Forum Friends,

I just drove my family out to San Antonio and am having some major issues.

The Ex has started intermittent (less intermittent now) shaking while driving down the road. Not very noticeable at low speeds 20 or less. Idles smooth.

Took it in and had tires checked, balanced, rotated, and aligned.

No difference. It was so bad my wife got pulled over by a police officer on the freeway here. He was extremely nice, looked under the car and suggested as possibilities. The locking Hubs on the front (4x4), U-Joints, Axle issue, Stuck in 4 wheel drive, or bad power steering pump.

Once she picked me up and we drove home from our dinner, I got pulled over. When it is in its violent shaking mode, it pulls to the right. when the shaking subsides (for an unknown reason) the pull to the right is gone.

I do not notice anything that causes it to start or stop the shaking.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Anyone have a good mechanic suggestion for San Antonio?

THank,
Steve
931-625-8927
2001 Diesel 4x4, 4" Exhaust, Injen Cold Air Intake

 

Google "Ford death wobble" and see if that fits your symptoms.

 

I checked out the Death wobble....not sure if that is it but it does fit somewhat.

Forgot to put that I am at 215k miles. No lift.

Steve

 

Sounds like your axil u-jiont is locking up

Next time it does this bring vehicle to a complete stop and turn the steering wheel as fast as you can left, right, left, right, 8 aclock 4 aclock,See if problem gets better

 

I had the same problem with an f super duty and found that the steering stabilizer was starting to go and sometimes it would lock up and the whole truck would shake, changed the steering stabilizer and fixed it

 

I agree with greentree. Next time stop on a gravel area and turn the wheel all the way left and right. Mine did that and the steering wheel moved by itself jerking back and forth...........u-joints

 

How are your ball joints and tie rods? What is your air pressure in your tires? When mine were high, my truck had lot of vibration.

Agree on the axle u-joints as well. The steering wheel would move back and forth by itself with that.

 

The right front brake is hanging up. You need to check the sliding pins first, then if the pads move freely in the bracket, and last if the caliper pistons push in readily. It can also be the hose, but that's rare.

What is happening is one or both pads are failing to retract so they stay in contact with the rotor. As this contact heats up the rotor and the friction material, the friction material will expand and engage stronger, causing the pull. The shaking is occurring due to what is known as thermal distortion. This is not a 'warping' of the rotor that people mistake for causing pulsation, but the uneven heating of the rotor due to hard spots or uneven thickness within the rotor's rubbing disks that cause the two rubbing surfaces to be non-parallel, casing a difference in application pressure. Think in terms of quickly changing how much pressure you are applying to the brake pedal, or having ABS preventing a tire from slipping.

Once the friction material wears away during this "locked" event there is enough clearance to relieve the condition the vibration and pull stops until another brake application brings the friction material in contact with the rotor again. This normally takes some distance before the event initiates, but higher speeds like highway driving brings it on stronger and faster.

 

Great....I will test these suggestions out and return with update as soon as possible.

Thank You all for your help and support.

Steve

 

ALso, any other suggestions are more than welcome.

Anyone have thoughts on Driveshaft as being an issue? (As I have researched this on this and other forums that hascome up)

Thank you all again for helping out.

Steve

 

Check the brake first.

 

I will...just had lunch with 3 of my buddies here at work (I flew home las tnight and the family is with the Ex in SA) and they to a person believe it is the caliper/brake on the right side.

Going to have them check that first.

Steve

 

I don't know about the shaking, but a while back, ours started pulling to the right while braking and I thought it was the right side caliper/brake not working correctly. Turns out, it was the left side that was not working at all. The right side was working like it was suppose to, so we only had brakes on that side, that is why it was pulling that way.

So be sure they check both sides.

 

Exactly how does it shake? Does the steering wheel jerk back and forth? Does it just do it sometimes?

 

Here is a link from this forum talking about calipers for a almost identical issue.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...need-help.html

I am having it looked at today. I will post results.

Steve