Hopping on 4x4
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Hopping on 4x4
Hey everyone everyone! I have noticed that if I decide to take my truck off road, my truck jump when I'm in 4x4. More oressential when I'm in mud, 4 high, I start moving, if I go to hammer on it, the whole truck jumps and shakes like it wants to tear itself apart. In snow, it won't do it if I'm driving normally. All four tires are the same, it's not on pavement, only in mud if I'm trying to just have fun. It's very rare that I even go off road, but when I do, I would like for this not to happen. I checked the front u-joints. It's just always happened. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
And your truck is?
If it's an F250 or larger it's possible you are experiencing rear axle hop, the stiffer rear springs seem to make this more common with these trucks than 1/2 tons.
If this truck is a recent acquisition then you might want to verify that both axles have the same gear ratio in them, in 4wd the truck should roll freely in a straight line on pavement or packed dirt for as far as you want to go, if it only goes a short distance and then binds up the gears don't match. And FYI, a front axle with 4.09 gears and a rear with 4.10 gears is considered matched, if you had 3.55 in the rear and 4.09 in the front that is a mismatch.
If it's an F250 or larger it's possible you are experiencing rear axle hop, the stiffer rear springs seem to make this more common with these trucks than 1/2 tons.
If this truck is a recent acquisition then you might want to verify that both axles have the same gear ratio in them, in 4wd the truck should roll freely in a straight line on pavement or packed dirt for as far as you want to go, if it only goes a short distance and then binds up the gears don't match. And FYI, a front axle with 4.09 gears and a rear with 4.10 gears is considered matched, if you had 3.55 in the rear and 4.09 in the front that is a mismatch.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Chillicothe
So you can drive on pavement in 4 high and it doesn't hop/jump around? Just when you floor it in mud. I'd check radius arm bushings, and it could be spring wrap...what kind of tires are you running?
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It's a 1991 f150, 5.0 5 speed. I purchased it from the original owner 2 years ago with 27,000 on it. It drives fine in 4x4 if I'm just bubbling along. Both diffs have the 3.55 ratio. I just locked in my hubs and drive around in 2 wheel, and ever so slightly, your can hear a faint click when turning. I'm going to replace the three u-joints and see what happens from there.
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On pavement, packed dirt, snow, it doesn't matter, it will run fun. As soon as i try to get a little squrily off road, it shakes so bad. Radius arm bushings look good and are tight. As far as tires, I have a set of 31 invb mastercrafts I'm wearing out before I put the 33's on. It has a 2 inch level, but it did it before I put the lift in.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
OK axle wrap could be your problem, weak rear springs are suspect here as are all bushings in front and back drivetrains, consider replacing the rear leafs and if that doesn't completely cure it install ladder(traction) bars.
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So this is an excuse to buy a bigger lift now? Haha replace the rear leafs, new Springs in the front, and new bushings? Sounds like a 4 inch lift to me! Thank you for your help guys, I'll try all of this out and see what happens.
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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27k original miles? I doubt that. How many times has the odometer rolled over? I'm about to have zero miles in my truck again 
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