, But they sure look good..

 

One quick way to disqualify the hubs as the problem is to remove them from the truck completely, then drive it over an area of road that you know would cause the vibration before.

However, with your tires leaning in, I'm with the others on betting your problem lies elsewhere (unless you're unlucky like I was and have multiple issues).