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Weird handling

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Old May 10, 2013 | 07:00 PM
  #1  
78bigbronco's Avatar
78bigbronco
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Weird handling

I've done a lot of front end replacement on my 99 this year and have it better than its been in a long time. The truck still seems to wander a bit, but that's going to be hard to nail down and it's not that bad really. But something that concerns me is it always feels more unstable over bumps- and I've noticed that going over a small hill at speed when the truck feels light, that the wheel pulls a little to the right, and then when the weight shifts back down the steering wheel turns to the left. If I hold the wheel lightly with my fingertips, the wheel will rock from side to side and back to normal. However in traffic when you have a firm grip and don't let the wheel move on its own then the truck shifts more on the road. Quick bumps don't have as much affect as small hills do.

Any clues?
 
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Old May 10, 2013 | 11:29 PM
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Have you had the alignment checked after doing all the work.
A good place to start.
Wandering is a case for to little caster.
Darting is a case for incorrect toe-in.
Camber is yet another parameter.
Good luck.
 
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Old May 13, 2013 | 12:57 PM
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Yeah, it was aligned after all that.

The main thing I'm concerned with right now is how it pulls to one side over a hill then pulls the opposite way coming off the hill. I'm not up on all the lingo does that fit into any of your alignment issues above?
 
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Old May 13, 2013 | 06:30 PM
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Another thing to check if the alignment was done by a reputable place, would be the tires. I had an F350 where if you hit a bump it would try and rip the steering wheel out of your hands and shake violently because of worn tires and need for an alignment. So I would maybe try rotating the tires and see how it handles.

-Ken
 
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Old May 13, 2013 | 07:39 PM
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Not ruling the tires out but they are brand new. I think I might take it somewhere else for an alignment though, I don't have a lot of faith in the shop I went to.
 
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